They won’t quite be the Baby Bears anymore, but Willow Springs will still be fielding a rather young baseball team this spring.
Willow Springs is looking to rebound after an 6-18 campaign a year ago, one that included an 0-for-7 run through the South Central Association slate.
Last year, Willow Springs’ regular lineup featured eight players who were freshmen or sophomores.
“Finishing 6-18 is never your plan going into the season. But when you’re (playing so many freshmen and sophomores), it leads to a lot of guys getting great experience that I believe will help us in the coming years,” said Bears coach Dustin Forrest. “Our guys battled all year and we really improved toward the end of the season.”
Willow Springs had only one senior last year. Korey Woody was Honorable Mention All-SCA after hitting .340 with 10 RBIs.
Woody hit below .200 for his career before breaking out in his senior season.
“(Woody) was a great leader for all of our young guys to look up to,” Forrest said. “His attitude and work ethic will be harder to replace.”
Willow Springs sees eight starters and 10 lettermen overall returning to the varsity fold, none of which are expected to be seniors.
Junior Dakota McDaniel was a First Team All-SCA selection and led the Bears in most offensive categories. McDaniel hit .406 with a team-high 24 RBIs, six steals and 26 total hits, while going 4-5 overall on the mound.
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He’ll again be a regular starting pitcher and play shortstop when not on the mound.
“Dakota is a great athlete and will be expected to carry a heavy load again for us,” Forrest said. “With continued improvement, he has a chance to be one of the better players in the conference.”
Trey Talbert (C/P) quickly emerged as a building block for the future. He started every game for the Bears, either behind the plate or on the mound.
Talbert hit .367 with 11 RBIs, six steals and was 2-5 on the mound.
“Trey has a good arm from behind the plate and a great eye at the plate, drawing 20 walks last year, making him a great option for us at the top of our lineup,” Forrest said.
Junior Josh Rutledge earned team MVP honors last season. He’s the team’s top defensive player and main relief pitcher. Rutledge could push his way into the starting pitching rotation this year, Forrest said.
Two more juniors will provide major roles for the Bears. Junior Andy Davis brings range and speed to the outfield, and he’ll likely pitch on occasion this spring as well.
Collen Barnes was the team’s cleanup hitter last season. Forrest said Barnes “ran into some bad luck” on the mound last season but will be one of Willow Springs’ top pitchers this year.
Willow Springs will miss the presence of junior first baseman Caleb Wood, who started every game last season and provide a middle-of-the-lineup power presence. Wood suffered a knee injury at the beginning of the school year and will miss the 2017 baseball season.
Junior Weston Willbanks (3B/P) looks to return to the hot corner after a broken arm hindered much of his sophomore season.
One name to watch for the Bears could be multi-sport junior Bryce Duddridge, who didn’t play baseball last season but brings a 6’4” lefthander presence to the mound this year. Duddridge will also likely hit somewhere in the middle of Willow Springs’ lineup, Forrest said.
Three sophomores give the Bears depth and versatility. Grant Kelley (OF) started every game as a freshman and Forrest thinks he’ll have increased production this year at the plate while manning a corner outfield spot.
Cole Henley (IF/OF) and Alex McNew (IF//OF) were varsity regulars last year, starting about half of the team’s games, and are contending for full-time starting roles this year.
Willow Springs finds itself in Class 3 District 10 this year, headlined by defending state champion Mtn. Grove. Ava, Cabool, Houston, MV-BT/Liberty, and Licking round out the field.
Willow Springs will also be hunting for its first SCA victory since beating Thayer 9-4 on April 20, 2015.
“Having everyone back this year I feel like we have a great chance to have the best season that I have been a part of here at Willow Springs,” Forrest said. “I would still consider us a young team, but all of these young guys now have a full year of varsity experience under their belt, and I could really see the confidence growing toward the end of last season and this summer.”
