Oakwood baseball low on numbers, high on motivation

Between an extended basketball postseason that saw Eagles play for a conference championship and rain that persists seemingly on a daily basis, it’s been a very short offseason for the Oakwood Christian Academy High School baseball team as they get set to open the 2020 season.

Throw in a very young roster with just two seniors and it’s enough to keep seventh-year head coach Kraig Givens up at night. However, Givens said he is buoyed by his team’s self-motivation to improve.

“We haven’t been able to see too much of it on the field yet, but the boys are motivated,” he said. “Maybe that’s just the excitement of spring, but I’ve been very encouraged because of the desire that they have. Even though we’re limited in numbers this year with only 10 (players), they are really excited, ready to play and they’re going to have fun doing it.

“I see them continuing to improve every practice and they’re focusing on improving because they know they have to for us to be successful.”

The Eagles will be led this year by a pair of seniors in Chase Lanham and

Jacob Wellwood. Lanham has been a member of the OCA high school team since he was in fifth grade, while Wellwood has been with the program since his freshman year.

Lanham will be one of the team’s primary catchers this year, while both he and Wellwood will play on the infield and do some pitching. Givens said both seniors have good potential because of their size and athleticism and that both are excellent defensive players with great hands.

“They’re both going to have to pitch some for us and their bats are going to have to be really big for us this year as well,” the coach added. “They’ve been great utility players for us and can play just about anywhere.”

The junior class will feature Caleb Epperson, who will play a corner infield spot when not on the mound, and Zac Moore, who will split time with Lanham behind the plate and also play some middle infield. He too will also be counted on to log some innings on the mound this year.

Jared Haney can play first base or in the outfield and the junior class is rounded out by outfielder Andrew Cooper, who may also be counted on for some innings on the hill.

The rest of the roster will include sophomore outfielder Jarrett Chambers, who will also play some middle infield for the Eagles, along with fellow sophomore John David Fleeger. Fleeger will do some pitching and will play at third base and in the outfield.

The final two spots on the roster belong to eighth grader Hunter Hickman, who will pitch and can play in the outfield or at a corner infield spot, and seventh-grader Luke Neal — like Wellwood a homeschooled student — that will most likely see the majority of his playing time in the outfield.

Givens said that while the team is still looking for a No. 1 pitcher to emerge, his players would have to play solid defense and focus heavily on its offense to give them the best chance to win with a less-experienced pitching staff.

“The key is really going to be developing our pitching,” he said. “From what I’ve seen, however, it’s been very encouraging. There’s a lot I think we can do from a pitching aspect this year, we just have to be smart in how we do it because just about everybody is going to have to pitch. If we can figure that out and develop a good routine with our guys, that will definitely help us.

“The other key is hitting. If we can get to a point where, offensively, we’ve got it figured out, I think we’ll be in much better shape.”

Givens said that his team’s unity will serve as a main strength.

“There’s a kind of family environment they have created and that’s probably the reason why they continue to get better,” he added. “They’re really pushing each other, but also having fun. They’re not holding anything back when it comes to the team and everything they do.

“I think a lot of the guys have the mindset (for our seniors). They want to get better and figure it out for their sake because of the amount of time that (the seniors) have put in to the program.”

(Editor’snote:TheEagles willnotplaytheirfirstgame for at least two more weeks duetoanathleticshutdown in response to COVID-19.)