Dill: Pirates ‘hope to get back to state often’

Poteau’s baseball season began on Saturday, and the Pirates has started 3-0 (2-0 District 4A-8).

Poteau baseball head coach Ryan Dill broke down the team’s prospects on March 2 at the Poteau Kiwanis Club meeting.

Dill described the Pirates’ hope to win the district title, which would earn them a regional on their home field and an optimal path toward a state tournament berth.

“The district games are huge. They determine what we do in the playoffs,” Dill said, referring to how placement in district determines the regional for which the team will be assigned. “Our number one goal is to make the state tournament and, when we get there, win some games. In Oklahoma, for softball and baseball, we feel that 4A is the hardest class to get to the state tournament. It’s really a difficult class with really good baseball and softball teams. You talk about teams like Blanchard (the 2019 and 2022 state champion and 2018 state-runner-up), Tuttle, Marlow (a state semifinalist the last two years), Heritage Hall (the 2021 state champion), Pryor (the 2019 Class 5A state champion and a 2021 state semifinalist) — a 5A school that is now down in 4A. With all the private schools, it makes 4A tremendously tough.”

Dill said he feels this team has a very good chance to make state.

“We had some kids last year that weren’t quite ready that got some good experience and will help us this year,” he said. “We plan on getting back [to state] often.”

Poteau made the state tournament from 2016-19 and 2021 before taking third in district last year and winning one of three regional games.

Poteau went 16-19 in 2022, Dill’s first year as head coach.

Poteau’s District 4A-8 opponents include Fort Gibson (the 2022 district champion and a state quarterfinalist), Broken Bow, Stigler, Sallisaw, Muldrow and Stilwell.

After relying on two senior pitchers last year, Ben Brooks and Caden Fox, Poteau’s rotation is led by senior Wesley Garrett and junior Coby Bell and Aiden Sockey.

Garrett missed last season due to elbow surgery. He pitched a one-hit shutout in the Pirates’ 2021 regional final win against Grove to put them in the state tournament. Dill hopes to get similar magic from him this spring.

“He’s been throwing it really well,” Dill said.

Bell threw 44 strikeouts in 31.2 innings for Red Oak last year. In the Eagles’ Class A state championship win against Canute last spring, he retired the side in the seventh inning with two strikeouts. His fastball hits 85-86 mph.

Sockey will also play shortstop and see some time as a catcher.

Junior Holden Mattox returns as the starting catcher.

“He should continue to get better,” Dill said.

Matt ox, junior Cal lo way Warren and sophomore Pierce Ballard also figure into the pitching staff.

Sophomore Hudson Burdick has stepped up as an outfielder.

Senior Champ Downs, who missed last season due to an arm injury, hopes to return to the lineup after recovering from an illness.

Dill has great belief in sophomores Jagger Dodson and Kord Fenton’s abilities at the plate.

“They both can really hit,” Dill said of the pair who shared the team’s 2022 Rookie of the Year award. “They’ve been in the weight room, so they’re bigger and stronger than ever.”

Justin Payne, Ronnie Sockey, who previously served as the Pirates’ head coach, and Daniel Upton, the Poteau Area Recreational Complex director, are the assistant coaches. Upton is also helping Jason Prescott coach the junior-high team, which has 15 eighth-graders out of its 20 players.

Dill delved into the importance of managing pitchers due to the pitch count rule.

“If we have a guy who throws 35 pitches, he can’t throw for one day. If he throws 50 pitches, it’s two days, and 75 pitches, it’s three days. So, we’ve really got to be careful with our games that are not district games, that our kids are ready,” he said, explaining that less experienced players will pitch non-district games.

Dill mentioned Wister, Spiro and Panama as teams with which Poteau will contend to win the LeFlore County Tournament, which will be April 3-7.

The Pirates won their first three games by a total of 33-4. Dodson has three hits, two walks and seven runs batted in through three games. Warren has three hits, four walks and two RBIs.

Poteau’s home games scheduled for Thursday against Idabel and Friday against Howe were canceled.

The Pirates are scheduled to play a district doubleheader today at Stilwell.