Early defeats reset Watkins Memorial baseball’s attention to detail

On Apr 6, 2023

PATASKALA — The Watkins Memorial baseball team talent has the young talent to reload in its pursuit of a third consecutive Licking County League-Buckeye Division championship.

The Warriors, however, quickly learned the a short condensed season will have its peaks and valleys. After a thrilling season-opening 10-inning win at DeSales, they dropped three consecutive games last week to open their spring trip to suburban Nashville, Tennessee.

“It’s just simple things. We were out there making errors that we don’t usually do,” said senior first baseman Sam Johnson, one of four returning starters for Watkins. “It’s not good to lose, but it’s kind of a wake-up call.”

Watkins Memorial senior Logan Fitch dives back into first base against of the tag from Licking Valley senior Gavin Bragg on a pickoff attempt on Wednesday, April 5, 2023. The Warriors led the visiting Panthers 3-0 in the third inning when the game was suspended because of inclement weather.

After losing two of those three games by two runs or less, Watkins finished its trip with a 12-10 victory against Hamilton Southeastern (Indiana) on Saturday.

The Warriors have kept that momentum since, beating Zanesville 18-1 on Monday to open Licking County League play. The Warriors were leading Licking Valley 3-0 in the third inning on Wednesday when game, which will be finished Tuesday, was suspended because of the inclement weather as senior right-hander Trace Hartman had struck out five in three innings before the skies opened.

“I love competing. I love getting to throw,” said Hartman, who was a key member of a deep pitching staff that led the Warriors (3-3, 1-0) to a 13-1 mark in LCL play last spring. He is backed this season by senior Ethan Pollock and several juniors, who received their significant first varsity innings last week.

“I definitely lead them and show them how we do it here,” Hartman added. “They have been stepping up.”

The Valley offense backed up sophomore ace left-hander Evan Lichtenauer during the Panthers’ 6-3 victory against Licking Heights to open LCL play on Monday. The defense, however, did not help senior Colby Conn early Wednesday with an error in each of the first two innings.

Hartman struck out three around a one-out walk to junior Hayden Rodgers in the first inning. Senior Theo Walsh recorded Valley’s first hit on a wind-blown fly ball to left during the driving rain, but the Watkins defense caught Walsh between first and second as he initially attempted to stretch the single into a double.

“Even if you are senior or a junior, if you haven’t faced it yet, until you get some reps, it doesn’t matter. It was great to see some live action,” Watkins coach Donald Schone said. “You want to play your best at the end. Everyone says it. We have a deep pitching staff, so we just have to find the right people to field the ball.”

Johnson and senior shortstop Ethan Ryan each had an RBI single early Wednesday. The fourth returning senior starter Michael Olson was lost to a potentially significant shoulder injury during the trip.

Junior second baseman Chase Massie, who had a hit and a run scored against Valley (1-0, 1-0), and junior right fielder Cole Massie have been immediate contributors to the lineup and pitching staff. Junior third baseman Ethan Williams and senior utility player Logan Fitch are being asked to lengthen the lineup, and sophomore Trent Johnson and junior Andrew Botts sharing catcher and sophomore center fielder Ayden Guthrie are at key defensive positions.