By Nolan Epstein
According to head coach Bill Shoemaker, last year’s edition of the Central Bulldogs was perhaps the most competitive he has coached during his tenure with the program. However, the 2016 season certainly brought its share of challenges – particularly at the plate.
Armed with a group that played very solidly on defense and on the mound, the Bulldogs were unable to garner much momentum inside the batter’s box as Shoemaker’s club played in 13 games in which it scored two runs or less on the way to an 8-17 overall record.
Despite the less-than-favorable record, Central was still competitive in 22 of its 25 contests – signaling that the Bulldogs might just be on the cusp of something big.
“We are hoping this year’s team can build off of last year’s momentum,” Shoemaker said. “Last year we felt we were in a season long slump at the plate compared to the years before, and that with a little better approach at the plate, we can get to double-digits in the win column.”
Central will be without four starters and five lettermen from a year ago, including Patrick Ponder (.225 BA, 10 RBI), Austin Myers (.260 BA, 19 RBI) and 1st Team All-District utility player Chris King (.251 BA).
This season does see the return of senior P/SS Ben Moore, who posted a 4-3 record on the bump with a 3.63 ERA last year and allowed only four walks in 41 IP. At the plate, the senior batted .306 and collected eight doubles. Moore will aim to be a significant presence in the middle of the lineup.
“Ben is our best pitcher and hitter,” said Shoemaker. “He has been very dependable playing all of the infield positions when he was not on the mound.”
THE NEW O-ZONE APP IS HERE!
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FOR APPLE
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID
Fellow seniors Joe Cummings, who battled injuries throughout 2016, and Sasi Karuparti (1-3, 6.89 ERA) will fill in for Moore on the mound when needed. Shoemaker sees a lot of promise in Karuparti’s arm this year despite some struggles at times.
“Sasi was a unique pitcher for us,” Shoemaker said. “He was able to throw a lot of strikes at a speed below the comfort level of hitters. He is very hard to hit because of his lack of velocity.”
Also returning are seniors OF/P Andrew Lee (.224 BA) and C/P Eric Cowan (.225 BA), along with junior OF James Hosmer and sophomore OF Andrew Gibson. Hosmer and Gibson will be transitioned from role players to full-time starters this season.
Schedule-wise, the Bulldogs won’t play their first home game until April 4 when they host Ava. Central begins the season as participants in the Sparta Tournament (March 18-20), followed by road games against Morrisville, Aurora, Buffalo and Spokane.
All told, the pieces are there, both physically and mentally, to construct a successful season.
“We have a team full of students who highly-ranked in national scholarship so they know how to work hard,” Shoemaker added. “We just need to transfer our intellect to the ball field.”
