SportsApril 2, 2024
Indians slay Eagles at home
KENNETT, Mo. - Monday's Kennett (5-6) v. Oran (4-3) varsity baseball game at Indian Park featured a pitching exhibition and a timely Indians hit that was enough to send the Eagles to the showers early. Kennett head coach Aaron New's Indians went up by three runs in the bottom of the fourth when an Indian lefty's large bat slammed an Eagles pitch, drove in two runners and posted what would be the final score, 4-1, over Oran head coach Joe Bickings' Eagles...
KENNETT, Mo. - Monday's Kennett (5-6) v. Oran (4-3) varsity baseball game at Indian Park featured a pitching exhibition and a timely Indians hit that was enough to send the Eagles to the showers early.
Kennett head coach Aaron New's Indians went up by three runs in the bottom of the fourth when an Indian lefty's large bat slammed an Eagles pitch, drove in two runners and posted what would be the final score, 4-1, over Oran head coach Joe Bickings' Eagles.
“I thought we played pretty well,” New said postgame. “Hayden Gilmore came through with a big hit there in the fourth.
“Knocked in two,” he continued. “He hit the ball the other way, which he's been doing all season. He's been having really great at bats all year long. (Senior pitcher) Ashton (Williams) had another good outing.”
Indeed. Williams' threw fire initially, his first two pitches cruising at Warp 10 past Oran's Kole Burger's knees before Burger hit the third pitch and made first base after an Indian defensive mishap.
That woke Williams, who continued blasting scorchers at batters' knees.
Williams and Gilmore were not the only outstanding Indians Monday, the coach emphasized.
“Caleb Duncan came through,” New said. “Matt Gardner is kinda heating up so that's a good sign for us.
“A couple of the other guys too that I know I'm missing,” he added. “Pretty pleased with us offensively and our pitching staff has been good all year. Offensively, the guys put together some pretty good at bats. We put together some pretty good bats against some pretty good teams. We're just having a hard time defensively right now. Mainly, what we're doing, is trying to get better defensively.We just need to get to where we can catch the ball.”
That statement materialized into an impromptu post-game practice that found the Indians divided into groups, fielding balls and running bases.
“We had a little spell where we didn't make some plays,” New said. “That's kinda been what we're trying to get better at, defensively.
“We had a little bit of a struggle early on,” New continued. “But we bounced back after a bad inning and finished the game strong.”
The Indians were 22-9 last season, for a 71 percent winning average compared to 2022's 26-5 record and an 84 percent winning average. The Indians were undefeated in 10 games at home and posted a 5-6 record away.
Monday's contest featured five different hurlers. New started No.10 Ashton Williams on the mound and subbed No.24 Peyton Branum late in the game.
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Bickings started No.25 Gabe Dirnberger and rotated through No.8 Parker Bryant and No.21 Carson Kern.
“I felt good tonight” Kern said. “My curve ball was working.
“I pitched last week in a game and couldn't get my curve to work at all,” he added. I couldn't make it drop like it should. I've been having problems with my arm. It felt really good today.”
Bickings noted the Indians are always prepared, the game actually was closer than the score reflected and said his players squandered some chances of their own.
“We knew it was gonna be kind of a dog fight,” Bickings said. “And it was.
“You know, we gave up three runs there in the fourth inning, a lead-off hit,” the coach added. “They ended up loading the bases, and their guys came through. That was the difference in the game. We had opportunities in the top of the fourth inning, where we had the bases loaded, to score some runs. We didn't get that big hit when we needed to.”
Despite that disappointment, Bickings gave props to both teams.
“Although we're four and three right now, I like where we're at,” Bickings, in his 10th year at the helm, said. “It's early in the season still.
“We're seven games in and have 15 or 16 more games ahead of us,” he continued. “The losses we have are to quality opponents. That's something we need to see that makes us a better team.”
Bickings said he starts upperclassmen almost exclusively, and rotating three pitchers throughout the contest was a positive thing.
“Everybody who starts is a junior or senior except my second baseman, Tyler Brashear, who's a freshman,” Bickings said. “I thought there were a few pitches that we kind of let get away from us a little bit and a few walks that kinda hurt us.
“But all in all with two pretty good conference opponents coming up we just let our top guys get out there and throw some bullpens, but competitive bullpens,” he added. “It's good to see. It's good to get them out there on the mound and let them get their work in.”
And Bickings offered props to New.
“The program that Coach New has here, he does a very, very good job,” Bickings said. “He always has his kids ready to play, and they understand the game of baseball.”
The Eagles welcomed Scott City head coach Skylar Christian Cobb's 8-1 Rams at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 3, and stay home to face head coach Gary Scott's 5-5 East Prairie Eagles at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, April 4.
The Indians were on the road to play head coach Benji Stahl's 7-3 Greenville Bears at 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 2.
The tribe returns home to Indian Park and welcomes head coach Tyler Trover's 10-4 Portageville Bulldogs at 4 p.m. Monday, April 8.
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