By Brennan Stebbins (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The Carthage baseball team struggled to close out games last spring.
The Tigers finished 7-23 while losing conference games to Willard, Branson and Ozark in extra innings. Six of their final 12 losses were by two runs or less.
“The COC is the toughest conference in my opinion for baseball, top to bottom,” Carthage coach Luke Bordewick said. “We either couldn’t buy a hit when we needed one or couldn’t get an out when we needed it. Just struggled to put the finishing touches on games.”
Carthage graduated 10 seniors from that team, including three who garnered postseason honors.
The two main starters who are returning are catcher Clay Kinder and first baseman/designated hitter Drew Musche. Both are seniors. Kinder drove in eight runs and scored 11 while batting .200 with 13 walks. Musche accounted for 10 runs and drew 10 walks.
“They’re both consummate leaders,” Bordewick said. “They really do things the right way. They’re guys we can trust as coaches to lead drills or help correct a teammate. They play really hard and really have a passion for the game. They’re two football studs, as well, who have had tremendous success and they know how to compete and win games.”
The Tigers return a few others who played some varsity, including No. 2 pitcher Bradyn Tate, a junior. He pitched 44.2 innings with a 3-2 record and a 3.13 ERA. He struck out 33 and walked 12.
“He threw a lot of big games and big innings,” Bordewick said. “He had a heck of a year in wrestling and he’ll be sliding into that No. 1 role for us this year. Last year he was just nails. Loves to throw in the zone and won’t walk a lot of guys. He says hey come on, hit this pitch. He’s one of those pitchers who is the ultimate pitcher you want as a coach, a kid who will fill up the zone and trust his stuff.”
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Tate will play shortstop when he’s not on the mound.
Ty Perry should play a bigger role after earning some spot starts last season at third base. He could play third again or move over to shortstop or second. Sophomore Langston Morgan is a really good athlete and will probably play in the outfield after serving as a pinch runner last season. Bordewick said he’s looked really good in the offseason and is a stolen base machine when he gets on base.
Senior Atlas Horine is in the mix to play in the outfield and could pitch. Sophomore Nolan Brown, a lefty, could pitch. Junior Mason Adams has a good glove and could play in the middle infield, as well as pitch.
Carthage has just three seniors on the roster, plus about 10 juniors, eight sophomores and more than a dozen freshmen.
The Tigers open the season with a March 18 doubleheader against East Carter and Portageville, two schools from far southeast Missouri. Carthage will play in the Roy B. Shaver Classic at Neosho and the Commerce, Oklahoma Mickey Mantle wood bat tournament, as well as the Lawrence River City Festival in Kansas.
Carthage’s own Bill O’Dell Tournament has been paused – which worked out well, because the Tigers learned in February they won’t be playing in Carl Lewton Stadium, their longtime home. The aging facility was declared unsafe by the city of Carthage, meaning the Tigers will play most of their “home” games at Joe Becker Stadium in Joplin.
