Buckeye Trail looks to claim third straight IVC championship this season

OLD WASHINGTON − Despite being the proverbial 'New Kids' on the block since first entering the Inter-Valley Conference during the 2017-2018 campaign, the Buckeye Trail baseball team have made themselves right at home and dominated the top of the IVC league standings the last two years.

Warriors' head coach Cory McQuain assumed control of the Trail baseball program two years ago and has guided the Warriors to back-to-back IVC championships with identical 11-1 league marks. Included in that impressive two-year run is an overall record of 34-10.

In pinpointing the reason for all that recent success, McQuain feels its simply a bunch of players playing plenty of baseball.

"I feel our success has been due to a lot of guys getting out and playing summer baseball," McQuain said. "I mean we had a lot of guys , get a lot of experience. They play 20-25 high school games, and then go play 40-50 summer games. When you are playing that many games, that's a lot of reps and really makes a difference."

Last season, Trail finished with a 19-5 record with a season ending 6-4 loss to Harrison Central in the Division III district semi-finals.

"Our goal is always to win the IVC, that's goal number no. 1 and always our first priority," McQuain said. "That's our league, and that's what we want to win. After that we always want to be above .500 and improve from the previous year."

"We are a young team this year, where last year we were an older, more experienced team," McQuain added. "This year we played fall baseball trying to get ready, knowing we were going to be without some of our more experienced guys."

Slow start this spring as players adjust to new roles

Buckeye Trail has started off with a 2-2 record this year, with players making adjustments to new roles for the Warriors as McQuain searches for a solid starting lineup.

"We are a better team then we are playing right now," McQuain said. "With so many new starters we are still looking for that right combination. Still looking for that right lineup, I have my four returning starters who are playing well, just need to find that best lineup."

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"This terrible weather so far this season has not helped our situation," McQuain continued. "We need to get on the field and get reps together. But with this rainy weather, we play one day and then are off 3-4 days in a row. That makes it tough, especially with a young team like this."

Buckeye Trail is adjusting to the loss of plenty of firepower to graduation in four-year lettermen Nick Neuhart, Isaac Beaver, Garrett Burga and Tyler Dodd from last season.

Neuhart, who was a First Team Eastern District, First Team IVC and All-OVAC performer last year, contributed on the mound and at the plate for the Warriors. Neuhart complied a 2-2 pitching record with a 1.10 ERA, while offensively finished with a .429 batting average with 20 RBIs.

Beaver led the Trail pitching rotation with a perfect 5-0 mark, including a perfect 0.00 ERA, along with a .297 average with 17 RBIs. Dodd provided the Warriors with a slick fielding shortstop for the last four years.

Pair of three-year lettermen anchor Warriors' returning talent

Buckeye Trail welcomes back a total of four returning starters led by a pair of senior three-year letter winners in Braden Williams (P/OF/1B), and Cale Gaza (OF), along with junior two year letterman Mason McQuain (P/INF) and sophomore Tyler Harrell (C/P) who lettered as a freshman last season.

Each of the returning starters from a year ago, and will again hold down starting spots. Just maybe at a different position this season. Other returning lettermen who will look to lock down starting assignments this season include juniors Laine Wayble (INF/OF), Jackson Hoop (INF), Noah Jones (LF), and sophomore Sammy Brown (C/OF).

Williams was the workhorse of the Trail pitching staff last season with a team high 43 innings pitched, finishing with a 5-2 record with a solid 2.08 ERA. At the plate, he hit at a robust .421 clip with eight doubles, two triples, a pair of home runs with a team high 33 RBIs.

"Braden was our No. 1 last year on a deep staff, and will be again this year," McQuain said. "We lost our Nos. 2, 3 and 4 pitchers to graduation. Those guys threw a lot of innings for us last year, so after Braden it could be a Johnny-whole staff approach I just don't know at this point."

"Mason, and Tyler got a little pitching time last year, and will see that work load increase this year. And then Easton Rominger, who was our top JV pitcher last year will also pitch," McQuain continued. "And we have 10 freshmen this season, and three of them all pitched in our varsity scrimmages and did a nice job of throwing strikes. So they could very well see some time on the mound this season for us."

Those three young pitching prospects are Taylor Weaver (P/INF), Sam Wayble (P/INF) and Buckey Johnson (P/1B) along with sophomore Benji Weaver (P/3B) could all see time on the mound for the Warriors.

McQuain held down first base last season, but could move into a starting spot at shortstop. Harrell returns behind the plate, after a solid freshman season at catcher. And Gazda will anchor the Warriors outfield from his center field position.

Harrell finished with a .410 batting average last year, with four doubles and 27 RBIs, while McQuain posted a .290 average with a pair of doubles, a triple and 12 RBIs with a team high 25 runs scored.

Large Buckeye Trail roster battles for playing time

Battling for playing time from a large 25 man roster are juniors Tyeson Mercer (P/INF) a transfer from Shenandoah, Tyson Anderson (OF), Blake Miller (P/INF), along with sophomores Logan Clevenger (2B), and Kason Davis (OF/1B).

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Rounding out the large group of freshmen team members are Nick Atkinson (OF/C), Cameron Creighton (P/3B), Alan Cox (P/OF), Ahren Green (OF/2B), Sawyer Cox (OF), Isaac Brown (INF), and Coulter Abrams (1B).

McQuain's coaching staff includes Jared Dinges, Dave Deal, Dave McComb, Charlie Deal, Dan Atkinson and Matt Flemm.

"We've got to get our bats more consistent, we have struggled with that so far here early in the season," McQuain said. "We are not hitting the ball real well right now, which seems to be a problem the last few years also in the early going. Maybe that's my fault, for not working with it enough."

"But the last few years, we had veteran guys who came around with the sticks," McQuain added. "This year we have a young group, but I'm confident when they get fully settled in they will come around as well. Our defense has been solid, and the pitching has been pretty good as well. I like the direction we are headed, and I'm confident we will be right there again fighting for another IVC title. And like I said earlier, that's the goal for us."

KSutton1@gannett.com; X: @KSuttonDJSports; Instagram: kevinsutton_dailyjeffsports

This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: Young Buckeye Trail baseball squad looks for consistency at the plate