By Michael Cignoli (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The Fair Grove baseball team was in the middle of a practice when it happened.
Last March, when the novel coronavirus was truly novel and had not yet become ingrained in everyday life, the Eagles were as ready for the season as they would ever be. They had three weeks of practice under their belts. The annual team bonding trip was scheduled for the following day, and on Friday they would board the bus to Crane for their first game of the year.
Then coach Christian Overstreet’s phone rang.
It was the Fair Grove superintendent, letting him know about the impending announcement.
That afternoon, the district would tell the world it would not be returning to school as scheduled after spring break. In-person instruction and sports would be paused for at least two weeks.
When practice concluded, the players had no idea about any of it. They were not told.
“It was extremely difficult to end practice knowing that I wouldn’t see these guys again for at least two weeks because I knew they didn’t know what I (knew),” Overstreet recalled. “There was no closure to our season at all after we had gotten into the swing of things.”
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As cases rose steadily across the country, two weeks became the rest of the school year.
After setting a school record with 20 wins in 2019 and claiming its first Mid-Lakes Conference championship in 11 years, Fair Grove’s 2020 baseball season was over before it ever began.
“Your heart goes out to all of the seniors who were not able to play and most won’t ever play again,” Overstreet said. “If any good came out of us not being able to play last spring it is that it really put everything into perspective. We talk all the time about not taking what you have for granted because it can be gone as fast as it was given to you. This was definitely one of those situations, so I am positive that our kids are going to be excited to start (practice) on March 1.”
Overstreet shares that excitement. While most of the nucleus of the 2019 team has graduated, several key contributors are back and ready to make a run at another conference championship.
“I know what the potential of our team can be and it is going to be a lot of fun watching them work every day in practice to reach that potential,” Overstreet said. “I have a lot of multisport athletes who love to compete and have done a tremendous job dealing with the adversity this year has brought their way in their fall and winter sports seasons.”
Chief among the returning players is all-conference outfielder Tanner Lumley, the only senior on the roster. After hitting .381, driving in 23 runs and stealing eight bases as a sophomore, Lumley is poised to build on those totals while playing a prominent role in Fair Grove’s pitching rotation.
“He came out of the lockdown a completely different person, physically,” Overstreet said. “He put on a lot of good weight and added some big strength gains that are only going to improve his game and keep him healthy. Tanner has had a great offseason in the cage and also throwing off of the mound. He has made some adjustments to his arm angle that is going to make it very tough for our opponents to hit off of him. He has increased his velocity as well and has more confidence on the mound.”
Junior Kade Gallion became the everyday shortstop early in his freshman year and finished with a .290 average, 10 RBI and 12 stolen bases, earning a spot on the all-conference second team. Gallion is poised to return to that position and be a key contributor on the mound.
“His ability to hit gap to gap and run the bases is going to make our offense go,” Overstreet said. “Kade has the rare ability to change the game through several different ways. He can get the big hit, make the big defensive play at shortstop, get a big strike out on the mound, or steal a base in a crucial situation to get into scoring position.”
Fellow junior Logan Daniels was named an all-conference honorable mention in 2019 after hitting .256 with six RBI and three steals. He will likely be the starting second baseman.
The rest of Fair Grove’s projected lineup will consist of varsity newcomers.
Perhaps the most intriguing name on the list is Kyle Fritts, a 6-foot-1, 250-pound junior who was named to the Class 2 all-state football team as a defensive lineman.
“Most people don’t realize how good of a baseball player he is because we missed last spring,” Overstreet said. “Kyle’s raw strength and power allow him to hit to all fields. Kyle will be a mainstay in the middle of our lineup and is expected to be a big run producer for us.”
Sophomores Blake Lewis (first base) and Jaxon Rowden (third base) are frontrunners for the corner infield slots, while Classmate Garin Geitz and junior Ryken Adkins are competing for the two available spots in the outfield. Sophomore Landon Taylor won the starting catching job last spring after a stellar freshman preseason, but never saw the field due to the pandemic.
“His ability to switch hit will be a big advantage for our lineup,” Overstreet said. “Landon has really improved his physical presence with buy-in to the weight room this entire year.”
If there’s one area the Eagles lack in, it’s varsity pitching experience. The Eagles relied on a loaded, senior-heavy rotation and bullpen in 2019. The players who were poised to return in 2020 had combined to throw just five innings in varsity uniforms; now that total is even lower.
“We have had a couple of guys throw an inning or two as freshmen, but none other than that,” Overstreet said. “I know we have a lot of good pitching, it will just be a matter of finding the right spot for them and those guys learning how to adjust to varsity hitters.”
Lumley, Gallion, Geitz, Rowden, junior Kadyn Barnes and sophomore Hayden Carver are all expected to see significant innings for the Eagles this season.
Barnes will also see time in the infield, while Rowden and Carver can play any position.
Fair Grove opens play with a March 12 jamboree against Hillcrest, Glendale and Parkview. The regular season begins a week later with games against Verona and Crane at Crane.
“I know without a doubt our team will be able to compete with any team in our district and be a tough opponent for whoever we play during the regular season,” Overstreet said. “We are going to focus on how we can be the best teammates we can be and to fall in love with our roles. I have a lot of guys who are selfless and want what is best for the team.”
