Matt Stamper
CENTERVILLE, Ind. – A pre-season ranking from the Indiana Baseball Coaches Association has Centerville Head Coach Tracey Crull looking forward to the spring.
“We have great expectations for this season,” Crull said. “We expect to contend for a conference, county and sectional championship this season.”
Ranked seventh in Class 2A, the Bulldogs were 12-13 overall and 4-3 in the Tri-Eastern Conference last season.
“We return 10 letter winners from last year’s team and will carry 12 full-time varsity players,” he added. “Eight of the 12 players are pitchers, so the Bulldogs will be extremely deep on the mound.”
Crull said his team lost some power at the plate with the graduation of Sam Shaw and Andrew Walter. However, the Bulldogs should be must faster on the base paths.
Junior Matt Stamper was an All-TEC Honorable Mention selection a year ago after batting .329 with 17 RBI.
The seniors on the team are Jack Willis, Devin Christian, Justyn North, Logan Moistner and Ricky Torres.
Willis, who was 4-3 on the mound also batted .333 with 24 hits as he tied for the teams with Justyn North. Torres is the top returning run producer after 22 RBI a year ago. He also stole 11 bases. Moistner hit .455 in 11 games.
In addition to Stamper, Bennett Walther, Blake Shook and Trey Wilson are juniors. Nolan Witte, who went 3-0 as a pitcher last season, along with Tyler Phenis and Cole Cooper are sophomores.
Peyton Hobson is a full-time varsity player as a freshman, while classmates Dalton Stevens, Chris Prichett, Oran VanSkyock and Dante Torres are expected to contribute.
The Bulldogs are scheduled begin the season with a doubleheader against Seton at McBride Stadium on Saturday, April 2. They visit Tri for their first TEC affair on Tuesday, April 12.
“The TEC this year will be extremely competitive with the pack looking up and chasing Hagerstown, who returns most of the their squad from last season,” Crull said. “Tri, Union City and Lincoln all had young talented teams last season, who will be tough games this year after another year of experience under their belt.”
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