By Shelley Ebbrecht/For OzarksSportsZone.com
The Stockton baseball team has been hit hard by graduation the past two years, losing the bulk of a lineup filled with all-state, all-conference and all-district honorees. But the team is not discouraged about the upcoming season. The Tigers will rely on the talent of their up-and-comers to make them competition-ready.
“My expectation is to compete,” said fourth-year head coach Darin Henderson. “I think we have talent and we can play with anyone. I know we lost a lot of talented players the last two seasons, but it is this group’s turn to show what they’ve got. I believe that we will have a successful year if we buy into each other.”
Jake Wheeler, junior, is the lone multiple-year returning starter. The all-conference pick hit .267 last season with a .475 on-base percentage.
“Jake is an on-base machine,” Henderson said. “He makes pitchers work and just finds a way to get on base. He is a pesky hitter who gives us an opportunity to see what the pitcher has and can still get on base.”
Wheeler set the school walk record in each of his first two seasons. He will remain in the same role offensively but defensively he will make the move to shortstop and be one of Stockton’s go-to pitchers. Henderson said Wheeler has the ability to pound the strike zone with three different pitches and induces a lot of ground balls.
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Playing third or designated hitter last season, junior Connor Brown hit .275 and will return to the middle of the order for the Tiger offense.
“Connor is a solid hitter and will be looked at to drive in runs this season,” Henderson said. “He will be used in a utility role on defense. He is a smart player that I feel comfortable playing multiple positions.”
Last year’s team won a district title and finished 23-4 after losing to Conway in the sectional round of the state tournament. Henderson said the team has its work cut out for them to return to that mark.
“We will have a ways to go, but I believe in the end we can compete with anyone,” he said. “We just have to stay the course early and get better every single day.”
The pack of seven seniors from last year’s team had played significant roles the previous three or four years and led the team in every stat category. Those will be big shoes to fill for the newcomers, who are not totally without experience.
Senior Brice Bird will have his chance to shine after limited time at the varsity level. He went 1-0 on the mound last season and will return to the Tiger lineup this spring. Henderson said Bird is probably the team’s most consistent player.
Skylar Fishburn and Mason Brown are the two remaining seniors on the squad. Fishburn will take over as catcher after watching and learning from Alex Wheeler the previous three seasons. Brown will be a team leader who Henderson said brings an element of speed to the outfield.
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Junior Landon Zartman will play most of his time at designated hitter and will pitch some games, too. Hayden Farwell, junior, will appear at third base while Trenton Raines, another junior, will push for varsity time in the outfield and can play infield as well.
August Foster and Bo Walker are two more juniors expected to contribute this season along with sophomores Clayton Hubbard and Clay Hoffman.
Henderson said the biggest strength of the Tigers this season is team chemistry.
“I believe this team is close,” he said. “They like being around each other and playing together. I think that is our biggest benefit. We just need more time to play together and make that bond even tighter. I believe the longer this season goes, the better we will be.”
The Stockton baseball season begins at Marion C. Early March 23. The team’s home opener is March 27 against El Dorado Springs and the team will host the Stockton Tournament beginning April 21.
