Spring brings with it the renewed hope the Pioneers can find glory on the diamond this season. Warren County has already faced a few tests in the preseason, but weeks left to still prepare, coach Phillip King and his staff are working diligently to get a young, hungry group ready for opening day.
The Pioneers an extended dress rehearsal over the weekend, facing off with Upperman for 14 innings at Patrick Ramsey Field. Warren County is also set to play Grundy County at home today, Feb. 25 at 5 p.m. and will also take on Cascade on the road March 1 before opening the season at Moore County Monday, March 10.
Coach King, about to start his sixth season at the helm of his alma mater, thought the matchup with the Bees (7-0 in favor of Upperman after seven innings and 9-7 overall) showed some promise for his Pioneers.
“I was really pleased about a lot of things. There’s a whole lot to build on,” said King. “There are also some easy things to correct. They had two big SEC-type arms that anybody would struggle with at any time and – being this early – we just weren’t on time with it.
“I thought our at-bats weren’t bad and our pitchers did a pretty good job too.”
Warren County is having to replace a lot of production as its top four in the lineup from last year (Easton Denning, Baler Melton, Alex van Vuuren and Aiden Miller) all graduated and signed with JUCO programs, but their absence gives others the chance to step up and be the next star.
Daylen Holguin and Brady Norris both had two hits after subbing in late in the scrimmage, freshman Isaac Smith broke up a string of six straight outs for the Pioneers with a single to start the bottom of the third and countless others got their time on the diamond to make their cases for starting positions this spring.
Lefty Evan Snapp started on the hill for the Pioneers and had three strikeouts – all in the second inning – as he builds toward being an opening-day starter for his team. Snapp is the team’s most experienced arm returning, having thrown 27 innings last year in seven starts (2.85 ERA, 35 Ks).
Hayven Jones, Lealon Arnold, Keaton Rowe, Jaytton Baker, Braden Whinnery, Brady Swallows, Miguel Garcia, Carter Lee, Seth Barrett and Holguin also got time on the hill for the Pioneers against Upperman.
Warren County started with newcomer Sam Robinson (a transfer from Murfreesboro) at catcher, Rowe, Tyler Adams, Adrian Harris and Baker in the infield and Jones, Smith and Jarren Harris patrolling the outfield. It’s likely coach King will use the rest of the preseason games to shuffle the deck before setting his opening day lineup in two weeks.
Be sure to continue checking Main Street Media for the latest on WCHS baseball and any announcements about radio coverage of the Pioneers this spring.