Newark-based Ohio Hitmen establishing itself as baseball power

NEWARK — The Ohio Hitmen has gone from an unknown to a travel baseball organization no opponent wants to see in its pool.

In four short years, Newark graduate Jon Pyles has oversaw a burgeoning power in central Ohio and beyond.

“Kids are starting to get that respect not only in central Ohio but all over the Midwest. We have a target on our back, and the kids get a kick out of it,” said Pyles on Saturday before coaching his 15U team in the Prep Baseball Report National Championship in Georgia. He is the owner of The Clubhouse in Newark.

”They get a pep in their step, and they know what they have to do today,” Pyles added. “They want to compete and play against the best. If they want to win, they need to hold themselves to a higher level.”

The Hitmen have eight teams this season, and all have a winning percentage of better than .650.

Doug Moore has coached the core of his Ohio Hitmen 13U to more than 200 wins during the past five seasons. The last three have been under the Hitmen umbrella.

“It has a lot to do with the nucleus that we’ve had since we started at 9U, and we’ve added pieces to the puzzle,” Moore said. “To win, you have to have role players, and we have role players that do very well and don’t go outside of their box.”

Moore’s team has won the USSSA state championship and taken runner-up in the Nations Baseball state tournament. The Hitmen compete in the Travel Baseball Rankings Elite World Series in suburban Dayton later this week.

Newark Catholic’s Max Moore, Malone Hutchison and Alex Nagel, Heath’s Alex Martin and Kanin Brown, Licking Valley’s Brandt Lichtenauer and Brody Rodgers and Granville’s Luke Bosse and Jackson McMillan make up the Licking County core. Zanesville’s Jacobie Balo, Morgan’s Grady Shuster and New Albany’s Logan George round out the roster.

“I get chills just talking about it, but at the USSSA, we beat a team that had kids from all over Ohio and Michigan,” Moore said. “They were by far on paper better than us, but the kids won as a team. They beat the best team out there. That was just so awesome.”

Former Newark ace Trevor Mye coaches a 13U team that wrapped up its season earlier in July and also won more than 40 games. The Hitmen 14U coached by Adrian Leibas competes this week in the Perfect Game BCS National Championship in Fort Myers, Florida.

An additional Hitmen 15U team coached by Randy and Jason Whisner won their pool of the Buckeye Elite during the weekend. The Hitmen are led by four Utica varsity starters — Chase Bennett, Connor Whisner, Aidyn Burgess and Gavin Chinn — a rarity at the 15U level.

“You can really tell the difference how they have matured and grown just by playing one year if high school, especially these freshmen,” said Randy Whisner, who also serves as an assistant coach for the Utica varsity team.

Newark’s Carson Anderson and NC’s Cooper Fink also are key figures on Whisner’s team.

Pyles’ 15U team is led on the mound by Valley left-hander Evan Lichtenauer, who immediately established himself as the Panthers’ ace during his freshman season. NC’s Kane Stephey threw a no-hitter on Saturday against the Upstate Mavericks, and NC’s Miller Hutchison and Mikey Hess and Utica’s Ryan Bigler also are contributors.

“It comes down to being in the right tournaments, getting the right exposure to where everyone sees exactly what we’re doing,” Pyles said. “We have tried to branch off and expand our name and give these kids an idea of what’s out there. Being able to compete in Licking County is great, but you really don’t know what you have until you go outside of Ohio.”

ksnyder@newarkadvocate.com

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Twitter: @newarkurt

This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Newark-based Ohio Hitmen establishing itself as baseball power