Page 26 - RVO Diamond Roundup March 2017

26VV
SUNDAY, MARCH 19, 2017
| RIVER VALLEY & OZARK EDITION OF THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE BASEBALL & SOFTBALL REVIEW
CLINTON YELLOWJACKETS
Clinton coach likes what he sees this season
BY TAMMY KEITH
SENIOR WRITER
Coach Robert Prince is not the type to
brag, but he will say he feels comfort- able with his team this year.
“I like where we’re going to be,”
he said.
He has six returning starters for the
Yellowjackets, including one senior, Kort Weaver, outfield and starting pitcher. Also returning are juniors Ty Johnson, right-handed pitcher who also plays middle infield; Bryce Dodd, another right-handed pitcher who plays middle infield and possibly some outfield; Avery Bramlett, a right-handed pitcher and center fielder; and returning juniors Nate Lonnon and Charles Sowell will be behind the plate. “They’re both good kids, work hard,” Prince said. Lonnon also plays outfield.
Prince said the team’s strength this year is speed. He said Dodd, Bramlett, Johnson, Weav- er and Lonnon “are all pretty dadgum fast.” Expect to see them take advantage of base-running situations.”
Johnson and Dodd are the best hitters for av- erage, the coach said.
He said the Yellowjackets have power hitters in Bramlett and junior Stiles Booher, a third baseman. “They both swing it from the left side,” Prince said. “They present some power at the plate.”
The Yellowjackets are blessed on the mound this season.
“I’ve got more arms this year,” Prince said.
Conference: 3A-1 East
Coach: Robert Prince Assistant coach: David Keeling Mascot: Yellowjackets
2016 record: 21-8
Returning starters: Kort Weaver, Ty
Johnson, Bryce Dodd, Avery Bramlett, Nate Lonnon and Charles Sowell
CLINTON BASEBALL
MARCH 28 ........................................ LAMAR* MARCH 30 ...............................DARDANELLE* MARCH 31-APRIL 1 ......@HARRISON TOURNEY APRIL 3 ..................................... MELBOURNE APRIL 4 ....................................TWO RIVERS* APRIL 7 .........................................@ATKINS* APRIL 10 ........................................CARLISLE APRIL 11 ..........................................DOVER* APRIL 13 ................................ @PERRYVILLE* APRIL 17 ................................@POTTSVILLE* APRIL 18 ........................... @MOUNTAIN VIEW APRIL 20 .....................................MORRILTON APRIL 21 .............................. @DARDANELLE* APRIL 24 ....................................@HARRISON
*DENOTES CONFERENCE GAMES
“I’m pretty confident in my pitching. I’m going to have some good young talent coming out of the bullpen, [in addition to starters Johnson, Weaver and Dodd].”
Prince mentioned Kyler Hensley, a 6-5 right- hander who swings left-handed and plays first base, and sophomore Aaron Hogue, who plays outfield and will log some minutes on the mound. Bramlett can fill in, too, the coach said.
Sophomore Keaton Gresham, a right-hander, will contribute, too. “I expect him to work out of the bullpen as well and compete for some playing time on the infield. Jacob West, a junior right-hander, played some last year. I think he and Hensley will be playing first base for me,” Prince said.
Senior Kobin Rhoda — “he’s my bulldog. He does whatever I ask him to do. He’ll get some time in the outfield and designated-hitting,” the coach said. “He has a great positive attitude.”
CLINTON BASEBALL continued on 27VV