By Dana Harding (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
For the second time in as many years, Marionville baseball will have a new skipper in the dugout.
Following a 14-9 record and third-straight district title in 2023, head coach Nicklaus Hooper replaced Jacob Gideon.
“With being a new coach here at Marionville, I don’t have a lot of information about the players of this upcoming season,” Hooper said. “What I do know is coming to this school I know all these boys are hungry for another state ring. From the football team winning state, it would be a nice senior goodbye to also win one in baseball.”
A quartet of all-conference honorees return to lead the Comets this season in Preston Herd, Gage Geurin, Garrett Grimm and Will Crumpley.
Herd, a senior third baseman, hit .347 last season with 25 hits and 10 stolen bases.
Geurin, a senior pitcher, hit .278 last season with 10 hits. On the mound, he posted a 5-1 record with a 4.20 ERA and 32 strikeouts.
Grimm, a senior outfielder, hit .328 in 2023 with 21 hits.
Crumpley, a junior catcher, hit .320 with 24 hits last season.
Seniors Isaac Stimpson (.311 BA) and Owen Bright (.261 BA) also return for Marionville.
Hooper also expects to see good things this season from senior Kanien Klineline, junior Jace Vickers and junior Bradyn Batchman.
“I have a lot of players working this off season getting ready for the season coming up,” Hooper said. “I am very excited to coach these boys this year. I have heard nothing but great things from this school and program.”
At the plate, Hooper believes his team will feature a great deal of power throughout the lineup and has set goals with that in mind.
“From what I have seen so far in the off season I think we will hit the ball pretty well and I want 20 home runs as a group,” Hooper said. “When you play in short fields like this, we have to hit the ball hard and far. My goal is for these boys to go play college somewhere and what scouts like to see is power.”
Following a March 9 jamboree at Mt. Vernon, Marionville opens its season March 25 at home against Billings.
