2009 Pre-Season Baseball Notes

GODDARD loses its three studs of a season ago - Logan Watkins, Dalton Banwart and Jordan Jennings - but this program reloads annually. Senior Taylor Douglass (.364 BA, 17 RBI, 24 runs) is one of several returning hitters who batted over .300 last season, as the Lions placed runner-up at Class 6A state. - Goddard stole 59 bases last season, including 10 by 2009 senior Nathan Hyson, 8 by Douglass and 8 by senior Kory Schroth. Hyson batted .318 and Schroth .321 in 2008. - Junior C Levi Meyer batted .328 and led the team in RBI with 22 last season as a sophomore. - Goddard loses the five pitchers who took the mound for 129.2 of the 147.2 innings the Lions played in 2009. Baseball Notes: - Runner-up at state in 2008 after placing third in 2007, KAPAUN returns a host of veteran players in the senior and junior classes to make a run at the 5A title. Senior 3B Brandon Esposito batted .333 with 7 doubles, 2 triples and 4 homeruns and led the team with 26 runs scored. Senior C/P Aaron Boswell committed only 1 error behind the plate in 2008 and had a 2.23 ERA, 34 strikeouts and 5 wins on the mound, while batting .303 with 5 doubles and 11 walks. Junior LF Christian Laubhan hit 7 doubles and batted in 19 runs. Senior SS Richard Simon batted .350. - ANDOVER CENTRAL held a 23-1 record going into the 2008 regional final against Rose Hill, which beat the Jaguars despite their own losing record. Senior P Ben French, who threw a no-hitter in 2008, returns after going 8-0 last season with a 0.74 ERA and 93 Ks in 47.1 innings pitched. French also batted .432 with 7 doubles and 2 homeruns, as Central tries its luck in 5A this season. - BISHOP CARROLL looks to bounce back into the 5A state tournament after a rare absence in 2008, but pitching is a question mark. The bats - not so much. Senior 1B Cody Mills hit 6 homeruns and 6 doubles last season and batted in 21 runs in 55 at bats. Senior OF Brandon Tangney batted .481 and drew13 walks. - After losing 2-1 to perennial champ Bishop Ward in the 4A state final last season, ANDALE-GARDEN PLAIN moves up to 5A. Andale coach and former Major Leaguer Brian Holman must develop new output in the batting lineup and on the mound after the team's top four players signed to play college baseball last spring. - Senior INDEPENDENT SS/P Ian Smith returns after a season of incredible production. Smith batted .447 and led the team with 44 runs scored, in addition to going 6-0 with a 1.89 ERA as a pitcher. Now in 4A, Independent lost in the 3A state title game last May after winning its first 25 games of the season. - After returning just 9 innings pitched from 2007 to 2008, TRINITY ACADEMY has all of its hurlers back this season. Senior SS/P Brian Kempin batted .400 with 23 RBI and struck out 50 in 32.2 innings pitched last season. Senior IF/P Jordan Slade batted .592 with 8 doubles and 6 triples and scored 38 runs with 20 stolen bases.