Dexter pair taking one for the team this spring at the plate

BERNIE – Monday’s baseball game for Dexter High School was typical of a lot of outings this spring. The Bearcats (6-6) won, as they beat Bloomfield 10-0 in the opening round of the Stoddard County Athletic Association Baseball Tournament at Bernie High School, and senior Cole Nichols got hit by a pitch.

“It just happens,” Nichols said of being hit eight times this spring. “If it is coming at you, you just take it, I guess, for the team.”

Nichols, Dexter junior Ryan Young, and sophomore Jackson Howard each got hit by a wild Wildcat throw on Monday, however, they all have a ways to go in catching team leader Nolan Alford.

The sophomore has been plunked 12 times this year, and like Nichols, he says “It just happens,” and it isn’t part of a strategy.

“It just happens,” Alford reiterated Nichols’ thoughts on the situation.

Alford said that it only hurts “a few times,” but he recently took one on the spine when he turned away and that one took a while to get over.

“It is just part of their plan,” first-year Bearcat coach Steve Edwards said in a bit more forthright manner than his players. “Every individual has a plan that we work on at the plate, and that is their approach.”

Alford and Nichols both had a patient approach against Bloomfield senior pitcher Christian Hartlein.

Both Bearcat hitters had one hit in the victory, while Alford added three runs and two walks while connecting for a double. In the case of Nichols, he had one run and an RBI to go with his hit.

Dexter sophomore Beau Carrier paced his team with three hits, two runs, and six RBI, as he banged out a home run.

“Sticking with your approach and your plan at the plate,” Edwards continued, “where if you get hit, you get hit. (Alford and Nichols) are going to battle at the plate, and unfortunately, they’ve gotten hit, but also, fortunately, for us because that gives us baserunners.

“They’ve stayed disciplined, and they haven’t changed our plans at the plate, so I am proud of them.”

Young added two walks for Dexter, while Kaeden Kennedy (one hit, one run, one RBI, one walk), Howard (one run), Cole Gibson (one hit, two RBI), Houston Neely (one hit), Brock Wyman (one run, one walk), and Hunter Larson (one run) also contributed to the win.

Young threw all five innings and gave up just three hits while striking out seven and walking four Wildcat batters.

“Ryan pitched a great game for us,” Edwards said. “We needed that from him.”

Young’s work saved the Bearcat pitching depth for this possible three games in as many days event.

Hartlein allowed five hits and four walks in four innings but also struck out 10 batters.

Hartlein had one of the three Bloomfield (3-9) hits, as did junior Benjamin Stevens and freshman Carter Edwards.

Dexter advances to play Bernie in the semifinal today at 6:30 p.m. at Advance.

The host Hornets will battle Woodland at 4:30 p.m. in the other semifinal.