2023 Baseball Overview Capsules
Cardington Pirates
Conference: Knox Morrow Athletic Conference.
Tournament Division: III.
Last Year: 13-14
Coach: Ryan Goetzman (second season)
Assistant Coaches: Austin Goetzman, Shaun Wade, Jake Rice.
Roster: Kaiden Beach (Sr., OF, right-handed, letter, .263, .425 on-base), Drew Etgen (Sr., IF/P, RH, letter), Dillon Minturn (Sr., IF/P, RH, letter, .380, .495 on-base, 27 RBI, 61.1 innings, 3.65 ERA, first-team KMAC and Central District), Brad West (Sr., C, RH, letter), Ryan Clinger (Sr., OF, RH), Greg Donaldson (Jr., utility/P, RH, letter), A.J. Hall (Jr., IF/P, RH, letter, .444, .510 on-base, HM KMAC), Merek McClure (Jr., IF/P, RH, letter, .333, 11 IP, 2.55), Caden Dewitt (Jr., IF/P, left-handed, letter, .305, .391 on-base), Cameron Haines (Jr., U/RH), Logan Reynolds (So., C/P, throws right, bats left, letter), Wyatt Wade (So., IF/P, RH, letter, second-team KMAC), Journey Williamson (So., OF, RH, letter), Denton Garrison (So., U, RH, letter), Abner Edgell (Fr., IF/P, RH), Evan Marquis (Fr., IF/P, RH), Bryce Hartley (Fr., OF/P, RH), Wyatt Denney (Fr., U/P, RH).
Notes: With seven of nine starters back and 12 letter winners returning, the foundation is set for the Pirates ... Still, Cardington must replace two big-time performers in Nate Hickman and Joe Denney who graduated ... They want to challenge Fredericktown atop the KMAC standings.
Comment: "Last year we were able to get to the district championship game where we dropped a close one 4-2 to Newark Catholic," Goetzman said. "We are hoping to build upon that and make a run back to the district finals."
Elgin Comets
Conference: Northwest Central Conference.
Tournament Division: IV.
Coach: Andy Steck (first season).
Assistant Coaches: Brad Lust, Marvin Jackson.
Roster: Breckin Dugan (Sr., OF, letter), Brody Wood (Jr., 1B/2B/SS/P, letter), Isaac Dillon (Sr., C/IF/P, letter), Harrison Sager, Thomas Colby, Mitchell Askew, Quinten Harrison, Zayin Stiles, Nash Lust, Jacob Isler, Jacob Brown, Donaven Stith (Jr., 3B/P, letter), Tyler Steck, Stephen Castillo (Jr., 2B/OF, P, letter), Ben Wood (Sr., IF/P, letter).
Notes: Steck takes over for former head coach Mike James and was a varsity assistant the last three seasons ... The Comets drop to Division IV for the postseason ... Elgin can hit, but pitching and defense are concerns ... They want to win the NWCC and make a long run in the tournament.
Highland Scots
Conference: Mid Ohio Athletic Conference.
Tournament Division: II.
Coach: Don Kline (ninth season, 136-57; 10th overall, 143-75)
Roster: Hayden Kline (Jr., CF/P, throws right, bats left, two letters, .390, 15 RBI, 17 R), Zach Church (Fr., C/IF/P, RH), Evan Johnson (Jr., 3B/P, RH), Layton Shaffer (Sr., OF/DH, RH, injured last season, letter), Zachary Schmidt (Jr., RF/P, throws right, bats left, letter, .275, 10 RBI, 21 R), Drew Altizer (Jr., 1B/P, RH, move-in student), Jace Brooks (Jr., OF/P, LH), Jayden Collins (Fr., IF/P, RH), Kort Sears (So., IF/P, RH, letter, .329, 22 RBI, 24 R, 6 db, HM MOAC), Aron West (Jr., 1B, RH), Gavin Wiggand (So., C/IF, RH), Brayden Wiggand (Jr., U, RH), Brock Church (Sr., IF/P, RH, letter, second-team MOAC and Central District).
Notes: The Scots graduated seven seniors and three of them — Rider Minnick (Mount Vernon Nazarene), Blake Jodrey (Muskingum) and Cooper Merckling (Lake Erie) — are playing in college ... They have won four league championships in a row, but they've lost 81 percent of the innings pitched and only bring back five starters ... There are just three seniors on the roster, so it's a young squad ... They were 48-12 the last two seasons and the program has earned 13 league titles, three district championships and one regional title since 2005.
Comment: "The Scots' success will be determined by how quickly the young guys can learn new roles and how effective throwers can be on the mound. Offensively, the Scots will need to find a number of ways to maximize outs and score runs. If the team can find some chemistry on the field and in the dugout, we should be able to be competitive in 2023," Kline said.
Marion Harding Presidents
Conference: MOAC.
Tournament Division: I.
Last Year: 10-13, 5-8
Coach: Jeff Bolander (second season).
Assistant Coaches: Brett Hall, Aaron Pirnstill, Dave Rasey.
Roster: Van Dutton (Sr., P/IF, RH, three letters, 4 W, 47 K, 4.36), Nick Hecker (Sr., P/IF/OF, RH, two letters, 20 R, 12 SB, .385 on-base), Eli Sayre (Sr., P/OF, RH, played as a freshman and at Westerville Central the last two years), Austin Allen (Jr., P/IF, switch hitter, two letters, first-team MOAC, 53 K, 5-3, 1.69 ERA), Ridge Barkley (Jr., C/OF, RH, played at Ridgedale as a freshman, did not play last year when Ridgedale did not field a team), Nate Cunningham (Jr., P/IF/OF, RH, letter, HM MOAC, .310, 9 SB), Wyatt Frazier (Jr., P/OF, RH, played as a freshman), Maddox McGuire (Jr., P/IF/OF, RH, letter, .383), Tracey Watson (Jr., P/OF, LH), Mike Williams (Jr., C/IF, RH, played at Columbus South last year), Landon Adams (So., C/IF/OF, RH), Gavin Baumgartner (So., P/IF/OF, RH), Justin Long (So., P/IF/OF, RH), Connor Pennington (So., C/IF/OF, RH).
Notes: Bolander is in his second season as the head coach and 13th season in the program at Harding ... The seniors are good leaders ... Harding will have strong pitching, defense and base running ... Most of the pitching staff returns led by Allen and Dutton ... The numbers are up with 30 playing varsity and junior varsity ... They only have five letter winners back, so they are youthful ... Of the nine players who are new to the team this year, only two have varsity experience with Sayre and Williams, so the other seven need to make the leap from JV to varsity ... The Prexies lost eight to graduation including all-leaguers T.J. Fitzgerald and Jacob Barr ... Harding beefed up its nonleague schedule with Dublin Jerome, Ashland, Bexley and Bellefontaine.
Comment: "If we can accept our roles and play unselfishly as a team, I think we have a chance to compete for the title," Bolander said of the MOAC.
Mount Gilead Indians
Conference: KMAC.
Tournament Division: III.
Last Year: 6-16.
Coach: Mark Kennon (ninth season, 47-91).
Assistant Coaches: Jed Arrington, Jeremy Exline, Ben Hayes, Kole Fisher, Michael Turner.
Roster: Carter Kennon (Sr., SS/P, letter, first-team KMAC, second-team Central District), Nick Garvey (Sr., C, letter, HM KMAC), Graham Sherbourne (Sr., 2B/P, letter), Jonny Martinez (Sr., 1B/P, letter), Mason Barnum (Jr., OF/P, letter), Kyle St. Clair (Jr., OF/2B, letter), Cameron Vickers (So., 3B/P, letter), Jusdah Reid (Sr., 1B/3B), Hayden Krinn (Jr., OF/3B), Joey Baldwin (So., 1B/P), Hayden Pangborn (So., 2B/P), Gage Baker (Fr., P/SS), Cole Fricke (P/OF), Hayden Somerlot (Fr., 2B/P), Collin Gabriel (Jr., OF/P), Devin Bodi (Jr., OF).
Notes: The Indians bring back their entire infield from a year ago ... They have good senior leaders ... They lost all three outfielders to graduation along with four starting pitchers.
Comment: "Our goal is to compete for the KMAC and improve every day," Kennon said. "We have a good freshman class that will mix well with our upperclassmen."
Northmor Golden Knights
Conference: KMAC.
Tournament Division: IV.
Last Year: 18-9.
Coach: Buck Workman (23rd season, 248-276).
Assistant Coaches: Mark Wiseman, Justin Mattix, Scott Carr.
Roster: Maxton Lower (Sr., SS, RH, three letters, .459, 3 HR, HM All-Ohio, first-team KMAC and Central District, injured), Cooper Thomas (Sr., 1B, RH, two letters), Skyler Webb (Sr., OF, RH), Bohdi Workman (Sr., OF/2B, throws right, bats left, two letters), Grant Bentley (Jr., SS/3B/C/P, RH, two letters, .427, 6-3, 2.79 ERA, first-team KMAC and Central District), Isaac Black (Jr., OF/1B, RH), Bryce Cooper (Jr., OF/C/P, RH, letter, 1.50 ERA), Ryan Diehl (Jr., 2B, RH) Drew Hammond (Jr., 3B/C/P, RH, two letters, 7-2, 2.47, second-team KMAC), Garrett Harvey (Jr., OF/C/P, RH, letter), Caiden Martinez (Jr., OF/P, RH, letter), Logan McCown (Jr., 1B, RH), Nick Armrose (So., 1B/3B, RH), Sawyer Bailey (So., 3B/P, RH), Cole Cuffman (So., 2B/P, throws right, bats left), Trevor Brubaker (Fr., SS/3B/C/P, RH).
Notes: With Bentley and Hammond, the pitching staff will be a strength ... The Golden Knights only have one returning everyday player after the graduation of eight seniors that won 35 games over the last two seasons ... Lower is out with an injury so there is a hole to fill at shortstop and at the top of the order ... Offense and defense are concerns for Workman.
Comment: "Our main goals are to compete nightly in the KMAC and be peaking at the end of the year for the tournament," Workman said.
North Union Wildcats
Conference: Central Buckeye Conference Mad River Division.
Tournament Division: III.
Last Year: 8-16.
Coach: Nick Blakeley (second season, 8-16)
Assistant Coaches: Brandon Lowe, Anthony Padovano, Anson Brown.
Roster: Richie Bolander (Sr., IF, RH), Drew Schmidt (Jr., IF/OF/P, throws left, bats right), Caden Potts (Jr., OF/P, RH), Landon Converse (Jr., C/IF/P, RH, second-team CBC), John Hughes (Jr., P/OF/IF, RH), Mason Bright (Jr., P/IF, RH), Connor Lassiter (Jr., OF/P/IF, LH), Tyler Krebehenne (So., IF/OF/P, RH), Miles Marlette (So., IF/OF/C, RH), Evan Beery (So., OF, RH), Ashton Haubiel (So., IF/OF/P, RH), Logan Otten (So., IF/OF/P, RH), Gavin Potts (Fr., C/IF/OF/P, RH).
Pleasant Spartans
Conference: MOAC.
Tournament Division: III.
Last Year: 16-10.
Coach: Kevin Kline (second season, 16-10).
Assistant Coaches: Eric Queen, Ben Snively, Nick Rowland, Steven Taylor.
Roster: Owen Lowry (So., C/SS), Kelan Meade (So., P/2B), Brody Conway (Jr., P/3B), Brayden Parrish (Jr., P/OF), Julien Griffith (Jr., 3B/OF, letter), Jackson Kitts (So., C/OF), Carver Kline (Sr., P/1B, letter), Mason Moore (Jr., P/1B), Luke Holman (Jr., 2B), Dillon Burns (So., OF/2B), Trent Caudill (So. C), Nicholas Blubaugh (Jr., OF), Alex Honaker (Jr., 1B), J.T. Snively (Jr., 2B/SS/P, letter), Cadence Varner (Sr., P/OF, letter).
Notes: With 37 players in the program, they can field three teams this spring ... Pleasant's chemistry is good ... They can put the ball in play and have decent speed ... They don't have a lot of long-ball threats, but they can strong together hits to produce runs ... Only two seniors are on the team and overall the Spartans have limited varsity experience ... They graduated their top three pitchers ...
Comment: "I think this group as a whole is a quality group that should only get better as the season goes on," Kline said. "Our schedule is tough, but I believe if we continue to work hard and stay the course, we could be playing our best when it counts the most."
Ridgedale Rockets
Conference: Northwest Central Conference.
Tournament Division: IV.
Last Year: No team
Coach: Sam Leach (first season)
Assistant Coaches: Randy Leach, Nate Blevins, Adam Beard, Ed Roush.
Roster: Koy Pauly (Sr.), Korbin Huffman (Sr.), Nathan Thiel (Jr.), Landon Murphy (Jr.), Logan Rasnick (Jr.), Lake Mitchell (So.), A.J. Imbody (So.), Isaac Lust (Fr.), Memfis Blair (Fr.), Ayden Salyer (Fr.).
Notes: The Rockets did not have enough players to field a viable team last year so no baseball was played at Ridgedale in 2022 ... The program also missed out on playing baseball in 2020 due to the start of the coronavirus pandemic ... Leach is a graduate of Ridgedale who has returned to coach at his alma mater after playing college baseball ... Due to only having 10 players, they will play a conference-only schedule in 2023 ... They are young and inexperienced.
Comment: "Our team has great comradery," Leach said. "We have a team of guys who will do what it takes to get better every day."
River Valley Vikings
Conference: MOAC.
Tournament Division: II.
Last Year: 7-17.
Coach: John Wickersham (fourth season, 17-35).
Assistant Coaches: Todd Kellogg, Joel Richards, Corey Niese, Colton Newell.
Roster: Brycen Spaulding (Sr., 1B/P, LH, letter, .263, 15 H, 4 db, 11 RBI, 16.1 IP, 14 K), Caden Doubikin (Sr., OF/P, RH, letter, 11 H, 11 RBI, 16.1 IP, 1-2, 14 K), Jack Castle (Sr., SS/C, RH, letter, .295, 18 H, 11 R, 15 IP, 12 K, second-team MOAC), Jacob Turner (Sr., OF, RH), Jacob Hamman (Sr., 1B/DH, RH), Aiden Gray (Jr., P/U, RH, letter, 19.1 IP, 7 K, 1-3), Trace Kelley (Sr., CF/P, RH, letter, .216, 10 RBI, 12.2 IP, 9 K, 6.08 ERA), Leland Doubikin (Jr., 3B/P, RH, letter, 8 R), Caleb Diaz (Jr., OF, RH), Mason Seif (Jr., OF, RH), Carter Creeden (Jr., OF, RH), Hayden Kanagy (So., OF, RH, letter, .471, 1.291 on-base-plus-slugging, 24 H, 9 db, 2 HR, 16 R), Carter Park (So., C/P, RH), Hudson Pollock (So., SS/2B, RH), J.R. Bates (So., 1B/P, RH), Hayden Foltz (So., OF/P, RH), Layne Myers (So., OF/3B, RH).
Notes: The Vikings have a number of returnees who are building of what they did a year ago ... They have more than 75 percent of their innings pitched returning, plus they are adding those who had success in JV baseball ... The lineup is fast and versatile ... They need to cut down on the errors and strikeouts from a year ago ... They lost their two catchers to graduation with Corbin Craig and Riley Gerfen as well as all-leaguer Joey Dranschak among others.
Comment: "I believe we have the right combination of veterans and young players coming in that we can work our way into the mix and create some adversity within the league," Wickersham said.
This article originally appeared on Marion Star: 2023 Baseball Overview Capsules
