By Chris Parker
Wheatland baseball won 12 games last year, which was the most for the Mules since winning 13 in 2016. This year, they will look for even more with three all-conference players returning in Tyler Dampier (senior catcher/pitcher), Davin Sawyer (junior shortstop/pitcher) and James Burnett (senior third base/pitcher).
Dampier is a great leader who led the team in batting average and ERA last year. He is a left-handed pitcher with great control. The lefty posted a 1.58 ERA with a .470 batting average. He drove in 15 runs and stole 22 bases. Sawyer struck out 68 in 41 1/3 innings last year. He runs his fastball up into the mid-80’s. At the plate, Sawyer hit .458 with 34 RBI and four home runs. Burnett is another hard-throwing right hander who posted a 2.78 ERA last year. He hit .33 with 18 RBI at the plate.
When Dampier isn’t pitching, he will be catching. Both Sawyer and Burnett will also see time behind the plate.
Junior Ty Howerton and freshman Tucker Shaddox will also be key pitchers for Wheatland.
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The infield features Burnett and Shaddox at third, Sawyer, Dampier and Shaddox at short, Owen Kenig and Jaxon Wheeler at second and Avery Ohrazada and Mathew Goodloe at first.
The outfield will be comprised of a combination of Howerton, Wheeler, Bodee Fielder, Bradley Phillips, Caleb Goodloe, Mathew Goodloe and Nicholas Prieto.
“Pitching should be a strength; most definitely at the top of our rotation. Our 1-3 pitchers are pretty established. Past them we run into some inexperience, but they do have potential to become good pitchers for us,” Wheatland head coach Patrick Dougherty said. “Our defense should be a strength as well. We should be able to make plays to complement our pitching. We have several guys that can move around and play multiple positions.”
Wheatland opens the season on Mar. 19 at New Bloomfield against New Bloomfield and Hermitage.
“We expect to be very competitive this season,” Dougherty said. “We should be in the mix for conference and district titles. It won’t be easy, but those are our team goals.”
