Nick Loftis won 10 games last season for Class AAA state champion St. Albans – Kenny Kemp Gazette-Mail
By: Rick Ryan, Staff Writer | Posted: Mar. 22, 2018 | Source: WV Gazette-Mail
Three Kanawha Valley baseball teams reached championship games at last year’s state tournament, and all three figure to be in the running for postseason honors again.
St. Albans, which won its first Class AAA title by beating Hurricane in the state finals, returns 10 key contributors from a year ago, the same number as the Redskins.
Meanwhile, Charleston Catholic brings back six starters from its Class A championship team to go along with some promising newcomers.
St. Albans coach Rick Whitman realizes expectations will be soaring for the Red Dragons, who return a pair of first-team all-state players in pitcher-infielder Nick Loftis and pitcher-outfielder Jake Carr from last year’s 32-9 squad that started two freshmen and four sophomores much of the season.
“I think when you have that type of season last year,” Whitman said, “and return as many guys as we do, expectations are going to be high. That’s what we want. We expect to be good, a No. 1 ranked team. That’s where you want to be. It’s all a matter of how you handle it.”
Loftis and Carr served as the top two pitchers on SA’s staff last season, with Loftis carrying a 10-1 record and 1.56 earned run average and Carr going 6-2 with a 2.61 ERA. Each averaged better than a strikeout per inning, with Carr punching out 110 in 561/3 innings and Loftis getting 81 Ks in 712/3 innings.
Both also contributed at the plate. As a leadoff hitter, Carr batted .349 and drew 34 walks. Loftis hit .345 and drove in 27 runs.
Other top returnees for SA include designated hitter Noah Cummings (.387, 40 RBIs), infielder Nic Feazelle (.375, 21 RBIs), outfielder Connor Fizer (.323, 29 RBIs), pitcher-first baseman Chayce Matheny (4-2, 2.85), shortstop Casey Kemplin (.305, 35 runs), utility man Akili Johnson (.328), pitcher Easton Thewes (4-1, 0.87) and outfielder Travis Atkins (.250).
Matheny was the man of the hour in last year’s title game, holding Hurricane to four hits in 62/3 innings as St. Albans prevailed 8-2.
With so much talent back, the Red Dragons have to be ready to be “the game” on opponents’ schedules.
“We talked a lot with our guys about everybody gunning for them this year,” Whitman said. “You’ve got to bring your A-game because you’re going to get the A-game from everyone else. They’ve been good and worked hard in the off-season. Obviously, we enjoyed the run we went on last year. The kids have been all business. It’s a pretty dedicated and focused group.”
Hurricane (30-8 last year) was the state tournament favorite much of last season, and has the weapons to return to Appalachian Power Park again.
Back for the Redskins is first baseman Nate Dunham (.392, 38 RBIs), a first-team All-Kanawha Valley pick last year, along with position players such as outfielder-catcher Noah Birthisel (.364, 39 RBIs), catcher Jake Allen (.363, 29 RBIs), utility Noah Short (.403), infielder Logan McClure (.397), outfielder Bo Adkins (.386, 26 RBIs), infielder Chandler Kelley (.305) and outfielder Austin Dearing (.319).
Several experienced pitchers return in Liam Bailey (4-1, 3.14), McClure (5-3, 3.11), Short and Adkins. And the staff got a boost with the arrival of left-hander Jonathan Blackwell, a Coastal Carolina commit who went 5-4 at George Washington with a 2.01 ERA and 56 Ks in 482/3 innings.
“We’ve got 10 seniors,” said Hurricane coach Brian Sutphin, “and these guys have been together for a while. They’ve certainly put the work in, and they’re excited to be going. They’re starting to get their feet under them.”
Charleston Catholic went 28-8 last season, including an 8-2 victory over No. 1 seed Ravenswood in the Class A finals at Power Park.
The Irish will lean on the bat work and pitching of Brandon Combs, a returning first-team all-state and All-Valley player. Combs hit .467 with four homers and 56 RBIs and went 8-1 on the mound, carving out a 1.35 ERA in 621/3 innings.
Other returning starters include infielder Thomas Blaydes (.432, 41 runs), infielder John Hufford (.370, 35 RBIs), catcher Dominic Martin (.336, 31 RBIs), outfielder Brendan Lanham (.356) and outfielder Timothy Kawash.
Besides Combs, the pitching staff is fortified by Hufford (6-2, 3.10), Lanham (5-2) and Marshall Pile, who missed much of last season with an injury. Other candidates for mound work include Marc Spiegel, J.W. Armstrong and Jake Hufford.
“Like any other year, we expect a lot out of ourselves,” said Irish coach Bill Mehle. “We expect to be competitive. We lost our 1-2-3 hitters in the lineup to graduation, so we’ve got some big holes to replace, but everybody’s gotten a year older and stronger and improved their baseball skills.
“We expect to be in the mix. The question becomes whether everybody buys into the hard work throughout the course of the season.”
Here are capsule looks at the rest of the Kanawha Valley teams (with last year’s records):
- George Washington (24-8) — A pair of first-team All-Valley athletes returns for the Patriots in shortstop-reliever Grant Wells (.333, 22 RBIs, 15 steals, 8-8 saves) and catcher-utility Aidan Johnson (.392, five HRs, 35 RBIs, 2.33 ERA). Other key contributors are infielder Brayden McCallister (.323, 20 RBIs, 17 steals), utility Evan Hughes (.321), pitcher Trey Ritchie (4-1), outfielder Preston Taylor (.283) and catcher Tanner Williams (.273).
- Sissonville (17-11) — The top three returnees for the Indians are third baseman-pitcher Caden Carpenter (.362, 18 RBIs, 3-2 pitching, 29 Ks), catcher-outfielder Cayd Snyder (.333) and first baseman-pitcher Michael Pinkerton (.545 in 11 games). Other leading players are utility Will Hackney, infielder Scott Soblit, outfielder Evan Smith and first baseman-outfielder Gage St. Clair.
- Nitro (17-13) — Senior outfielder and lefty pitcher Mike Stone (.454, 24 RBIs) is a returning first-team AA all-state and All-Valley player. Other key seniors back include outfielder Josh Adkins (.414), pitcher Ryan Hill (3-3, 43 Ks in 31 IP, 2.71 ERA), infielder Matt Hill (.374, 21 RBIs, 4-1 pitching), infielder Jason Douglas (.291, 24 runs), outfielder Jake Hamrick and utility Sean Green.
- Winfield (15-14) — Pitcher-infielder Brett Morris (.383, 2.85 ERA, 37 Ks) heads the returnees for the Generals, who also sport plenty more experience in outfielder Nick Ferguson (.329, 20 runs, 21 steals), catcher Aaron Blackwell (.315, 17 RBIs), pitcher-infielder Nick Edwards (3-2, 30 IP, 26 Ks) and utility man Sam Ingram (11 steals, 26 IP).
- Buffalo (15-16) — The Bison are strong behind the plate with senior catcher Hunter Whittington (.362, 18 RBIs), a four-year starter. Other top position players include junior infielder Brandon Dillman (.267) and junior outfielder Dylan Jividen, who can also pitch.
- Herbert Hoover (13-17) — The Huskies return two of their top hitters with infielder Derek Chapman (.400, 16 RBIs) and utility man Justin Stover (.360, 31 runs, 16 RBIs). Pitchers with the most experience are Chapman (27 IP, 25 Ks) and Rhett White, who also plays infield.
- South Charleston (11-16) — Infielder Corey Lanier (.443, 25 runs, 14 steals) is a returning first-team All-Valley player, and left-hander Alex Jarrell is dual threat pitching (5-3, 57 Ks, 1.71 ERA) and hitting (.369, 23 RBIs). Other top returnees for the Black Eagles are catcher Ty Sizemore (.325), infielder Tyler Atkinson (.313), infielder Max Arbogast (.284) and pitchers Nick Workman (2.77 ERA) and Jeremy Graley (37 Ks in 431/3 IP). Freshman utility man Tyson Burke is also ticketed for a big role.
- Capital (9-21) — Outfielder Andrew Sydenstricker (.358, 17 RBIs) is the Cougars’ top returning hitter, with other position players including first baseman Ryan Thomas (.348), utility Michael Stuck (.276), infielder Grant Thompson, utility Cam Thomas and outfielder Logan Spurlock. Cam Thomas (372/3 IP) has the most pitching experience, followed by Greg Schott (272/3 IP).
- Poca (6-21) — The Dots bring back two of the Kanawha Valley’s top hitters in pitcher-infielder Chaz Roberts (.400) and outfielder Evan McKneely (.357, 16 RBI, 10 stolen bases). Freshman catcher-shortstop-pitcher Ethan Payne, a football and basketball standout, will also contribute heavily.
- Riverside (5-20) — The Warriors return their two most-experienced pitchers in Chris Buchanan (431/3 IP, 3.23 ERA) and Ryan McNeal (36 IP, 29 Ks). Some of the top hitters include first baseman Chase Thomas (.260, 21 walks), outfielder Blake Wentz and designated hitter Jacob Pierson (.333 in 15 at-bats). Buchanan also plays outfield, McNeal second base and Pierson pitches.
Contact Rick Ryan at 304-348-5175 or rickryan@wvgazettemail.com. Follow him on Twitter @RickRyanWV.
