By Dana Harding (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Republic baseball enjoyed another successful season in 2023.
The Tigers posted a 22-10 record, falling to Nixa in the district championship.
Heading into his seventh season at Republic, head coach Curt Plotner will look to develop replacements for a talented class of graduated seniors, including all-state honoree Gavyn Beckner.
“Gavyn was one of the best players in the area last year at the plate and on the mound,” Plotner said. “He led our team in most offensive categories and pitched in a lot of our big games. He was one of the most competitive kids that I have ever been around, and we are going to miss his production in both areas.”
While it’s never easy to replace an all-state selection, Republic is fortunate to have a pair returning to lead the team in Wyatt Woods and Devon Hughes.
Woods, a senior catcher, hit .342 last season with 17 RBI and 6 stolen bases.
“Wyatt is our starting catcher and a great athlete,” Plotner said. “He will hit in the middle of our order and has good speed for a catcher. He is also the quarterback of our football team.”
Hughes, a senior shortstop, hit .281 in 2023 with 18 RBI and 8 stolen bases.
“Devon is our starting shortstop and anchors our defense,” Plotner said. “He has shown improvement offensively each year, and I would expect him to have a big year. He is committed to Jefferson Community College next year.”
Classmates Myles Lozano, Caide White, Garrett Lester, Trace Harrington and Mason Mitchell also return for the Tigers.
Lozano, an all-conference and all-district pitcher, posted an 8-1-2 record last season with a 1.70 ERA.
“Myles had a great season for us last year,” Plotner said. “He pounds the strike zone and gives us a chance to win every time he is on the mound.”
White, an all-conference pitcher, recorded a 2-3-1 record in 2023 with a 3.16 ERA.
“Caide has the best pure stuff of anyone in our program,” Plotner said. “He has a plus curveball and pitched in lots of big games for us last year. He is committed to pitch at the University of Central Arkansas next year.”
Lester, an all-conference and all-district outfielder, hit .324 last season with 16 RBI and 10 stolen bases.
“Garrett is our lead-off hitter and starting center fielder,” Plotner said. “He can really run down balls in the outfield and does a really good job of getting on base. He is committed to Mid-America Nazarene University.”
Harrington, a pitcher and infielder, posted a 1-2-1 record and 6.52 ERA last season. At the plate, he hit .230 with 5 home runs, 27 RBI and 1 stolen base.
“Trace is a strong, athletic kid that can really swing the bat well. He will be an anchor in the middle of our lineup with his power and ability to drive in runs. He is committed to Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.”
Mitchell, a pitcher and infielder, recorded a 1-0 record on the mound last season with a 5.78 ERA. At the plate, he hit .290 with 1 home run and 18 RBI.
“Mason is another guy that we will look to in the middle of our lineup,” Plotner said. “He will also provide us with some quality innings on the mound. He will also see some more time at first base this season.”
Plotner also expects a host of varsity newcomers to compete for playing time this season, including Brett Hendrickson, Kanon Krol, Carter Nation, Jackson Overstreet, Ryder Davis, Owen George, Nolan Coble, Cannon Ellison, Carter Murray and Preston McCracken.
“I think we have another really quality team and should be able to compete with anyone that we play,” Plotner said. “I think that you are going to see real depth in the COC this year. I believe that there are 5-6 teams that could win a conference championship, and I think our district tournament will be the same way. We will have to play well for three games if we want to win.”
On the mound, Republic will be deep and talented. Kauffman believes his pitching staff has the tools necessary to compete on a nightly basis.
“Caide White and Myles Lozano will return to anchor the top of our rotation,” Plotner said. “We will have a chance to win each game that these guys are on the mound. We have the deepest pitching staff that we have had since I have been here, and I am really looking forward to watching them this spring. I think that we are going to have to pitch well and play good defense this spring to be successful.”
The Tigers will also be deep and experienced at the plate, and Plotner believes its versatility will make things difficult on opposing pitchers.
“We have pretty good depth in our lineup, as well,” Plotner said. “We have a good mixture of guys with speed, guys that have a little power and guys that are tough outs. We should be able to score in different ways, and I think that our kids know they are going to see quality arms every time out with the schedule that we are playing.”
For Republic to build on last season’s success and make a deeper run into the postseason, experienced leadership will play a key role, according to Plotner.
“I really like the fact that we have a lot of seniors,” Plotner said. “They know how to win, are good leaders, and many of them experienced great success this fall on the football field. On the field, I really like our pitching staff. I think we have several quality guys that are going to compete really well on the mound. I think that the extra year of experience our pitchers gained last year is really going to help us this year.”
Following a March 8 jamboree at Webb City, Republic opens its season March 15 at home against Hillcrest.
