Kennett will have a rested, talented, and experienced arm available vs. C4 behemoth

Depending on how you look at the situation facing the Kennett High School baseball squad today, the Indians are either in a very good position to win their MSHSAA Class 4 Quarterfinal 1 match-up with John Burroughs or because of how talented the Bombers are, Kennett could face a daunting task in its quest to advance to a third consecutive Final Four.

On one hand, Class 4 No. 8-ranked Kennett (22-8) is facing the No. 2-ranked team in Class 4, which happens to be riding a 24-game win streak and is 25-3 overall.

However, on the other hand, Kennett has its ace arm available on eight days rest in senior Tanner Pierce, and the Indians are playing at Indian Park at 4 p.m.

“Tanner has been one of the top pitchers in the SEMO Conference all year long,” veteran Indian coach Aaron New said recently after watching Pierce dominate Notre Dame in the Class 4 District 1 championship game. “He did what a senior leader is supposed to do. He gave us a great chance to win the game.”

That is precisely what Pierce will have to do today against John Burroughs, which is averaging over seven runs per game this season.

Pierce isn’t going to overpower the Bombers with a high-80s fastball, but he throws it hard enough and can mix in some off-speed pitches, which make him difficult to deal with, according to New.

“His fastball is 83 (m.p.h.), 85, 86,” New said. “And he has a good change-up.”

New said that Pierce “didn’t have his best change-up” against the Bulldogs. However, Notre Dame wouldn’t think that after striking out 11 batters.

“The difference in the game was strikeouts,” veteran Notre Dame coach Jeff Graviett said. “We had too many and you have to give Pierce credit. He has a tremendous arm and is one of the best that we have seen throughout the year.”

New called Pierce’s change-up his “outpitch,” but against the Bulldogs, his “breaking ball was probably as good as it’s been,” according to New. “He didn’t have his change-up, but he did have his breaking ball. So, he hung in there and battled and did a great job for us.”

The Indians have certainly enjoyed another strong season, but their numbers don’t match those of John Burroughs.

Kennett has won just six games in a row heading into today’s game, while the Bombers haven’t lost since March 22, and they haven’t lost to a team from Missouri all season.

John Burroughs has limited its opposition to a mere 2.4 runs per game this season.

Kennett finished third in the Class 4 state tournament a year ago after winning the title in 2021.

“It’s been a good run for us over the last couple of years,” New said. “We’ve been lucky to have some really good players. More than (just being good players), they have been really good people. We’ve been able to coach them.

“There are no superstars and I’ve just been blessed, especially in the last five, six, seven years to coach a lot of great players.”