The Boys of Spring The Middies have a loaded pitching rotation

THE BOYS OF SPRING

With a loaded pitching staff, this year’s Middies are ready to make a push to the top BY REID MAUS

For years the calling card of a Middletown baseball team was big bats and high scoring games, but 2022 is shaping up to be different. The Middies bring back their entire pitching staff as they are poised to make a push for the top of the Greater Miami Conference. It’s been 11 years since Middletown has finished in the top third of the GMC, and it’s been even longer (34 years) since they captured the conference title on the diamond. Yet, Coach Wes Mercer knows his squad has the talent and experience to put the league and region on notice. “We entered last year thinking it was a year to build the younger class up,” said Coach Mercer. “We build them up, have a good year, and then [2022] could be our year.”

That’s exactly what the Middies did during the 2021 spring. After not playing due to the pandemic in 2020, going into last spring was a fog. Yet, the Middies finished with their best in conference record since 2013 (7-11).

This was thanks to standout performances from sophomores Braylon Bailey and Joe Kirby on the mound. The pair combined for 96.1 innings pitched while striking out 82 and having ERAs of 2.87 (Bailey) and 3.56 (Kirby).

“In the past, we’ve been able to score, but pitching and defense have always been the key,” said Mercer. “We bring back our entire rotation. Everybody’s

back. And we are already seeing different guys step up.”

Mercer mentioned how Kirby and Bailey were the aces of the team last year but is excited about the improvement he is seeing in Jacob Dameron and Lucas Dingledine, as well as Logan Patrick.

“We’ve got arms, and we have eight or nine of them,” said Mercer. “We’re confident when we put those guys in, they’ll get the job done.”

The Middies do have some offense to replenish. Their best two bats from a season ago, Joe Current and Ty Cawein both graduated, so now they’ll turn to guys like Bailey, JC Calhoun and Jojo Nelson.

“We only lose two bats, but we lose a near .500 hitter and a hitter with a lot of extra-base hits,” he said. “We need to replace those two bats. And we’re kind of hoping that the middle of the lineup can do that this year with JC Calhoun and Bailey. Guys like Jojo Nelson need to step up too. We hope those three can provide the production of those two of Ty and Joe that we lose”

Calhoun batted .293 while leading the team in steals and extra-base hits. Bailey batted .296, Nelson struggled with a consistent bat but still led the team in RBIs.

The Middies undoubtedly have the talent and gained experience last year. This year they want to compete for a GMC title. They need to wrap it all together, and this sounds redundant but holds true, they need to be a team.

“I think the key to getting us there are just our kids,” said Mercer. “They have to buy into being more coachable, more accountable– buying into the little things. Bunting when a bunt is needed, changing your approach when you have two strikes, just little things that sometimes our guys don’t buy into, they have to buy into those little things. And I think everything will take care of itself because we have the talent.”

Mercer during the preseason has stressed the importance of building a team atmosphere. By going to Wright State games and getting dinner as an entire bunch, Mercer hopes to create that much-coveted ‘culture.’

As with most years, the GMC looks to be one of the toughest baseball leagues in Ohio. Schools like Mason and Lakota East will be a tough out for any team in the region, but Middletown looks to be vying for the top of the podium. ❑

BRAYLON BAILEY JC CALHOUN JOE KIRBY