Lincoln Baseball 2020 Review

LINCOLN — Linco ln entered 2020 with a roster stocked with seven seniors: Chance Blankenship, Jasper Terry, Jakie Stites, Cole Griscom, Chase Hutchens, Ian Jackson, and Clark Griscom.

During the 2020 covid-19 shortened season Lincoln’s varsity baseball team used 11 different pitchers, who combined for 18 appearances with the team finishing 2- 3. The season was suspended in March than canceled April 6 by the Arkansas Activities Association in an effort to contain the coronavirus.

Hunter Corbell, who only coached at Lincoln one year, and assistant Heath Slamons both were gone before the school year was out after suspension of springs sports March 12 by the Arkansas Activities Association and eventual cancellation of the season April 6. Corbell has taken a job as Elkins head baseball coach and golf coach while Slamons, brother of Lincoln head girls basketball coach Emilianne Slamons, resigned in April.

Lincoln recently hired former Watson’s chapel coach J. Micheal Keith as the Wolves’ new head baseball coach.

During the 2020 season, Junior Levi Wright got the most work throwing 202 pitches. He also led the Wolves in appearances on the mound with three. Seniors Clarks Griscom (76 pitches) and Ian Jackson ( 72 pitches) rounded out the top three with junior Cody Webb ( 66 pitches) and senior Weston Massey ( 60 pitches) also seeing considerable action.

Five different Lincoln players scored runs but Gentry ( 2- 3) more than doubled the Wolve s ’ production, beating Lincoln 11-5 in nonconference baseball action Tuesday, March 10.

Each team recorded 9 hits and left 7 runners on base. The difference was every Gentry hit drove in a run and the Pioneers took 8 bases on balls. Lincoln (2-3) took an early 3-0 lead in the top of the second inning, but Gentry countered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second, then added 2 more in the third and fifth innings before pushing 5 runs across in the sixth.

Gentry’s leadoff batter Seiren Reding was hit by a pitch and the next guy up, Ben Philpott, walked.

Reding went to third on passed ball then Isiah Lemke ground into a fielder’s choice at shortstop scoring Reding. Philpott was out trying for second. Dawson Wright singled on a line drive to right field putting Lemke in prime scoring position at third. Dawson Wright stole second and eventually scored behind Lemke when Ross Wilmoth singled into left field with a grounder. That put the Pioneers up 9-4 and they weren’t done yet. Wilmoth and Brayden Feathers, who bunted his way aboard, scored the final two Gentry runs on passed balls.

Lincoln could only manage a solitary run in the seventh, adding to one the Wolves got in the sixth, not enough to catch up to the Pioneers.

Gentry got multiple hits from three different players, none of which struck out. Dawson Wright went 3-for-4 scoring 3 runs with 2 RBIs and 2 stolen bases. Feathers was 2-for-3 scoring twice with a pair of RBIs and a base on balls plus 2 successful steals. Wilmoth was also 2- for-3 with a run scored, 2 runs batted in and took a base on balls.

Kyle Dilbeck ( 2) and Colby Young contributed to Gentry’s 7 stolen bases while Lemke and Reding doubled for the Pioneers.

Lemke threw 49 pitches over 3 innings allowing 2 runs on 4 hits striking out 6 with no walks while Feathers needed 45 pitches to get through 3 innings with 3 runs on 4 hits, 1 base-onballs and 3 strike-outs.

Lincoln spread out its attack among: Jasper Terry ( 2- for- 3, 1 RBI), Jackson Endaecott ( 1- for-2, 1 RBI, 1 run), Chase Hutchens ( 1- for-3, 1 RBI, 1 run), and Ian Jackson (1-for-4, 1 RBI),

Noah Moore went 2-for-4 doubling twice and scored a run. Hutchens also doubled.

Cody Webb successfully stole two bases and Hutchens made good on one attempt but the Wolves were thrown out twice. The Wolves finished 9-for28 and struck out 9 times.

Lincoln used several different pitchers with the bulk of the work between Levi Wright (2 innings, 43 pitches, 3 hits, 2 runs, 1 strike- out, 3 walks) and Weston Massey (3 innings, 39 pitches, 3 hits, 4 runs, 1 strike- out, 1 walk). Levi Wright took the loss.