By Kary Booher (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Everybody sets team goals. Some, of course, don’t even need to be written out and posted on a locker room wall.
Just ask the Rolla High School baseball team. A year ago, the Bulldogs finished 15-17, ending the season in a 7-3 district semifinal loss against eventual Class 5 state champion Willard. Those have been on their minds since.
“I think we have several motivating factors this season,” Rolla coach Kenny Hohe said. “First, we were 15-17, but we lost a lot of close games and extra-inning games as well. Second, we felt we didn’t play our best game against Willard and hope to be at our best come the postseason in ’22.”
Rolla soldiers in this season with 18 players on the roster, although the Bulldogs will have to find a new No. 1 pitcher, replace the team MVP who batted designated hitter, as well as a catcher and third baseman playing in NAIA and a second baseman who was honorable mention All-State.
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Pitching staff
Starting pitchers likely will be seniors Jake Fuller, Simon Yoakum, Isaac Long and junior Wyatt Lewis and Davy Watkins. Fuller threw 36.2 innings last season and had a 2.86 earned run average. He has signed to play at Southwest Baptist University.
“He has put in a ton of time this offseason, and we hope he can become an anchor for our rotation,” Hohe said.
Yoakum is a left-hander, and Long has committed to play at Missouri S&T.
Relievers are senior Troy Benson, sophomore Bret Yarger, juniors Jacob Wood and Alekos Harris and sophomore Isaac Buhr.
Hohe said Benson, the team’s No. 1 bullpen arm last season, will increase his workload.
Offense
A few of Rolla’s better hitters could be Yoakum, Isaac Long and Carter Kreite.
Yoakum, a first baseman, hit .367 with 36 hits (seven doubles, two home runs), drove in 26 runs and scored 23 times. He has committed to play at Pittsburg State University.
“Yoakum returns to be the anchor in the middle of our lineup and one of our starting pitchers,” Hohe said. “He will also benefit us with his flexibility to play multiple positions defensively.”
Long, a shortstop, batted .316 with 30 hits, 16 RBI, 26 runs scored and drew 18 walks. Kreite, a third baseman, had 13 hits and 14 RBI last season.
The rest of the projected infield could be junior Kendall Johnson or sophomore Wyatt Wilson at catcher, Buhr at first base, junior Beno Ballard or sophomore Brett Montgomery at second base, Long or Watkins at shortstop, and Kreite or junior Clayton Nickels at third base.
The outfield could see Yarger or Wood manning centerfield. Fuller and Benson could be in right field when not pitching, and Lewis and Cayden Martens could be in left field.
Look for junior Jake Limmer or sophomore Vinny Spinaio at designated hitter.
“Our lineup returns several key bats from last year, and a number of new guys that we hope can improve as the season goes,” Hohe said. “We know we need to improve from an offensive standpoint.”
Rolla hosts a jamboree on March 14 with Bolivar and Farmington. The Bulldogs’ first games are March 19 at Columbia Rock Bridge against Rock Bridge and Republic.
“As is the case every season, our goals remain the same,” Hohe said. “We want to win a regular-season tournament, we want to win the Ozark Conference and we want to get to the district championship game. We believe if we can get to the game we have an excellent chance to win it based off or schedule and pitching depth.”
