Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Multi-Position Skills Pay Off
FARMINGTON — Flint Oxford celebrated signing a national letter of intent to play college baseball for Crowder College of Neosho, Mo., with family and friends at Cardinal Arena on Thursday.
The 2015 Farmington graduate plans to major in Kinesiology intent upon going into coaching. Although he has been a three-sport letterman at Farmington, also playing basketball and football, Oxford says baseball is what he will most likely wind up coaching.
“It’s another great day for Farmington baseball and for Flint,” said Farmington head baseball coach Jay Harper while introducing Flint, noting his participation in the sport all four years of high school.
“He’s done a great job, especially this year,” Harper said. “He’s a multi-position player. He did whatever we asked him to do whether pitching, playing catcher, or playing third base. If we’d asked him to play shortstop he could have done that, too.”
Over the past four years, Farmington baseball has produced several college players from the Class 4A and now 5A ranks.
“We’ve been lucky, we’ve had really good players, people who developed their skills in the program to where they could get to the next level,” Harper said. “Flint really came into his own his senior year. We had a guy get hurt and he became the No. 2 pitcher and he hit third or fourth all year long and did a great job there.”
Flint got stronger as the season progressed, pitching 31 innings and went 3-2. His ERA was 3.161. He had 20 strikeouts, hit 4 batters with a pitch and gave up 21 walks for a 1.581 walks plus hits per innings pitched. Flint’s bat was effective as well. He belted 3 home runs with 13 RBIs on 26 hits with a .400 batting average and an on-base percentage of .446.
Flint’s dad, Jeff Oxford, was on hand as he has been in support throughout Flint’s athletic career.
“I’m excited for him that he gets an opportunity to continue playing baseball and gets part of his education taken care of,” Jeff Oxford said. “A lot of people have had a hand in helping him to get to that point. I think about all the miles we traveled when he was 10 or 11.”
Flint wanted to thank his father, Farmington baseball coaches Harper and Clint Scrivner, and his baseball coach growing up, Stacy Wright, as well as Wright’s son, Ty, a former Razorback taken in the 2012 major league baseball draft.
“Stacy’s had a huge impact in my life athletically,” Flint said. “When I was growing up Stacy was my travel team ball coach, he shaped me up.”
“Ty’s been helping me a lot lately. He helped me growing up, showing me what’s right and wrong.”
Flint enjoyed his father’s presence during high school games wanting to honor his athletic heritage and carry on the legacy.
“It’s a big motivation. He was really good at sports so I look up to that. I always want to do not only the best for the team but make the Oxford name proud.”
Spencer Boudrey, a 2013 Farmington graduate, who just finished up two years of college baseball after signing with Crowder coming out of high school, has been preparing Flint for the next level.
“We have been working out hard. He’s getting me toned up and getting me ready for college workouts,” Flint said.
Flint’s grandfather, Charlie Oxford, pointed out very few high school players get an opportunity to play college baseball and said it is nice that Flint has that chance. Then he offered some advice, “When- ever you get mad a little bit, don’t go crazy, just work through it.”
“I’m proud of him,” Charlie Oxford said.
Flint’s younger sister, Claudia, who will be a junior this fall, said Farmington High School won’t be the same without him. According to Claudia, Flint watched out for his little sister and protected her interests.
“He’s going to do great things,” Claudia predicted. “That’s my big brother, Flinty.”
Boudrey, meanwhile is endeavoring to impart keys to success he has learned by experience to give Flint an edge, emphasizing the importance of establishing camaraderie with teammates once Flint gets to Crowder.
“He’s told me that if I build a bond with my teammates it will be easy cause what they do is break you down mentally and then build you back up again,” Flint said. “It’s not an individual game for them, it’s definitely a team sport and academics is very important to them.”