By Chris Parker
Ash Grove baseball won 16 games last year and advanced to the district title game before falling to Morrisville. The Pirates went 7-1 in the Southwest Conference.
Expect big things from the 2022 version of Ash Grove baseball with six starters and eight lettermen returning.
Ash Grove will have some youth this year with just one senior returning from last year’s team in Bill Hatch.
“Bill is our silent leader,” Ash Grove head coach Berrah Brown said. “He’s always the first player to show up to practice and keeps everyone focused.”
Ash Grove has a strong junior contingent that includes: Parker Crow, Brock Mooneyham, Nate Trammell, Tyler Tummons, Elijah Morrison and Jon Rollhaus.
Crow earned first-team all-conference and all-district honors to go with honorable mention all-state honors as an outfielder. He hit .482 with 22 RBI and 24 stolen bases last year.
“Parker is a great outfielder. He’s fast and has a great arm. He’s also our best hitter,” Brown said.
Mooneyham is the team’s top pitcher where he earned first-team all-conference honors. The junior was also a second-team all-conference infielder. He posted a 1.12 ERA on the mound while hitting .434 with 20 RBI and 11 stolen bases.
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“Brock is our ace on the mound,” Brown said. “His pitch control and game IQ really elevates him to a different level.”
Trammell returns to the infield where he earned second-team all-conference and honorable mention all-district honors. He hit .397 with 14 RBI last year.
“Nate possesses a lot of power at the plate and drives in a lot of runs for us,” Brown said. “He’s also a guy that can play any position on the field.”
Rollhaus will be back behind the plate at catcher where he earned second-team all-district honors. He hit .324 last year.
“Jon is our guy behind the plate,” Brown said. “His game calling and situational awareness improved tremendously over last season. He has a good arm and handles our pitchers well.”
Morrison and Tummons will both see time in the outfield this year with Marrison also a candidate for some time at catcher.
“Elijah is a very smart player. He works the count at the plate, and doesn’t make mental errors,” Brown said. “Tyler reads the ball off the bat better than anyone I’ve seen. He’s also the smartest hitter on the team. His patience and game IQ are invaluable.”
Sophomore Bryce Davis gives the Pirates a fifth returning player who earned post-season honors last year. He was named honorable mention all-conference and all-district as an infield and utility player. Davis hit .365 with 12 RBI and 11 stolen bases last year.
Senior Sam Moreland along with sophomores Cooper Burks, Kaleb Mullins and Caden Cochran are new players to watch on the varsity level.
Brown on Moreland: “Sam will be a big addition to our lineup this year. His speed and length will help us in the outfield and corner infield positions.”
Brown on Burks: “Cooper is very quick on his feet. He has very good hands on the infield and can play any position. He’ll also see some innings on the mound.”
Brown on Mullins: “Kaleb is a fast kid with a solid bat. He stepped up in some games last season and proved he belongs at the varsity level. He will see playing time in the outfield.”
Brown on Cochran: “Caden has a great arm and will improve both our pitching rotation and our lineup.”
Ash Grove opens the season Mar. 19-26 at the Pleasant Hope Tournament.
“We will be looking to build on the experience gained last season,” Brown said. “Our younger arms have developed over the off-season, solidifying our rotation. We will have more lineup and pitching options this year, which will make us much more competitive. The players are eager to learn and fine tune their skills. There are no egos on the team. Everyone has a common goal. As a coach, it’s a great position to be in. Every player works hard and is coachable. They want to master their role so the team will have success.”
