By Michael Cignoli (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
No, the Logan-Rogersville baseball team isn’t a farm team for Missouri State.
But you can certainly see why someone would think that.
In addition to sharing the same school colors — maroon and white — the Wildcats have three pitchers who have committed to play college baseball for the Bears.
With Curry Sutherland, Ross Lawrence and Hartville transfer Brody McNiel leading the way, Logan-Rogersville is poised to build off last year’s historic run to the state championship game.
“We feel like we gained a lot of big-game experience,” said Sutherland, who noted that most members of that 26-8 team are returning this spring. “We hope to retain our positive chemistry as a team and make another deep run into the playoffs.”
The Wildcats are coming off a season in which they won their first district title since 2015 and reached the program’s first state championship game, where they fell to Southern Boone.
“We had a great season, but that was last year and this is this year,” Ledl said. “With five to six full-time starters returning, we have very high goals. Our kids know that every year the goal is to win the conference, win the district and go compete in the playoffs to try to win a championship.”
Despite graduating five seniors, the Wildcats have the tools to do so.
“Our pitching depth will be a strength for us with several returning kids who can fill innings and a few returning from injuries,” Ledl said. “I also believe this lineup can really provide some pop. Our kids have really committed to the weight (room) and have gotten bigger, stronger and faster. We are very excited about the hard work they have put in to be better athletes and baseball players. We are hungry to have another shot at a state championship.”
Few teams in the state have three Division I pitchers, much less a trio committed to the same school. But once McNiel transferred into the district and Lawrence flipped his commitment from Mizzou, they joined Sutherland as Wildcats who will eventually play for the baseball Bears.
All three are all-state honorees.
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“They are three of the top arms in southwest Missouri,” Ledl said. “We will be tough to beat when any of the three are on the mound, but all three also provide enormous leadership capabilities for our program along with the rest of our senior class. The leadership and work ethic they bring to practice everyday is the catalyst for our program’s culture.”
Sutherland, one of those seniors, missed a portion of his junior season with Tommy John surgery, but worked his way back into the lineup and hit .439 with 23 runs batted in.
Lawrence, a junior, went 8-1 with a 1.69 earned-run average and hit .330 with 27 RBI.
McNiel, another senior, went 6-3 with a 1.23 ERA last year at Hartville. He also hit .466 with 39 RBI.
Those three have the luxury of throwing to an all-state catcher, three-year starter Noah Carrow. His 31 runs batted in and five home runs are both tops among returning Wildcats.
“He’s played in some very big moments so his experience level with the pitching staff is invaluable,” Ledl said. “Noah has some skills on the mound as well and pitched a little bit last year. We are hoping that we can make him a little more of a two-way player this year with some other up-and-coming catchers in our program.”
Seniors Kellin Marlin, Noah Higdon and Torin Trent and juniors Brady Buckman, Chase Hampton, Grant Reeves and all-conference selection Logan Taylor round out the pitching staff, giving the Wildcats as many as 11 players capable of throwing varsity innings.
Marlin (3-0, 3.67 ERA) and Hampton (4-1, 2.73) are the most experienced in that group, aside from the Missouri State commits.
“We feel we can put a lot of quality arms on the mound to go along with Curry, Ross and Brody,” Ledl said. “With our schedule, our depth will be tested. But we are excited to see what this group can do as a complete staff.”
The Wildcats have three more seniors – outfielders Zach Higdon, Cooper Martin and Dylan Whitely, and infielder/designated hitter Caleb Cole – giving them a total of 11.
Infielders Jackson Rousey, Carter Hill, Thessen Prenger and Cameron Nuckolls and catcher Zane Hunter round out a nine-player junior class.
Sophomore infielders Brayden Kent, Charlie Greer and Eli Craft and catcher AJ Muncy will all compete for playing time, while a talented freshman class will further bolster the team’s depth.
“Most of our infielders are pitchers and have a shot at being in the top of our rotation, so we’ll have some utility roles that need to be filled on those nights,” Ledl said. “If we find a good combo our defense should be outstanding once again this year.”
Logan-Rogersville will compete in a March 12 jamboree with Nixa and Ozark at U.S. Ballpark.
Opening day is scheduled for March 18, when Webb City visits the new home of the Wildcats. The community approved a bond issue that completely upgraded the baseball and football stadiums, and Ledl said work could be completed in time for the first day of practice.
“It will rival almost any high school baseball complex around,” Ledl said.
Logan-Rogersville’s first game against a Big 8 East opponent will be an April 7 trip to Forsyth.
The Wildcats have also added non-conference games against perennial state title contenders Fatima and Blair Oaks, as well as a full lineup of games against local Class 5 and 6 teams that are expected to appear in the state rankings throughout the season.
“Even with the strength of schedule we are facing, we feel we can still get some Ws, compete at a very high level and hopefully be ready to play our best baseball come playoff time,” Ledl said.
