By Kai Raymer (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Aurora’s motto is simple: Emphasize player development and effort, and the results will follow.
When you look at Aurora’s trophy case and the players they produce, you can see it’s working.
Aurora will apply that formula to a new-look squad in 2023.
“The biggest adjustment this year will be how our newcomers adjust to pitching and the pace of the game at the varsity level,” said Aurora coach James Hoffman. “With only returning three players with significant varsity at-bats, there may be an adjustment period for some. Once our pitchers’ arms are fully ready for competition, we will be able to send a quality rotation to the mound with some kids that can eat up innings in relief.”
Aurora returns three seniors and three juniors to its varsity roster.
Senior Hayze Hoffman is Aurora’s top returning hitter. He hit .370 with eight doubles, 18 RBIs and seven steals. On the mound, he went 3-1 with a 4.96 ERA.
Hoffman earned Class 4 second team all-state honors as a utility player; he played every position but catcher and center field last season.
“We expect him to get a lot of innings on the mound this year and continue to build off of what he has done at the plate the last two years,” James Hoffman said.
CLICK HERE TO FIND LINKS TO ALL OF OUR SPRING SPORTS PREVIEWS
Senior Kelton Brown has been a steady presence since he entered Aurora’s program. On the mound, he went 5-2 with a 2.35 ERA last season. At the plate, Brown hit .333 with 23 RBIs.
“We expect Kelton to get even more mound time this year,” James Hoffman said. “He has continued to put up consistent numbers with good power to the gaps.”
Senior Trandan Darnall, an infielder, was a pleasant surprise in his first year of high school baseball.
“He has great instincts and is a savvy player,” James Hoffman said.
Heath Hoffman (P/OF), Jaxon Keener (C) and Ethan Whitlock return in a deep junior class.
Heath Hoffman started all 28 of Aurora’s games in left field and threw solid innings at pitcher. He hit .338 with nine extra-base hits, 12 RBIs and nine steals.
“Heath possesses good power to the gaps,” James Hoffman said. “On the mound, we look for him to carry a big load this year.”
Keener returns as a starter behind the plate.
“He has continued to get better and adapt to the way we do things in our program,” James Hoffman said. “He is a hard working kid who has the potential to contribute in multiple ways this year.”
Aurora continues to be one of the state’s top programs under Coach Hoffman, who has guided the Houn Dawgs to three final fours and two state championships in his tenure.
Aurora finished 22-6 overall last season, highlighted by a 13-game winning streak that led to the program’s first district championship since 2018.
Aurora’s 2022 season ended with a 4-3 loss to Summit Christian Academy in the Class 4 sectional round. It was Aurora’s only loss to a Class 4 school.
“We had to replace some key positional losses from (2021) and were really inexperienced in a lot of positions,” James Hoffman said. “After the first weekend in April, we were 5-4. The games we lost were due to a lack of not competing consistently. We weren’t resilient when things didn’t go our way and that really bothered me. Something clicked with them as a group when we got into conference play. Our kids really stepped up and battled.”
Aurora enters a new season with some retooling to do.
Three familiar faces are gone from the lineup: pitcher Trey Mulholland, infielder Jaesik Friggle and outfielder Aaron Fisher.
The trio had started on varsity since they were freshmen, and received all-state honors as seniors.
Mulholland, who is now playing for Crowder College in Neosho, was 10-0 as a pitcher while hitting .413 with 12 extra-base hits, 31 RBIs and 13 steals.
“Trey found a way to get the job done every single time he toed the rubber,” James Hoffman said. “Even on days he didn’t have his best stuff, he just out-competed hitters.”
Friggle, who hit .430 with 13 extra-base hits, 26 RBIs and 20 steals, stood out for his athleticism.
“Finding someone to cover the ground with his athleticism will be virtually impossible,” James Hoffman said. “He was one of the most athletic middle infielders in the area. Offensively, he set the tone for us.”
Fisher, now at College of the Ozarks, hit .350 with nine extra-base hits, 21 RBIs and 21 steals.
“Aaron is one of the best outfielders we’ve had in our program,” James Hoffman said. “His ability to take away hits and cut down on extra base hits was crucial for us.”
Together, the trio helped Aurora win 59 games over a three-season span.
“They invested a lot into our program and their teammates,” James Hoffman said. “Our success last year was a direct reflection of their competitiveness and selflessness.”
New players to watch include juniors Evan Hartwigsen and Dayton McHenry.
Hartwigsen, who has primarily been a courtesy runner, will look for an enhance role in the outfield.
McHenry can play outfield or infield, James Hoffman said, and could see time on the mound as well.
In the sophomore class, the likes of Matthew Cutbirth, Jayden Carpenter and Brody Seitz could be contributors this season.
Cutbirth, listed at 6-foot, 205 pounds, has added pounds of muscle to his frame since a year ago. He’ll contend for playing time in the outfield and at catcher.
“When you couple his physical maturity with his work ethic in the weight room and on the field, there is going to be a great deal of improvement,” James Hoffman said. “In our preseason work, he has really impressed us with his bat.”
Carpenter, who also has good size at 6’1”, 205 pounds, will look to earn playing time at a corner infield spot and pitcher.
Seitz gives the Houn Dawgs a speedy option in the outfield and as a courtesy runner.
“This year we look for our kids to continue with their development on a daily basis,” Hoffman said. “We have put a lot of time and effort into providing our kids with opportunities to develop their athleticism and baseball skills within the practice setting.”
Aurora will host a jamboree on March 11. The Houn Dawgs begin the regular season March 23-25 at the Roy Shaver Classic in Neosho.
Aurora’s Big 8 opener is April 8 at home against Seneca. The Houn Dawgs are eager to face some of the area’s top arms this season.
“We have arguably the best mid-size school conference in the state, year in and year out,” James Hoffman said. “There will be a lot of matchups that will feature D1 arms going against each other on the mound. Baseball in southwest Missouri continues to get better every single year and our conference may be the most loaded it has ever been on the mound.”
