Loaded Portageville excited for a new challenge

The Portageville is loaded with talent and nearly everyone returns from a squad that finished second in Class 2 last season.

However, the Bulldogs will have to take an unfamiliar path with new obstacles this postseason after moving up to Class 3.

“We are very excited to get back on the field and improve daily,” said Portageville coach Tyler Trover. “Most of this group have started since they were freshmen. Now we are very junior heavy, with only three total seniors. These guys all work extremely hard on their craft and put the time in necessary to be successful. As long as they continue that, we have a chance to be pretty good this year.”

Junior Mason Adams is back after leading the state in hits (59) and earning first-team all-state honors while batting .468 with 43 RBIs and 41 runs scored.

First-team all-stater and senior Trey Benthal is also back after finishing last season with a .481 average, 52 hits, 38 RBIs and 21 runs scored. Benthal will also likely be the team’s top pitcher.

Senior Thomas Frakes earned honorable mention all-state last season after he batted .451, 51 hits, 33 RBIs and 34 runs scored.

The teams' other top returners are juniors Carson Bradley, Conner Johnson, Beau Hunter-Warren, Aaron Dunlap and sophomore Jayquan Bogan.

Bradley had a .400 average with 44 hits, 23 RBIs and 30 runs scored; Johnson batted .349 with 22 hits, nine RBIs and 15 runs scored; Hunter-Warren batted .330 with 29 hits, 24 RBIs and 30 runs scored; Dunlap had a .267 average with 23 hits, 16 RBIs and 31 runs scored; and Bogan batted .419 with 13 hits, 13 RBIs and 14 runs scored.

“We have a very talented sophomore class that has a chance to earn their way in the lineup some this year,” Trover said. “Right now, we are banking that they show the maturity, energy, and consistent execution that it takes to play at our level right now.

“Philosophically, we want to play the aggressive, hard-nosed style of baseball we are becoming accustomed to,” he continued. “We want to be great defensively, and be ‘pitchers’ on the mound, not ‘throwers.’ We want to run the bases well and be the most aggressive team in the area going first to third on a single. We’re focused on getting better each and every day so that we are playing our very best baseball in May.

Portageville will face Woodland in its season-opener in the Van Buren Wood Bat Weekend on Friday, March 17.