Eagles pitch, hit to two scrimmage wins

LEAD SPORTS PHOTO: The Eagles gave a solid performance in Monday night’s Jamboree. Coach Brian Ash looks forward to utilizing a long line of pitchers, a strong defense and working to improve connection at the plate. Above, Brady Trammell leads off second base. 

LEAD SPORTS STORY:

In baseball, great defense starts with a great pitching staff.

And boy, does Southern Boone County High School have one of those.

New head coach Brian Ash knew what the strength of his team would be from early on in practices, and it got to shine against live hitting in a jamboree on Monday night. In two shortened games, eight different pitchers saw the mound and produced quality innings of work. The staff held Tolton hitless in a 7-0 rout in the first matchup of the jamboree and only allowed one hit in a 6-2 win over Wright City.

The core of Ash’s staff lays in the hands of a veteran arm and a young stud. Senior Nate Allen, who earned second team All-District honors as a junior last year and is a reliable workhorse Ash can rely on in almost any situation. Sophomore Ethan Osborne pitched impressively in his first year of high school baseball, dressing varsity for the entire season and showing poise as a young hurler.

“He’s as advertised,” Ash said of Osborne. Ash named Osborne as well as Allen as anchors of a pitching staff which includes all-around athletes Tyson Smith, Brett Stanfield, Parker Boyce, Sam Stichnote, Nik Post and Grant Hoehne.

Behind the pitching staff is a defense that is strongest up the middle. From senior catcher Keegan Maynard to center fielder Colby Phillips and in between, the defense impressed Ash in the jamboree. Stichnote may be the dark horse to watch for at shortstop, as Ash says the senior “doesn’t get enough credit in baseball.” Senior Blake Dunn shores up the right side of the field at second base.

~ Find out more in today’s Journal ~

By Briley Eilers