Badgers hope new coach brings winning touch

The Arkadelphia Badgers hope that new baseball coach Andrew Loe can bring some of his magic back to Clark County. Loe previously was the head coach at Palestine-Wheatley High School, a Class 2A school in St. Francis County. Loe’s final squad at Palestine-Wheatley went 25-6 and advanced to the Class 2A state semifinals. Arkadelphia finished 12-23 in 2017. The Badgers were 8-2 in conference play. They finished fourth in the Class 4A South Regional Tournament, then got beat by Shiloh Christian 3-0 in the first round of the Class 4A State Tournament at Lonoke. Loe is excited about his chance to coach the Badgers, who are a traditional power, having played in the Class 4A state-title game in 2015 and won the state title in 2014. “My first coaching job is what I believe got me where I am now,” Loe said. “I had a great group of kids when I first got to Palestine-Wheatley, and each year I was there, we got better and better. “Being that this is my first year here at Arkadelphia, I hope to continue with what I was doing at Palestine-Wheatley.” Arkadelphia returns eight starters from a year ago: seniors Brayden Todd, Carson Smith, Tanner Smith, Carson Almond, Matt Green, Maddox Breashears, River Melugin and Alec Lewis. Loe said junior Alec Ruble is the team’s best hitter for average. He hit .416 a year ago. The team’s best power hitter is Tanner Smith, the coach said. Tanner had five doubles in 2017. The best fielder is Green, who plays middle infield, and the team’s best speed belongs to Carson Smith, Loe said. The best arm belongs to Melugin, who plays catcher, and the team’s best pitcher is Todd, who has committed to play at Southern Arkansas, the coach said. Other college prospects include Lewis, who Loe said shows promise in growing velocity on the mound. Melugin, freshman Peyton Byrd, senior Matt Green and Carson and Tanner Smith could also play at the next level, Loe said. Games with Warren, Malvern and Benton are games to watch this season, the coach said. “As always, I hope we finish in the top of the conference, getting a bid for regionals and state,” Loe said of the year’s expectations. “Our first game, we lost 3-1 to a good Pleasant Grove, Texas, team, and we have high hopes of continuing to grow. I have always felt that if we can make it to state, you always give yourself a shot at winning it all. “Winning does not come easy, and each day we are able to work together, we get better toward everyone’s end goal of a state championship.”