Beau (Carrier) knows hitting and Dexter is needing that in SEMO Tourney

The baseball squads at both Dexter and Notre Dame High Schools are entering this weekend’s SEMO Conference Tournament trending in the wrong manners.

The Bearcats (7-10) have dropped four consecutive contests, while the Bulldogs (9-8) have lost two straight but beat Dexter 3-2 a week ago.

The two teams will meet today at Notre Dame at 4:30 p.m. in the opening round of the event.

“I’m never going to give up on our guys,” first-year Bearcat coach Steve Edwards said recently. “They know that, and they’re never going to give up.”

Part of Edwards’ confidence in his group is backed up by the play of sophomore third baseman Beau Carrier, who has been more than solid at the plate, of late.

“He can hit any pitch, really,” Edwards said of Carrier. “What he does well, is he recognizes pitches.”

The Bulldog pitchers realize that.

A week ago, in that narrow win over Dexter, Carrier drove a pitch off of Notre Dame starter Jack Evans for an RBI triple, which tied the game at one run apiece.

That run was the only earned run Evans gave up, as he struck out eight Bearcat hitters.

“Beau is able to recognize it,” Edwards continued, “and read a pitch, and then he is looking for his pitch to hit.”

Carrier did that A LOT in the recent Stoddard County Athletic Association Tournament.

The Bearcats went 2-1 in the tourney, before falling to Woodland in the championship game.

In those three games (with wins over Bloomfield and Bernie), Carrier went 3-for-4 each night and finished with 11 RBI and four runs scored.

He connected for three doubles and a home run during the stretch.

“If he gets deep (in a count),” Edwards said, “he knows how to adjust and try to battle at the plate.”

Most recently, Carrier had a hit in a 10-2 loss against Twin Rivers, as well as three walks in a loss to Doniphan.

“He has been seeing the ball well,” Edwards said.

Edwards was quick to praise Carrier’s defensive effort, as well.

“He has been playing third base really good,” Edwards said. “He has just worked his butt off, and it shows a lot.”

Carrier has shown power at the plate (as Notre Dame learned), but Edwards said he can hit to move runners up a base just as well.

“He can go (opposite field),” Edwards said. “Beau can stay on top of the curveball and get it before it breaks. He hits the ball hard up the middle.

“Those things matter, and it becomes contagious. When other guys see that, they are like, ‘OK, I’m seeing him not pulling out and he is staying in and seeing the ball hit the bat.’”