Bell City BB riding deep rotation to solid spring

The Bell City High School baseball program is inching toward its most successful spring since the historic Cubs run to three consecutive MSHSAA Class 1 State Championships from 2015 to 2017, and its pitching depth is a huge reason why.

“We’re pretty young,” veteran Cubs manager Justin Simpher said recently. “The bulk of our pitching staff is pretty young.”

But those young arms are also pretty good.

The latest example was the outing that sophomore Kale Richardson threw in a 13-3 domination of Puxico on Friday at Bell City.

Richardson threw a complete game of six innings and limited the Indians to just four hits, and one earned run, while walking two and striking out nine.

“We had fall baseball,” Simpher continued, “and seeing some (of those players) who got work there, and they got better. That has just helped us. It’s given us more guys ready to go out there.”

Friday’s effort wasn’t the first time that Richardson has been strong this spring.

In a 4-3 win over Advance, Richardson allowed one earned run to the Hornets through 6 2/3 innings and struck out 11.

In a tough 4-3 loss to Class 2 No. 9-ranked Bernie, Richardson threw in relief of sophomore Jacob Asher, who has also had good outings this season. Against the Mules, Richardson did not allow an earned run or a walk while striking out three over 2 2/3 innings.

“For the most part,” Simpher said, “I feel like our pitchers have thrown the ball pretty well.”

Bell City (5-3) will have a tough test today at 4:30 p.m. at Kelly (6-3), but Simpher has an abundance of arms that he can utilize.

Junior Baylor Eftink opened the 2024 spring by striking out six batters in a 7-6 win over Leopold, and junior Dawson Loomes followed that up by striking out five hitters over four innings of relief against the Wildcats.

Loomes recently struck out eight in a loss to Woodland, and Asher shut down Bloomfield with five innings of one-hit work, as he allowed just one earned run, walked one, and struck out four in an 11-1 thumping of the Wildcats.

The Cubs only have two seniors on their roster (Easton Newell and Logan Stubenrauch), and Newell threw for the first time this spring in a rout of Richland (Essex) and he was very good.

Newell gave up no hits over three innings and struck out seven Rebels.

Overall, Simpher has thrown seven different pitchers through eight games, including sophomores Linc Scherer (who was also good against Richland in relief) and Juan Hernandez.

“Hopefully,” Simpher said, “we can keep working and getting better. That is what we are trying to do.

“We are working at it (on the mound) and trying to give ourselves a chance.”

Bell City hasn’t won more than 11 games since that run of state titles, but Simpher’s group is already at five victories and still has 10 regular-season games remaining, as well as the Stoddard County Athletic Association Tournament, and the postseason.

Following today’s game against the Hawks, Bell City will host Oak Ridge (2-5) on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.