Bulldogs return another veteran-led baseball team
RUDYARD — The start of baseball practice was delayed by another extended basketball season by the Rudyard Bulldogs.
That hasn’t slowed a veteran-led group of Bulldogs much as they get ready for spring sports. The Bulldogs have six starters returning from last baseball season, a team that made it to the regional finals and finished 18-12-1.
Rudyard is ranked No. 8 in the preseason Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Association Division 4 poll.
“Our core group has been to the final four in football and basketball,” Rudyard coach Billy Mitchell said. “Now the goal is to add the last piece of the puzzle and get to the semifinals (final four) in baseball. We’ve been close, getting to the regional final last year. Throughout our lineup we’ll again have kids who have already had success at the highest levels of their sports.
“The leadership we have on and off the field is outstanding. Our seniors are all like extra coaches. They love the grind of practice and just bring a lunch-pail mentality with them. They come to practice every day trying to get better and they’ve worked to instill that same approach in our younger players.”
The Bulldogs have four seniors — EJ Suggitt, Brett Mayer, Tate Besteman and Austin Warner; and four juniors — Jesse Zeeryp, Trevor Lamma, Caleb Chatfield and Dylan McMillan. Sophomores include Aiden Bickel, Cam Peterson, Eli Sprague, Landen Mayer and Kallen Lawlor, while freshmen are Tanner Baker and Ayden Pavlat.
Suggitt (first base), Mayer (utility), Peterson (infield) and Besteman (outfield) were all members of the Straits Area Conference first team last season. Mayer and Suggitt were also the team’s top top pitchers a year ago, giving the Bulldogs a lefty-righty combination back to lead the pitching staff.
Suggitt was named to the Prep Baseball Report Division 4 preseason first team all-state this spring. He has signed to play at Spring Arbor University.
Rudyard won its 16th district title last year. The Bulldogs have also seven regional titles and three final four appearances in program history.
The Rudyard baseball team includes all five starters from the basketball team, as well as many starters from football. The multi-sport successes give the Bulldogs plenty of big-game experience.
“We’re lucky that all of our coaching staffs are very connected,” Mitchell said. “The kids are hearing the same message from coaches, in many ways, whether it be football, basketball or baseball. They’ve followed the same approach in all sports, that the next game is the biggest one of the season. We’re all working together to get better for the next one.
“For baseball, we’ve always had high expectations. Rudyard’s baseball program has so much tradition and every year we look to uphold it and built on it.”
Billy Mitchell enters his second season as head coach of the Bulldogs. The Rudyard coaching staff also includes assistants Jim Suggitt, Brad Hall, Mark Sprague and Jonah Sprague.
Like for all area teams, the start of the season has been delayed by the late-arriving spring weather. The Rudyard baseball season opener is currently scheduled for Thursday, April 14, at Posen.
Contact Sports Editor Rob Roos at rroos@sooeveningnews.com. Follow him on Twitter, @rroosTEN.
This article originally appeared on The Sault News: Bulldogs return another veteran-led baseball team
