By Chris Parker
Dadeville baseball is poised for a strong season with four all-conference players returning from last year’s eight-win team.
“I know the main goal for this year’s team is to put a winning record in the books for this season,” Dadeville head coach Brent Rountree said. “Our numbers are the largest they have been since I have been coaching at Dadeville, so I’m really excited about the interest and the competition this will bring to each practice. I think we learned last year not to look too far ahead and focus on the present. I expect our practices to be of high energy and I expect our underclassmen to push our older players every day. The PCL conference is always a battle and I don’t expect anything different. Most of our non-conference schedule is Class 2 and 3 teams, so we will be prepared for the district tournament.”
A quartet of seniors in Reid Goodman, Bailey McGill, Jacob King and Caleb Walker will be team leaders this year.
Goodman, a first-team all-conference selection last year, hit .320 with 19 RBI and 15 stolen bases. He also led the team in doubles with six.
“Reid turned in a solid season last year,” Rountree said. “He is our anchor behind the plate and plays with a high motor. He is a smart athlete and will hit in the middle of our lineup.”
McGill hits leadoff and played mostly shortstop last year. The second-team all-conference honoree hit. 309 with 14 RBI and 14 stolen bases.
“He (McGill) is a good athlete with good range and will be looked to lead us in the middle of the infield again,” Rountree said.
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Walker is a second returning first-team all-conference player. He returns to centerfield where he had a breakout year last season. The senior hit .316 with 12 stolen bases and eight RBI.
“Caleb had a breakout year last spring. He earned the centerfield position about half way through the season and led us in hits/average,” Rountree said. “We are hoping his success carries over to this year.”
King returns to play first base. He drove in 17 runs last season.
“Jacob is our first baseman and does a great job defensively,” Rountree said. “His offense improved a lot from his freshman year. He is an intelligent player who will hit in the middle of our lineup.”
Caden Farmer and Goodman along with sophomore Aidan Jarman will be the team’s top pitchers. Farmer was a workhorse last year starting nine games on his way to second-team all-conference honors. He has three pitches and spots them all well. Goodman is a power arm who can throw the ball by hitters. Jarman was solid as a freshman and will see more time on the mound this year. He is a three-pitch pitcher who is learning to spot the ball better.
Goodman along with McGill and Cameron Shouse will see time behind the plate this year.
McGill, Jarman, Farmer, Shouse, Landon Keathley (freshman), Brayden Garver (sophomore) and Gavin Orr (freshman), Hunter Mincks (freshman) and Wiley Proctor (freshman) are all candidates to see time on the infield.
Walker, Daylyn Shouse (junior), Cameron Shouse, Payton Farmer (sophomore), Garver, Dalton Harris (sophomore) and Elijah Abramovitz (junior) will be the outfielders.
“I believe our lineup has the potential to be solid up and down the order. We posted some of our best offensive numbers since the start of the bbcor bat era,” Rountree said. “Simply, our team defense needs to improve if we want to win big games.”
Dadeville opens the season on Mar. 18 at home against El Dorado Springs.
