Area teams ready for baseball season

SIKESTON - With baseball season right around the corner, area teams are getting prepared for the season.

Here is a preseason look at some of the teams in our coverage area.

DEXTER -- The Bearcats return five starters from a 13-5 team that reached the district semifinals last year.

Head coach Brian Becker is counting on big things with this year's team which will be led by the middle infield tandem of Willie Dooley and Matt Burnett.

Dooley batted .357 last year with 14 RBIs and 17 runs scored. He also led the team with 10 extra base hits.

Burnett hit .340 with 11 RBIs, 16 runs scored and a team-leading 20 stolen bases.

Another senior that returns that has been starting for two years is Kermit Thomley. He batted .327 with 16 runs scored and 11 stolen bases last year.

"For Willie, Matt and Kermit, this will be their third year to start," said Becker. "I'm looking for those three to have big years for us. Matt's still nursing a knee injury that he suffered in football. He tried to come back for basketball and that set him back a little bit. He's slowly but surely getting his wheels back."

Senior Brandon Miller will play catcher while junior Josh Miller returns at third base and pitcher.

He was 3-1 last year with a 3.80 ERA in 31 1/3 innings.

Also, he batted .349 on the season.

Nolan Pixley and Mack Taylor will also get some time on the hill. Both picked up wins last season in limited work.

Dooley went 2-0 with a 2.80 ERA in 10 innings of work while Justin Sanders went 2-0 with a 4.03 ERA in 8 2/3 innings.

"Right now pitching is a question mark because we haven't played any games yet," said Becker. "The good thing about it is I've got pretty good depth at pitcher. We've got some good quality high school pitchers out there and I look for them to keep us in the ballgame."

Dexter will open the season on Tuesday when they host Perryville at 4 p.m.

"I've got 16 juniors and seniors so I expect to do well this year," said Becker. "We had a good year last year and we've got five returning starters. I anticipate some of the junior varsity guys stepping up and doing a good job this year. I'm expecting us to contend for the title this year. I think it will be a really good district tournament this year just like last year."

ORAN EAGLES

ORAN -- With nearly every player returning from last year's 20-5 team that finished third in the state, the Oran Eagles have been tabbed as the team to beat in Class 1 this season.

In the preseason baseball poll, Oran was ranked No. 1 in the state.

Only Matt Bucher was lost to graduation.

"We lost one player off the team last year," said Oran head coach Mitch Wood. "We come out every year with high expectations for our baseball team. Pitching will definitely be a strength for us."

The Eagles return three all-staters from last year, including catcher Nathan Seyer who batted .513 with five home runs and 30 RBIs. He also had 41 runs scored and 17 stolen bases while throwing out 17-of-27 runners on attempted steals.

"The big year he put up last year, we expect another one out of him," said Wood. "If he has any kind of year like he did last year I'll be tickled to death. We're definitely looking forward to him carrying us."

Trey Graviett was also recognized with all-state as the team's ace pitcher. He went 7-4 with a 1.79 ERA. He struck out 88 batters in 63 innings and he was productive at the plate as well, batting .414 with six homers and 31 RBIs.

First baseman Tyler Cookson was also named to the all-state team after batting .417 with 11 doubles and 27 RBIs.

Shortstop Ryne Wood is the team's No. 2 pitcher and best defensive infielder.

He hit .351 with 35 runs scored on offense. On the mound he went 7-1 with a 1.70 ERA in more than 40 innings pitched.

Joey Bickings, Tyler Nelson, Matt Seyer and Garrett Roslen all return as starters from last year.

Nelson is the team's No. 3 pitcher after going 2-0 in 16 innings last year.

Advance and Chaffee have been added to the district to make the road back to Columbia that much tougher for Oran.

"I think we're most definitely capable of winning it," said Coach Wood. "Getting ranked and getting the job done is two different things. It definitely puts the bulls-eye on us. We won't be able to go anywhere and play somebody and not expect to get their best shot."

Oran opens its season on Wednesday when they host Delta at 4 p.m.

NEW MADRID -- The Eagles return three starters from last year's 7-7 team that reached the district semifinals.

Ben Stricklin and Ben Pyles return as the players with the most experience.

Stricklin is the team's top pitcher after going 3-1 last season. He also batted a team best .444 last year in 19 at-bats.

"This will be his second year as a starting varsity pitcher," said Jones. "Last year he came on real strong at the end. He was our go-to guy after Jake Kimball. He doesn't overpower you with the fastball, but he's able to spot it up. He's crafty and he keeps up with the pitch count. He's got good command and he has a pretty good curveball."

Pyles, who will play third base, was also one of the top hitters on the team with a .363 average.

Chris Nance and freshman Jordan Kimball will be counted on heavily in the pitching rotation this year.

"Jordan Kimball, already he's my No. 2 pitcher," said head coach John Jones. "He's going to be something to watch. He started for the varsity basketball team. He's a great athlete but he's young."

Sophomore Ryan Lawrence is the team's No. 3 hurler.

Calling the signals from behind the plate will be junior Jeffrey Hunter.

"He's got good knowledge of the game," said Jones of Hunter. "He's our field general."

Senior Josh King returns as the team's centerfielder.

With 11 juniors on the team, Jones is asking his youngsters to grow up fast.

"We're a junior-laden baseball team," said Jones. "We lost the core of our baseball team to graduation last year. But the kids that are coming up have been playing baseball since T-ball. The juniors and sophomores have been on some state championship teams in legion ball. We're looking forward to the season. We haven't had a losing season the last three years and I don't want to start this year."

Jones will be assisted this year by Joseph McClarty.

"He's going to be a big asset to the program," said Jones. "He works with kids in summer and he knows them all real well."

The Eagles will open the season on Tuesday when they host Caruthersville at 4 p.m.

BENTON -- After a second place finish in the district tournament last year, expectations are high for the Kelly Hawks this year.

Second-year head coach John Gandt returns several top players from last year's 11-13 team including senior Major Burger, who batted well over .400 a year ago and is one of the top defensive players on the team.

"He's a strong player and a good leader," said Gandt. "But he was hindered by an injury last year."

Senior Todd Brucker went 4-for-8 in limited appearances last year but Gandt is hoping he will pick up some of the slack this season.

"He will be a strong outfielder for us this year," said Gandt.

Senior outfielders Jarod Staggs and Frankie Stubbs will add to the leadership on the team.

Jordan Protor, a senior third baseman and catcher, also returns from last year.

Gandt will also count on juniors Trey Simmons and Lee Ziegler to get some playing time.

The Hawks are also expecting big things out of sophomores Kendal and Kent Deason, who both will pitch some. Caleb Daughtee, a freshman second baseman, is another player to watch for the Hawks.