(by Don Meador)
As the 50th season of Allen County-Scottsville baseball gets underway, hopes are high that this year’s edition of the Patriots will turn things around on the diamond. A core group of returning experience is expected to come together as the season progresses to help the squad compete for a district championship and a trip to the Region 4 tournament for the first time since 2019.
“We feel like we have the pieces to make some things happen this year but we know the execution is on us,” coach Brantly Bray noted. “We finally are returning a good amount of varsity experience. We haven't been able to say that for a while. I'm thrilled with the offseason we have had and the growth we have witnessed from our guys. We have a ton of competition at multiple positions right now and that could take a few weeks to play out. We're just excited to turn them loose and let them compete.”
Bray’s optimism is due, in part, to the closeness he sees among his players.
“This is the tightest knit group we have had and that goes a long way for me,” Bray added. “They love to be around one another and it makes practice really fun.”
On the field, Bray recognizes that getting their bats going will be crucial to success.
“We have to be better offensively,” Bray pointed out. “We know that and I believe we are going to be more effective on that side of the ball this year. To be honest, we are tired of coming up short. I think we have found a group of upperclassmen who are ready to take this thing and push it forward and go win something. At the end of the day, it's up to us to make that happen and I trust that this will be the group to raise the bar for our program.”
As the season unfolds, the process of putting together the best nine combination will be a work in process.
“We have a solid group of young men who have proven that they can get the job done in different facets of the game,” Bray said. “We just have to do an exceptional job as a coaching staff and put the right guys in the right situations to find success early. If we can do that, these guys have the talent to do some good things. We have to be better offensively. We are returning a solid pitching staff but if we can't produce runs to support our arms then it is going to be tough to compete. That is where our focus is right now.”
The young coach brings out a great point when asked to speak about the “key” players for this years’ team. Rather that list names specifically, Bray says each player on the squad will be key at some moment in the two-and-a-half month season.
“I don't like to call any of our players ‘key players’ because at some point, they will all have to be the guy in the big moment,” Bray explained. “Every player at the varsity level will be asked at some point to go do something to win us a ballgame. However, we played a ton of young pups last year who are now sophomores and juniors. They are ready to help us.”
As always in the sport of baseball, pitching will play a huge role. The Patriots have several arms that can throw---a plus for this year’s team.
“As far as our pitching staff, we all know Eli Stamper proved he is our dog,” Bray said. “He is a crafty arm who knows how to manage a game on the hill. He has the ability to change speeds and locate multiple pitches. When he has the ball, he wants to be the one throwing the final pitch of the game. That's what we need more of in our starters. Charles Jeffries, Bryce Calvert, and Edy Chavez are other guys who will see significant starter opportunities on the mound and we believe when those four guys have the ball in their hand, we have a chance to win a ball game. We have a number of guys in our bullpen who we trust can come in and compete in different situations.”
On the diamond, expect to see AC-S looked to make things happen.
“Offensively, we have to be aggressive,” Bray added. “We have some depth so we have some options if we want to change pace but we have to hit the baseball and hit it hard. We have a good amount of speed so we will be able to put some pressure on defenses. Last year, our youth really showed in favorable scoring situations. We were always one hit away with runners in scoring position but we let that moment be way bigger than it was. This year, we're counting on those same guys to get it done. We had a bucket of dudes last year who were on the cusp of competing at the dish. They've had a good off-season, have gotten stronger, and now they get the opportunity to turn the page and write a new story.”
Seniors on the squad include Bryce Calvert, Levi Cooper, Tanner Dorris, Aubrey Fernandez, Isaac Garret, and Charles Jeffries.
“I love this senior group,” Bray stated. “They are exceptional young men. They have been a part of some tough moments and have seen what it's like to be in good ball games. They know there's no excuse this year for us. The time has come where we need to step up and go compete at a high level. We had a talk with them a few weeks ago and they have lofty goals and those goals have good merit. They push our guys and I find myself saying a lot less at practice simply because I don't have to. They're ready to push this program forward and we trust them to do just that.
Baseball in high school is not as popular as football or basketball. However, Bray urges fans to come out and see games this season. The coach hopes the narrative changes in 2024.
“If you want to watch a fun group of guys compete then you need to be at the ballpark,” Bray noted. “I know attendance isn't as high as football or basketball but there is no reason it can't be. This team is full of character and they take a lot of pride in putting on our uniform each day. You have no idea what it means to these guys when they look in the stands and they are full. I would love to see our student body show the same amount of support for our program as they do for football and basketball. I would love to see that left field hill full of our students yelling and cheering on our guys. But to be honest, even if there isn't a tail in the stands this group is still going to compete and have fun. They deserve your attendance and shouldn't have to beg for it. This group wears our school's name well and they do it with pride and class. They deserve your support.”
Bray is quick to note that the 24 AC-S team will have several key assistant coaches to help guide the team. Kasey Johnston returns but the team welcomes three new faces.
“I want to thank our coaching staff for all they do and the selflessness they show every day for our guys,” Bray said. “We have several new faces on our staff this year. Barrett Wright, who is a Glasgow native has joined us and he brings a lot of experience and knowledge to our guys. We also added two alumni to our staff. Brayden Calvert and Landon Spears, who are former players of mine, have joined us. That makes me very proud and they have an opportunity to continue to impact our program. That is what thrills me the most. We have a program that guys feel drawn back to. That's special. That's what drives me every day. We are ready to compete. Roll Pats.”
AC-S plays a solid schedule that will include key district games against Barren County, Glasgow, and Warren East. As was the case last season, District games will be in April and take a back-to-back format. On Monday of the week, district teams play one another and then follow the next day with a second game. This scheduling assures that match-ups feature two separate starting pitchers---as opposed to the seeing the same pitcher in both contests should a coach decide to go with that option.
Home games usually start at 5:30 at Patriot Ballpark at the high school. In May, AC-S will host the District 15 tournament.