By Tyler Thompson (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The El Dorado Springs baseball program has three winning seasons in the past decade.
That being said, two of those have come in back-to-back campaigns, as the team went 15-6 last year and 13-9 in 2018.
The Bulldogs — who finished as the Class 3 District 13 runner-up last season — eye the trifecta: another winning campaign and a district championship.
This spring, the team mantra is simplistic: redemption.
Falling one win shy of a district championship is a tough pill to swallow, but it also ignites a spark unbeknownst to most.
Nick Engleman enters his first season as the Bulldogs’ head coach, after spending the previous four in Greenfield.
The Bulldogs — as well as their skipper — have benefitted from nearly a year together before the season commences.
“I actually came in during the summer and coached the high school summer team,” said Engleman. “I have got to work with quite a few of them as the boys basketball assistant coach, developing some relationships with them.”
The team loses two seniors from last season, Orlando Guerrero (four-year starter) and Ty Davis, but returns 12 lettermen.
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“He will be missed,” Engleman said of Guerrero. “And Davis, he was all-state as an infielder last year.”
Davis hit just shy of .500 with 25 RBI.
As for the 2020 team, trust, Engleman said, has been a high priority so far.
Said Engleman: “It has been really beneficial. They begin, I think, to develop trust. The biggest thing is, they don’t really care what you have done, they want to know they can trust you to put the best team out there. That has been the biggest thing, just building the relationship with them.”
The team returns 12 lettermen this season, and upperclassmen comprise 92-percent of the roster.
Back are 6’2” senior starting hurler Derek Hayes, who went 5-1 with an 0.57 ERA last spring.
Hayes hit .397 with 12 RBI.
Hayes has committed to Johnson County Community College — an institution that has traditionally recruited ballplayers throughout the Ozarks.
Hayes was all-state last season.
“He is a gamer,” said Engleman. “His one loss was 1-0 [score]. He is pretty stinking good.”
To date, Hayes’ arsenal includes a mid-80s heater and two solid off-speed pitches.
Junior catcher (and pitcher) Gaven Morgan returns from a solid sophomore season, where he hit .323 and drove in 22.
Morgan is also the No. 2 hurler in the rotation.
“We return a huge bulk of experience,” said Engleman. “A lot of them are maturing and growing into their athleticism. Their athleticism is starting to catch up with them.”
Back in the fold is 6’4” senior Payton Zartman, who was unable to finish the season last year for “different reasons,” said Engleman.
Zartman has committed to Allen Community College, in Iola, KS.
Others include: junior Preston Robinson (all-district OF), junior Logan Spencer (all-conference, all-district infielder and pitcher), junior Trevyn Garringer (full-time starter, OF), junior Trey Graves (2020 all-state wrestler), Ian Esry, Clayton Collins, Kaden Hutsell, Destin Malek, and juniors Daniel and Seth Minehardt.
As for a possible sleeper player, keep an eye on senior Wesley Davis — the brother of Ty Davis.
“We don’t really know what we are going to get, but he seems like he is somebody who is going to come in and compete for playing time,” said Engleman.
The Bulldogs open the season March 23 at the Purdy Tournament.
