By Kary Booher (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Last May just didn’t seem right. Not for the tradition-rich Mansfield High School baseball program.
There the Lions found themselves, on the outside looking in, having seen their season end. The record was 13-7, with runner-up finishes in both the Summit Conference and a Class 2 district.
Naturally, they’re out to restore order.
“Our motivation this year coming off a disappointing season that we feel was cut short, is to set our sights high and be one of the few left standing in May,” Mansfield coach Joe Garrison said. “At Mansfield, it is in our DNA to work to climb to the top of the tallest mountain. We gain little delight in falling short, and we do not limit ourselves in what we can become.”
The Lions are projected to have 18 players on this year’s roster but only four of them were starters a year ago.
The pitching staff features senior Hesston Gray, sophomore Brayden Barnett, Kile Gray and freshman Chade Noble.
Gray was a Class 2 All-State second team selection in addition to earning first team all-district and first team all-conference. He was 4-0 with 58 strikeouts and 17 walks, plus finished with a 2.25 earned run average.
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Barnett last fall was 3-0 with a 1.26 ERA as he struck out 14 and issued only five walks. In the fall, Gray had 13 strikeouts and seven walks, while Noble had 19 strikeouts, eight walks and a save.
Look for Wyatt Kendall, sophomore left-hander Dylan Robinson and Dylan Henry to work as relievers.
“Our pitching proved to definitely be our team strength this fall,” Garrison said. “Posting a team ERA of 1.93 gave us the ability to be in every ballgame. If we are able to maintain that ability, then we will be a force to reckon with late this year.”
The lineup likely will be fluid early on, with competition in many spots. Look for senior Arly Miller at catcher/third base, senior Holden Dennis at first base, sophomores Carter Brooke or Trevor Williams at second, Gray or Williams at shortstop, Noble at third or on the mound, Kile Gray in center, Robinson in right field and senior Dawson Barnett at designated hitter. Left field could be manned by Brayden Barnett, seniors Kendall and Dallas Kingery or sophomore Jack Grubbs.
Miller and Hesston Gray were All-State selections, with Miller the only returning starter left from Mansfield’s 2018 Final Four team. Miller also was an All-Summit Conference second team selection.
“Arly was a big part of that team’s success with wins on the mound in the quarterfinal and semifinal,” Garrison said. “A sore arm last year prevented him from pitching, but his presence behind the plate with his experience is what we look for to lead us each day. I look for Arly to have a great senior year offensively and lead this team with his tremendous work ethic.”
Gray could be something, too. In one stretch last fall, he reached base on 19 consecutive trips to the plate, compiling 14 hits, five walks, two doubles, a triple and two home runs.
Barnett was a DH last year and batted .417 with nine RBI. Kingery started every game in left field last year before being sidelined with an injury.
Still, there is much business to do for the Lions
“Baseball to us is a game that we believe when you work together as a team and do things right, any given day is an opportunity to find a way to win,” Garrison said. “Many teams in this program before us have paved that road, and we work together as a team to continue to pave that way.”
