By Brennan Stebbins (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The story of last season for Carl Junction’s baseball team was this: the Bulldogs were pretty good at beating themselves.
“Striking out too much, too many free bases with a walk or a hit batsman,” said head coach Phil Cook. “We were still in a lot of games because we had some decent guys who could play. We just didn’t find ways to win. I think that was the theme of last year.”
Last spring was Cook’s first season coaching baseball for more than two decades–he previously coached the team from 1997 to 2000 and lost in the state championship game his final season. The Bulldogs finished with a 9-18 record, but seven of those losses were by just two runs or less. Cook said he found that the game hasn’t changed, but some of the things around it have.
“There won’t be any surprises this year for me or the players because we’ve gotten to know each other over the last year or so,” he said. “We should come in with everybody knowing expectations from both sides.”
Carl Junction must replace seven seniors from last year, including Lucas VanLanduit, a first team Central Ozark Conference utility player. And Bentley Rowden, a second team COC catcher who led the team with 10 doubles and 17 walks and tied for the lead with 17 RBI’s, isn’t playing this spring.
That leaves Cook with one returning senior with varsity experience, and two on the roster. And the Bulldogs return just two full-time starters: senior Cody Hollingsworth at second base, and junior Wyatt McAfee in the corner outfield. Hollingsworth batted .266, drove in eight runs and scored 10 while also collecting 11 walks. McAfee was a .333 hitter and the team leader in hits (28) and RBI’s (17). He also scored 12 runs.
Junior Braxten Jones, who caught a little bit last season, could take over behind the plate. Junior Gabe Sitton also saw some time there and will play either third base or catcher. Junior Aiden Streight, who played primarily as a pinch runner, will transition to center field. And junior Cooper Cunningham could see time at DH. Sitton is the most experienced of that group, having appeared in 15 games with 33 plate appearances.
The future looks bright with the sophomore class, Cook said, with several players who will stand out and contribute. That includes Deacon Endicott, who became the starter at first base by the end of his freshman season and was a .304 hitter in eight games with two home runs, six RBI’s and six runs scored. Brody Pant played in 10 games and started at shortstop when VanLanduit was pitching; he hit .345 in 29 at bats. Cooper Vediz played in four games and is an “outstanding” pitcher who could play shortstop or in the outfield when he’s not on the mound. Craig Hayes, a middle infielder; Aidan Spencer, who can play first and third; and catcher Logan Haynes should also earn playing time.
The pitching staff has to deal with the loss of Vanlanduit, who led the team in innings pitched and strikeouts and finished with a 2.18 ERA. The staff should feature Endicott, who threw 12.1 innings and struck out 10; Vediz, who threw 10.1 innings with 11 K’s; sophomore left hander Brayden Larery (1 IP, 2 K’s), junior left hander Chase Smith and Spencer.
“It’s going to be interesting,” Cook said. “We’re going to be young and playing a lot of sophomores. I think they’re really good sophomores, but they’re still sophomores playing in the COC and in my opinion that’s the best conference in the state. Whoever comes out of the COC as the champion might have a shot at winning a state championship, or it may be the team that’s third or fourth coming out of the conference. It’s a good group of young guys and we’ll see how it pans out.”
Two new assistants joining the coaching staff are former Carthage head coach Luke Bordewick and former Carl Junction standout Zak Porath. Cory Kerbs returns after working with Cook last season.
Carl Junction has 35 games on the schedule and will play at least nine out-of-state opponents, beginning with Booker T. Washington and Bishop Kelly out of Tulsa. The Bulldogs will play in the Fort Scott, Kansas tournament and have road games scheduled at Frontenac, Kan., at Rogers (Ar.) Heritage, and at St. Mary’s Colgan in Pittsburg, Kan.
They will jamboree at Webb City along with Republic on March 8.
