Coldwater baseball celebrates 2022 spring season with awards banquet

COLDWATER — The Coldwater Cardinal baseball team celebrated the “goofiest” spring season of all-time with their annual awards banquet on Wednesday at Bill’s Grill House in Coldwater.

The Cardinals had much to celebrate after a successful 2022 season, a season that saw Coldwater wrap up an outright Interstate 8 conference championship in addition to numerous individual honors across the board.

“2022, the year after Covid. What an adverse season to go through,” said Coldwater head coach Randy Spangler in his opening remarks to his team and their guests. “Game changes on short notice, lack of umpires, weather issues, and the still dreaded “C” word (Covid). It could have sent the wheels spinning again but the players and parents did a great job of handling the stress and uncertainty of another crazy season.”

Coldwater finished their 2022 season with a record of 22-12 overall and 12-2 in the Interstate 8 conference, with their season coming to a tough end with a loss to Sturgis in the district tournament.

With an outright conference championship comes the inevitable individual All Conference awards and Coldwater was well represented across the board.

The Cardinals had two student-athletes earn Interstate 8 Honorable Mention honors as Carter Bordner (first base) and Garrett Johns (Infield/Catcher) were both honored for their work on the diamond.

Coldwater had six athletes earn Interstate 8 All Conference First Team honors, including Nate Tappenden, Joseph Closson, Logan Farmer, Cole Barker, Brock Thornton, and Brynden Massey.

Senior Nate Tappenden was double honoree as the future Ivy Tech pitcher was honored for both his pitching and work in the outfield. Tappenden finished the 2022 Interstate 8 schedule by playing in 14 games, batting a robust .409 at the plate with 18 hits in 44 at-bats. Tappenden recorded nine singles, six doubles and three home runs with 18 RBIs and 20 runs scored. On the pitching mound Tappenden was lights out, appearing in six games while putting together a record of 5-1 in the conference. The big lefty pitched 35 total innings, allowing 21 hits and five earned runs for an ERA of 1.00. Tappenden struck out 45 total batters while only issuing 11 walks. In the field Tappenden recorded 20 put outs and 10 assists in 31 chances with one error on the season for a fielding percentage of .968.

Senior Joseph Closson was also a double honoree for the Cardinals, earning recognition for his work on the pitching mound and in the infield. Closson played in all 14 league games on the year, batting .239 at the plate with 11 hits in 46 at-bats all while recording nine singles, one double and one triple with six Rbis and 13 runs scored from the leadoff position. Closson also stole nine bases during the conference schedule while only being caught once. Closson was also a monster in the field, recording 18 total put outs and 12 assists in 34 chances with only four errors for a fielding percentage of .882 in the conference. Closson also made a huge impact on the pitching mound for Coldwater, breaking the single season record for most saves, recording six in the conference. Closson appearing in eight total conference games, throwing a total of 18 innings while earning six saves in six opportunities. Closson only allowed 10 hits with no earned runs for an ERA of 0.00, all while striking out 27 batters compared to only three walks.

Senior Logan Farmer earned All Conference honors for his work in the outfield and at the plate in the 2022 season. Farmer finished the 2022 conference schedule batting .349 at the plate with 15 hits in 43 at-bats. Farmer recorded seven singles, five doubles, one triple and two home runs with 11 Rbis and 15 runs scored. Farmer also drew seven walks while only striking out three times. The Albion bound senior also was a menace on the base paths, stealing seven total bases without being caught once.

Senior Cole Barker was honored for his work in the outfield where he was one of the most consistent and reliable defenders in the conference. Barker did not commit one error throughout the entire season for Coldwater, boasting a fielding percentage of 1.000. At the plate Barker was just as solid, finishing the conference schedule with a batting average of .400, recording 12 hits in 30 at-bats, notching nine singles, two doubles and one triple with eight Rbis and nine runs scored. Barker also managed to steal five total bases while only being caught once.

Senior Brock Thornton was honored for a pair of roles this season as he was recognized for his work as catcher and on the pitcher’s mound. Starting with his work at the plate Thornton finished with a conference batting average of .452, recording 14 hits in 37 at-bats, including eight singles, three doubles, one triple and two home runs with 11 Rbis and eight runs scored. Thornton was one of the steadiest defenders on the team throughout the entire season, recording 80 put outs and 11 assists in 92 chances with only one error for a fielding percentage of .989. On the mound Thornton appeared in two league games, pitching a total of 11 innings and putting together a record of 2-0. Thornton allowed only five hits and four earned runs over those two starts for an ERA of 2.545.

Senior Brynden Massey earned First Team All Conference honors as a Designated Hitter for the Cardinals after an arm injury derailed his pitching aspirations early on. Massey took advantage of every chance at the plate, finishing the season batting a robust .400 after recording 16 hits in 40 at-bats. Massey cranked out 10 singles and six doubles to go with 11 Rbis and five runs scored throughout a solid senior campaign.

Five members of the team also earned Interstate 8 All Conference honors for their work inside the classroom as Cole Barker, Joseph Closson, Logan Farmer, Aiden Marsden and Nate Tappenden earned Interstate 8 Academic All Conference honors as well as earning MHSBCA Academic All District honors.

While on the subject of the Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Association (MHSBCA), three players earned Division One All District honors as Nate Tappenden (outfield), Joseph Closson (pitcher) and Brock Thornton (catcher) were all honored.

After announcing the school awards coach Randy Spangler announced the team awards, the hardware voted on by the team itself.

Nate Tappenden was well honored on the night, earning the Leading Hitter Award for highest batting average on the year (.396), the Most Valuable Player award and co-Most Valuable Pitcher award.

Joseph Closson joined Tappenden in earning the co-Most Valuable Pitcher award after setting the new CHS record for saves in a season with eight.

The Most Valuable Offensive Player award went to Logan Farmer while the Most Valuable Defensive Player award went to Cole Barker.

The team voted junior Garrett Johns as the Most Improved Player for the 2022 season while the duo of Cole Barker and Brock Thornton were honored with the Mr. Hustle Award.

Senior Carter Bordner was honored by the coaching staff with the Coaches Award while senior Aiden Marsden was honored by his teammates with the Best Teammate Award.

To finish out the evening coach Spangler revealed those players that found a spot on one of the All-Time records list in CHS history.

As stated previously senior Joseph Closson set the new CHS Saves Record, recording eight on the year, while also moving into a tie for sixth place all-time on the season stolen bases list with 22. Closson also finished tied for thirteenth all time in runs scored with 30, tied for twentieth all-time for most at-bats in a season with 106, and finished third all time for fewest walks per seven innings pitched with 1.03.

Logan Farmer also found himself on several all-time lists as he finished tied for twelfth all-time in hits in a season with 40, in a tie for tenth all time in stolen bases in a season with 18, in a tie for seventh all time in doubles with 11, in a tie of tenth all time in runs scored with 33, and in a tie for eighteenth all time in Rbis with 28.

Nate Tappenden also found himself with a spot on several record lists, including in a tie for eighth place for doubles in a season with 10 and in a tie for sixth all time for runs scored in a season with 37.

Brynden Massey also finished in a tie for twenty-first all time for Rbis in a season with 25.

As a team the Cardinals finished in a tie for eighth place in most season wins with 22 and in a tie for tenth place all-time in batting average with a team average of .301.

“Seniors, it always seems like it went way too fast, but we are very proud of you and the way you are growing up,” said Spangler in his team summary. “The gift of being your coaches has been a pleasure. We wish you the best of luck and hope to keep in touch as you grow into successful adults. Returning players, the challenge is out there for you guys, we need to see you at Crossfit, we want to see you playing ball and continuing your efforts in the classroom. Many of you have gotten ample experience to become very good players and we hope you put the work in to be that player. Parents, as always, we are very appreciative of your efforts and support along with the meals you prepared for us. We are proud of your young men and we are very proud to have them be involved. Lessons and growing took place in a manner that many will be proud of. Their politeness and behavior were always present throughout the season and throughout their career. We wish them the best of luck in all that they do!”

Coldwater baseball will now say goodbye to a wealth of talent who will move on due to graduation, including Aiden Marsden, Carter Bordner, Joseph Closson, Brock Thornton, Brynden Massey, Nate Tappenden, Cole Barker, and Logan Farmer.

Congratulations to the Coldwater Cardinal baseball team on a tremendous 2022 spring baseball season.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Reporter: Coldwater baseball celebrates 2022 spring season with awards banquet