Salem finished 5-2 in the SCA last season, but 9-12 overall. The Tigers were a young team last year with the entire pitching staff save one player new to pitching at the varsity level.
This year, coach Phillip Karr returns five starters. Three of those players earned all-conference honors including Boone Schrader (second-team all-conference), Reese Dodson (second-team all-conference) and Jordan Shults (honorable mention all-conference).
Schrader hit .365 last season with 12 RBI and six stolen bases. He also saw time on the mound and will see more this year. The senior will play shortstop when not pitching.
“Boone is a really good high school baseball player that loves the sport of baseball. I know he can play somewhere in college so hopefully some schools get out to see him,” Karr said. “Boone is flexible and I intend him to play shortstop to begin the season. I believe he will be a solid second baseman at the next level and that’s where he is most comfortable. He has by far our best range though, so he will probably have to train hard at shortstop. Boone will also be needed to win some games for us on the mound this year.”
Dodson brings speed to the fold after swiping 12 bases last year. He also drove in 14 runs while hitting .380. The junior will play primarily in centerfield but may come in to play second base when a middle infielders has to pitch.
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“Reese is just a solid athlete and mentally sharp in sports. He is always thinking and battles at the plate and stays alive until a pitcher makes a mistake. Reese has a good fundamental swing which helps his success rate and he is really versatile as an athlete,” Karr said. “Reese has gained strength in the weight room and that always helps a player by having enough power that he is respected by the opposing outfield.”
Shults came along nicely as a junior last season in his first season of varsity baseball. He knocked in 17 runs while earning all-conference honors in the outfield. This year he will have to pitch more and may see time at DH to save his legs for his starts.
Brett Fore (junior third baseman), Noah Leathers (senior pitcher/third baseman), Dawson Conway (junior outfielder) and Silas Wulff (junior catcher) will all be expected to increase their production this year. Leathers and Wulff both knocked in double digit runs last season.
Salem should post a stronger record this year not due only to improvement between the lines but between their ears as well.
“Our kids have a good attitude towards practice and the game itself, but lacked confidence and played too conservatively because they didn’t trust themselves last year. You have to make pitches, make plays, and get big hits to gain confidence, but you’re never going to come through if you dread the ball or bat in your hands. That’s what our players have to overcome; the fear of failure,” Karr said. “This is a sport that you typically fail more than you succeed, but you have to continue to believe in yourself when each opportunity arises because it’s a new opportunity. Our kids didn’t get there last season and if we overcome that big problem from last year, we will achieve better results than last year and surprise a lot of people.”
Salem opens the season Mar. 18-21 at the Cabool Tournament.
