Yellowjackets are hardworking, ‘fun to coach’

The Clinton Yellowjackets are an enviable combination this year — they’re talented and work hard to improve, coach Robert Prince said. “This group is really talented, yet they want to get better. They’re a fun group to coach,” Prince said. That’s why he expects to “at least be in the conversation” to win a state championship this year. The team ended its 2017 record 11-3, were 3-1 East district champions and lost to Harding Academy in the first round of the state tournament. Prince said he will have several veterans back on the field this year. Returning starters are seniors Bryce Dodd, Avery Bramlett, Ty Johnson, Tanner Keeling, Stiles Booher and Jacob West; and junior Aaron Hogue. Dodd is a right-handed pitcher, and he also will play some middle infield and outfield. The 2017 all-state and three-time all-conference player has committed to play baseball at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway. Bramlett, a 2017 all-conference player, is a right-handed pitcher and plays center field. Johnson, a three-time all-conference, 2017 all-state player, is a pitcher and will also play middle infield. He has committed to Arkansas Tech University in Russellville. Dodd and Johnson “are my top two” pitchers, Prince said. “They’re both really good.” Booher, 2017 all-conference, will play third base and catcher. Yellowjackets assistant coach David Keeling’s son, Tanner, was named all-conference in 2017. He will man second and third bases. West will be on first base; Hogue is a righthanded pitcher and will be in the outfield. Kragen Bradley, a left-handed sophomore, will play some outfield, first base and pitcher. Junior Keaton Gresham is a right-handed pitcher, third baseman and designated hitter. “We’ve got a lot of arms,” Prince said. Dodd, .487, and Johnson, .486, are the best hitters for average, the coach said. Prince said the team is blessed with power hitters. “I’ve got several,” he said, including Bramlett and Booher. Prince repeated the names Dodd, Bramlett, Hogue and Johnson when citing his best fielders. They’re also the top of the heap in speed. “Dodd runs a 6.37, 60-yard dash; that’s extremely fast,” Prince said. “Johnson, Bramlett, Booher, Hogue — they’re all pretty fast. Ryley McDonald, a junior — he’s fast, too. He’ll play some outfield and middle infield.” In practice before the season started, Prince said sophomore John Hinchey is impressive as a catcher. “He’s gonna get a shot behind the plate. He did a good job yesterday,” the coach said. The Yellowjackets’ strengths are putting veterans on the field: seniors and juniors. “I feel like we’ve got a lot of speed, and I feel like they love the game,” Prince said. “They play the game the right way; they know how to play baseball. They’re a fun group to coach.” Prince said the student-athletes “don’t get in trouble, stay out of the office, make good grades. They work hard at practice.” Not that everything is perfect. “Last year, defensively, we were pretty good. We want to cut out some of the errors we made defensively, be more stingy than we were, tighten up some defense,” Prince said. “When you’re on the field with a high-quality team,” he said, “we need to come up with a few more hits with runners in the scoring position. “Of course, we’ve got to stay healthy.” Prince, who has been in the Clinton School District for 17 years, is assistant principal at the high school and junior high. He said it was 1991 the last time the Yellowjackets were state baseball champions. Prince said the baseball team has advanced to the regional competition the past six years and to the state tournament four of those six. “We’re getting there; we’ve got to be playing good ball in May,” he said. “We’ve got to be healthy and play good ball.” The coach said there are “tons of good baseball programs in this state in the 3A classification,” including Harding Academy, Mayflower, Smackover, Greenland and Bald Knob. “We want to be in the conversation, at least, in 3A baseball,” he said.

I feel like we’ve got a lot of speed, and I feel like they love the game.” ROBERT PRINCE CLINTON BASEBALL HEAD COACH