By Amanda Perkins (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The Salem Tigers were preparing for a tough schedule in 2020 after finishing the previous season with a 13-10 record and a second place finish in the district.
“We’re not sure what to expect this season,” said head coach Phillip Karr, who begins his 9th year at the helm, with 24 total years in Salem baseball. “We had a lot of kids that were needing varsity repetitions last season, but now they’re juniors or seniors that primarily played junior varsity baseball. We don’t have a lot of kids that play summer baseball and obviously I’m concerned about arm injuries more than normal.”
Karr said how his team adapts to their competitive schedule will be a large factor in their success.
The Tigers lose four battle-tested players to graduation: Dawson Conway, Reese Dodson, Theron Southworth, and Silas Wulff. Conway started in left field, Dodson was a leadoff hitter and a tough out, as well as an all-conference and all-district centerfielder. Southworth covered first base and was a solid hitter, and Wulff would have started as catcher for the third straight year and was an all-conference selection.
Salem will also return four starters. Baylor Petty had a lot of varsity at-bats as a sophomore and a .242 average, as well as 15 hits and 12 RBIs. The 6’3” senior DH had a 3.50 ERA in his last season and will be asked to spend more time on the mound. “He is very capable of being an effective pitcher for us this year,” said Karr.
Eli Wethy is also a senior and will play third base. He holds a .250 average with 11 hits as 5 RBIs as a sophomore and worked on his game over the summer. “We’re hoping that translates into more offensive production his senior year,” said Karr. His coach said he has good hands defensively.
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Garrett Connell, junior, is a shortstop and talented pitcher who struggled with arm issues as a freshman. “We will be relying on Garrett to throw a lot of innings, and we are going to have to use his versatility and play him in various positions based on who is pitching.” The 6’2” athlete started at second base as a freshman and had a 2.27 ERA.
Kody Crocker pitched as a sophomore with a 3.0 ERA and went 3-1. The 6’1” senior has also worked on his skills in the outfield.
Korben Barred, junior, earned playing time as a freshman and could be a solid contact hitter and outfielder. The centerfielder had a 2.5 ERA and .412 average in his frosh season.
Newcomers include Jimmy Barton, junior. “He’s probably our fastest player and he is gritty,” said Karr. “We are looking at him at catcher or the outfield. He hit the ball well for us at the JV level as a freshman, so we’re hoping he can do well at the varsity level after getting some experience.”
Josh Arzt is a 6’3” senior with power at the plate who took some varsity at-bats as a sophomore. He is expected to have a positive impact in the lineup.
Drew Christesen is a 6’0” senior who earned a bit of playing time as a sophomore. “He’s a good athlete and has good speed on the base paths,” said Karr.
“I think our pitching could be really solid and I anticipate we will be in several low-scoring games, so we have to play solid defense behind our pitchers. Our philosophy really isn’t going to change much – our kids will get even a heavier dose of fundamentals and our practices will be longer due to missing an entire season.”
The Tigers open their season in the Four Rivers Classic March 19.
