Columbus East has a few athletes dealing with some nagging minor injuries heading into the baseball season, and coach Jon Gratz said staying healthy will be the key to the Olympians’ success this year.
East lost one of its key players toward the end of last regular season when Northern Illinois committ Drew Hasson sustained a wrist injury and missed the postseason. The senior is back for his final year as the starting pitcher and also will be spending some time at first base.
“Obviously, we want to be healthy going into the tournament,” Gratz said. “We’re not extremely healthy right now. The key is to be healthy and playing your best baseball at the end of the year.”
A pair of Indiana University commits, junior right fielder Julian Greenwell and sophomore third baseman Cole Gilley, will be helping Hasson on the mound. Greenwell went 6-1 with an 0.71 ERA last season.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]
Senior Alex Burnett will be the other starting pitcher for the Olympians. Junior Nash Murphy, junior Jonah Wichman and senior Josh Major also could see some time on the mound.
This season, East should have one of the best infields it has had in Gratz’s tenure, he said, with Major and Wichman returning at shortstop and second base. Freshman Parker Harrison also is expected to play in the infield after he returns from his ankle injury in a few weeks.
Senior Klayton Brummett saw action last season and will start this year in center field. Either Burnett or Murphy will be in left field, and Murphy will spend some time in right field and could possibly do a little catching.
The starting catcher likely will be sophomore Dalton Back. Senior Connor Barkes will be the team’s designated hitter and play some first base.
Athletes who will be getting varsity action for the first time this season are juniors Jared Jaggers and Jackson Paradise in the infield, and freshman Ben Major in center field.
Gratz is confident he can put together a solid batting lineup, with Greenwell leading the way. He led he Olympians with at .411 average and three home runs to help them post a 18-8 record last season.
“We’ve had a good offseason,” Gratz said. “Guys are starting to really learn how to practice well. They’re starting to figure it out, and they’re realizing they have a chance to be pretty good and realizing the work that it takes. I think we’re getting there.”
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”If you go” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Tuesday;at Charlestown;5:30 p.m.
March 31;Huntington North (DH);11 a.m.
April 3;at Cathedral;5:30 p.m.
April 5;Seymour;5:30 p.m.
April 7;Floyd Central;11 a.m.
April 7;Madison;TBA
April 10;at Shelbyville;5:30 p.m.
April 11;Brownsburg;5:30 p.m.
April 14;Mooresville (DH);11 a.m.
April 17;Jeffersonville;6 p.m.
April 21;Jasper Invite;10:30 a.m.
April 24;Bedford North Lawrence;5:30 p.m.
April 26;Jennings County;5 p.m.
April 28;at Bloomington South (DH); 10 a.m.
April 30;at Southport;6 p.m.
May 4;at Columbus North;5:30 p.m.
May 5;at Austin;10 a.m.
May 7;Vs. Bedford North Lawrence (HHC tourney);5:30 p.m.
May 9;HHC Tournament;5:30 p.m.
May 11;HHC placement round;5:30 p.m.
May 15;East Central;5:30 p.m.
May 16;at Bloomington North;5:30 p.m.
May 17;at Franklin;5:30 p.m.
May 19;at Lawrence Central,11 a.m.
May 19;vs. West Lafayette Harrison at Lawrence Central; TBA
[sc:pullout-text-end]
