Hot pitching and heavy bats are leading the Kings’ baseball team to the hottest start since the 2017-18 season (Maxpreps.com). Both teams started their season off to a 4-0 start; however, the 2017-18 team lost their fifth game, while your current team has won their fifth game, against the Tri-Central Trojans. The last time the Kings were off to a hot 5-0 start was in 2015! The Kings were hoping to extend their win streak on Wednesday against the Golden Eagles of Oak Hill High School, however, they suffered a heartbreaking seventh-inning loss 6-9.
On April 8, the Kings started their season off on the right foot. Winning your first game can be a big momentum push and set the tone for the rest of the season. The Tipton Blue Devils walked onto the Kings’ diamond looking for a win and left the diamond with a close 8-7 loss. This win propelled the Kings to grab four more wins, including the Carroll Cougars, the Sheridan Blackhawks in a doubleheader, and, most recently, the Tri-Central Trojans. Last season, Owen Cotner-Graves led the team in home runs, where he hit two across the whole season. The junior has already hit two home runs (or, as the baseball team likes to refer to them as “Solar Eclipses”) in just the first six games. When asked about how this has affected him, hitting-wise and confidence, he said, “It feels great and gives a boost of confidence at the plate, but all I am focused on is hitting the ball hard and helping the team get some wins.” Fortunately for Owen, his laser focus has been successful, as he is the leader in hitting so far and has helped the team start their season with a 5-1 start. In comparison, the last Cass baseball team to start their season off with five wins in a row was the 2014-15 team. There are some patterns between these teams, in which the 2014-15 team had a large senior class, and Head Coach, Coach Marschand, had this to say about the resemblances of the teams, “Much of the similarities come from the large senior class that holds each and every one of us accountable.”
Statistically, Brody Williams has been throwing chairs left and right against teams from the mound. When you are pitching so dominantly, you tend to get even more dominant on the mound. However, pitching so well can help you at the plate too, as it can relieve pressure since you know you are dicing up the opposition. “It has boosted not only my confidence, but also the team’s, especially as we approach the most important games of the season. Our hitting is significantly better than it was last year, largely due to the experience we have gained and the strength of our senior-heavy roster,” Williams said when asked about how pitching so well has affected the confidence of the team. So far, Brody has started two games on the mound, which include one complete game, and one game with senior pitcher, Griffin Wolf, coming in to help Brody out and closing the game for him. Together, the senior duo of Brody and Griffin has won two games combined.
When it comes to the legacy of the Lewis Cass Baseball program, Coach Dirk Tocco has made a return to the field. After being a high school coach for years and then taking some time off, Tocco has come back to help. Senior, Wade Tocco (son of Coach Tocco), was present for many successful baseball teams during the era of his father’s coaching tenure. When asked about how Wade feels about being present for many successful teams, and now being on a team experiencing similar success, Wade said, “When I was growing up, going to all of the practices and games had a similar feel to this year. I think it’s very cool to be on a successful team and continue the legacy that those teams have left for us.”
The Kings are only two weeks into a short season; however, they have only played roughly a quarter of their games. With a record of 5-1, the Kings are looking to pick up their sixth win on Friday against the Blackford Bruins at their home diamond. Be sure to come out to the diamond at Lewis Cass High School to watch the Kings win some more baseball games!
