By Chris Parker
Plato baseball will have a younger team this season with four starters returning from last season’s 11-win team.
“We struggled in the fall to hit in a timely manner, and we didn’t score a ton of runs. We are a young team with 10 freshmen, so we will continue to work on our offensive craft,” Plato head coach Thomas Arrington said. “I have no doubt that it will click, so we just keep our nose to the grind trying to figure it out.”
As a result, the leadership of a trio of seniors will be key.
“We have three Seniors on this year’s team in Drew Woodruff, Chris Hildebrand and Quinton Dilley,” Arrington said. “They have all played multiple years for me and they know what standards are expected and accepted on this team. I will rely very heavily on these three to uphold our team standards.”
All three will be a part of the pitching staff along with sophomores Cole Chastain and Kutter Eilenstine and freshmen Porter McCabe and Levi Crewse.
Arrington on Chastain: “His best weapon is he’s a competitor. He competes from the first pitch to the last pitch.”
Arrington on Eilenstine: “Kutter’s best weapon is his command. He keeps most of his pitches in the lower portion of the strike zone and that creates a lot of ground balls.”
Arrington on Dilley: “His best weapon is his curveball. He looks to throw it as his out pitch.”
Arrington on Woodruff: “Drew’s beat weapon is his fastball and his ability to vary the speed of the fastball.”
Arrington on Hildebrand: “Chris has the ability to eat innings for us. He can come into games late or he can start for us.”
Arrington on McCabe: “Porter’s best weapon is his ability to change his arm angle. At times when Porter is facing a batter that batter will have the feeling he’s facing a different pitcher during the same at bat.”
Arrington on Crewse: “Levi commands several different pitches and he’s not afraid to throw any of them at any time.”
Chastain will handle the catching duties except when he is pitching. Crewse will step in to catch some innings.
Tristan Mears (sophomore), Michael Copley (freshman), McCabe, Dilley, Josh Evans (freshman), Will Chatman (freshman), Chase Mears (freshman) and Eilenstine are all options on the infield.
Woodruff will captain the outfield in center. Hildebrand will also start in the outfield. Tristan Mears, Chatman, Maddox Mears and Crewse are also in the outfield mix.
“We will be pretty steady on defense,” Arrington said. “We spend a lot of time on our defensive fundamentals and it’s starting to pay off. We are also a very flexible team, and we truly believe in the next man up theory. If we lose a play to injury or anything the next guy will be counted on to pick it up.”
Plato opens the season on Mar. 20 at Steelville.
“We very much want to be known as a hard nose team that plays the game right by honoring the great game of baseball. We also want the teams we play to know they have been in a battle when they play us,” Arrington said. “When the season ends, I want us as a team to have grown in all phases of the game. The wins and losses are going to be there. I just want our squad to see the light at the end of the tunnel and know it’s not an oncoming train headed our way. Hard work will pay off in the long run.”
