Coach Josh Baker and the Brookland Bearcats are hoping to continue the growth and recent success of the Bearcat baseball program. Last season, Brookland finished 24-12, were regular season conference champions, district tournament runner-up, and made it to the 4A State Tournament. With a core group of starters returning, and several others with game experience, Coach Baker is hoping to build on that type of success and push even further into the postseason. Senior Jake Reece leads the way at the plate and on the mound for Brookland. Reece is a middle of the order bat with power to all fields hitting. 346 with three homeruns and 18 RBIs last season. On the bump, the All- State selection had an ERA of 2.42 with 53 strikeouts showcasing a good mix of velocity and pitchability. Offensively, junior Gabe Carter, along with sophomores Rogan Tyler and Blake Lane return a lot of firepower around Reece. Carter is an everyday two hole hitter who hit. 351 with 18 RBIs and 24 stolen bases. Tyler hits at the top of the order and always finds a way to put the ball in play hitting. 310 with a homerun, 21 RBIs, and 18 stolen bases. Lane always found himself in big moments in the middle of the order hitting. 316 with 12 RBIs last season. Seven other players return with 30 plus at bats a year ago, so there will be plenty of depth at the plate for the Bearcats. On the mound, juniors Elijah Snearly and Cooper Stallings return after good sophomore seasons. Snearly is a lefty with good arm side run and a tight breaking ball, while Stallings has been reliable from the right side. He was always counted on to throw strikes with multiple pitches. Juniors Cooper Blade and Eli Foster, and sophomores Tyler, Lane, and Finn Lincoln provide depth to the bullpen. Some new faces should help in the lineup and on the mound. Seniors Asher Griffin and Ripken Tucker transfer over from Greene County Tech. Griffin is a left handed pitcher that started some conference games, while Tucker is a utility player that could help in several roles. Fellow senior Jordan Friend could get a chance to help at third base and hit in the lineup. Junior Maddoxx Bradley is another left handed pitcher that could help the bullpen, as well as sophomore Hudson Owen. Freshmen Grif Silverthorn and Caden Rodriguez have a chance to contribute on the mound and at the plate. Coach Baker loves his team’ s depth and willingness to do whatever is best for the team, and feels they can accomplish a lot if they stay healthy. Look for the Brookland Bearcats to finish at the top of the 4A-3 with a chance to have a deep postseason run.
The Brookland Lady Bearcats were co-conference champions and regional tournament runners-up before falling in the first round of the 4A state tournament finishing the season 17-9. Coach Matt Dillon is hoping to utilize a large group of returners and some new pieces to claim another conference title and move even further in the postseason. It starts in the circle with sophomore Aspen Heckethorn. Heckethorn went 4-1 last season with a 1.50 ERA and will expand her role to handle a bulk of the pitching load. Seniors Avery Toombs and Brianna Patterson lead the way for the Lady Cats. Toombs is a center fielder who only made two errors all season and a catalyst to the Brookland offense. Patterson played some third and even caught some last season. She hit. 314 with 21 RBIs in the middle of the lineup. Junior catcher Emery Booker earned Best Under the Sun honors hitting. 435 with 13 RBIs and a homerun after missing early games due to illness. Fellow junior Laken Carr has really good hands at third with a. 900 fielding percentage. At the plate, Carr hit. 375 with 18 RBIs in the middle of the lineup. Classmate Kyleigh Brown is a good outfielder with great speed stealing 16 bases a year ago. Junior Madilyn Conner has good hands at first base and hit. 329 with 29 RBIs in the heart of the Lady Bearcat lineup. Junior Haylie O’ Quinn had a good season in the outfield last season and will look to build on that, while senior Nicole Flowers brings a good bat as the designated hitter. A group of new faces could make a big impact for Brookland this season. Sophomores Ady Taylor Andria Lowry could make an immediate impact after moving in this season. Freshmen Amyah Currie, Kennedy Brooks, Carlee Crain, and Ashley Moody could contribute in their first year of high school softball. Lowry and Moody could help with the pitching load, while the others will look to crack the Lady Cat lineup. Coach Dillon is looking for some players to step up in key roles this year.“ We lost two big pieces in All State / All Stars Madison Wooldridge and Ashlyn McNeese,” Coach Dillon said.“ Replacing these two will be a challenge, but I believe we have the players ready to step up. We will be a tough, gritty team, and as of this moment I feel like defense will be our strength. Our bats are coming along, and I think will be there at the end. We have a new pitching staff with limited experience at this level and will be our biggest area to concentrate on early. These girls have worked hard all off-season and are ready for the challenge.” Look for the Brookland Lady Bearcats to be one of the favorites in the 4A-3 and be a tough matchup in the postseason.
Coach Baylee Haskins and the Hoxie Lady Mustangs are looking to a group of returners to have a turnaround season.“ I believe that our success this year will come from the defensive side,” Coach Haskins said.“ I have a lot of hustlers and play makers that will give me their all. I think our offense will build throughout the season and will eventually become our greatest strength. Our area of concern I think we will be youth. Most of my girls haven ' t played together so I think it will be mostly about team chemistry that will be a concern.” Senior Mia Orrick will be counted on for leadership as she leads the core returning group. In the circle, Orrick threw in the low 50s with great control. She does a good job of throwing strikes and letting the defense work behind her. Orrick also batted in the leadoff spot and will be counted on to jump start the offense with her speed. Juniors Gracie Felton, Dream Davis, Patricia Russell, and sophomore Sydney Noblin all return as well. Felton hit in the three hole, has great power, and is a smart hitter. Davis uses her speed at the bottom of the lineup as a second leadoff bat to flip the lineup back to the top. Russell is the team’ s best bunter in the middle of the lineup and knows where to put the ball in situations. Noblin hit in the four hole as a freshman showcasing her power and ability to put the ball in play anywhere. Coach Haskins is excited about her freshmen group moving up.“ I have several freshmen moving up that have really great talent,” she explained.“ I have Natalie Brand, Brinley Owens, Madison Light, Diayla Davis, and Maddox Orrick. Each of these girls have experience playing travel softball and they each have amazing aspects that will help the team.” Brand plays third and is very good at the hot corner. Owens is a great utility player. She will be used in the outfield and at pitcher, and as a slapper on the offensive side. Light is a shortstop and pitcher. She has a great read on the ball and can move very well. Diayla Davis is an outfielder who is extremely fast and can get to any ball hit in the outfield. Maddox Orrick is a utility player but her main position is second but has been working at catcher as well.“ I am very excited for this season and to see what all these freshmen can do,” Coach Haskins said. Look for the Hoxie Lady Mustangs to show much improvement this season with a core group of young, talented players.