Oran baseball's seniors hope to make the wait worth it at Class 1 state

Oran seniors, from left, Peyton McVay, Denver Elfrink, Drew Reischman, Cole Priggel, Layne Johnson and Clay Sauceda pose for a photo Tuesday in Oran, Missouri. The Eagles will face Green City in a Class 1 state semifinal at 4:30 p.m. today in O'Fallon, Missouri.

BEN MATTHEWS

ORAN, Mo. -- Competing in a final four isn't necessarily a new experience for the Oran baseball team.

It just so happens that the players' previous experience came in another sport.

A year ago, the Eagles captured a Class 2 state championship in boys basketball. It was a different story on the diamond, though. For the third straight season they fell in the district final to the eventual Class 1 state champions.

Oran seniors, from left, Denver Elfrink, Layne Johnson, Cole Priggel, Clay Sauceda, Drew Reischman and Peyton McVay pose for a photo Tuesday, May 29, 2018 in Oran.

Ben Matthews ~ Southeast Missourian

For six seniors, five of whom play basketball, this spring represented their last chance to get a taste of the baseball final four. They have done just that and will face Green City (14-2) in a Class 1 state semifinal at 4:30 p.m. today in O'Fallon, Missouri.

That group of six now gets to end their high school careers at state and hopes to follow in the footsteps of the last Oran team to reach this stage, the 2013 state championship squad.

"It's awesome. It's a dream come true," senior Drew Reischman said. "I've been dreaming of it ever since I seen the '13 team win it all and we got to do it in basketball and that was fun, but baseball's my sport and to do it in baseball means everything to me."

Reischman has had a front-seat view to the heartbreak of the three previous years. As a freshman in 2015, Reischman played in the Class 1 District 2 championship as Bell City upended Oran 4-3 and went on to win the state title.

It was the first of three consecutive state crowns for the Cubs, who faced Oran in the district championship each year and beat the Eagles every time.

Oran senior Layne Johnson poses for a photo Tuesday, May 29, 2018 in Oran.

Ben Matthews ~ Southeast Missourian

Bell City lost five senior starters from last year's team, all of whom started multiple years for the Cubs, opening the door for Oran this season.

Fittingly, the Eagles (16-9) faced their familiar nemesis in the district title game and cruised past Bell City 8-1.

Wins over Cooter and Eminence in the sectional and quarterfinal round, respectively, followed, as Oran advanced to the final four for the first time since 2013.

"We lost three years in a row to state champs," Oran senior Layne Johnson said. "It's finally our turn, so we might as well go up and make the best of it."

Both Johnson and Reischman recall watching that title-winning 2013 squad. Johnson even planned to attend the team's semifinal contest until it was postponed due to rain.

"That team was incredible," Johnson said. "I remember watching that team -- Kody (Moore) and Alex (Heuring). They were just really fun to watch."

For Reischman he sees similarities between this year's team and the 2013 edition. Just like the current iteration, the seniors on the 2013 team, which included Moore and Heuring, never had won a baseball state championship their first three years of high school.

"They waited until their senior year, a lot of them," Reischman said. "Hopefully we'll get to follow them there and win it this year."

It's not just a new experience for the players, either. Coach Joe Bickings is in his fourth year at the helm and while he's experienced state as an assistant coach on the boys basketball team, this is his first time going as the headman.

"These seniors have been with me for four years, obviously, and this is my fourth year here, so they've kind of grown with this program just as I have," Bickings said. "Just for them to get this experience their senior year, it's great for them and great for this town."

Working under boys basketball coach Joe Shoemaker, Bickings saw the behind-the-scenes work that goes into preparing a team for state -- studying film, scouting the opponent -- so it isn't all a new experience.

Similarly, Reischman and Johnson played key roles on the 2017 boys basketball state championship squad. They weren't the only ones who have played on both teams, which isn't uncommon at a small school like Oran (enrollment: 124). Seniors Cole Priggel, Denver Elfrink and Peyton McVay were all on the '17 team, along with starters Jacob Shoemaker and Todd Priggel.

That experience only goes so far, though.

"In basketball, you can set a screen for your best player in order to get them open, but in baseball, it's more of a pitcher versus the batter type of deal," Bickings said. "Defensively, there's team defense but when it comes to hitting, it's more of a one-on-one situation. So I feel like it's a lot different, but with them being there in basketball, the pressure, it shouldn't be there. "They've been in those situations. It's just been on a different court, so to speak."

The town has gotten behind the team with super fan Pat Moore creating signs that have popped up throughout town and read "Good luck at state Oran Eagles."

Today, the town will get to cheer on Oran as it aims to add another chapter to this season and advance to the state championship game.

This trip to state has been five years in the making. Now it's time for Oran and its seniors to enjoy the moment.

State capsules

ORAN EAGLES

County: Scott

Enrollment: 124

Coach: Joe Bickings

Record: 16-9

Team leaders (through 23 games)

Batting average (minimum 20 at-bats): Drew Reischman (.486)

ERA (minimum 20 IP): Layne Johnson (1.27)

GREEN CITY GOPHERS

County: Sullivan

Enrollment: 84

Coach: Dale Whitacre

Record: 14-2

Team leaders (through 14 games)

Batting average (minimum 20 at-bats): Devin Fields (.489)

ERA (minimum 20 IP): Camden Williams (0.96)

WALNUT GROVE TIGERS

County: Greene

Enrollment: 81

Coach: Trevor Bowling

Record: 22-1

Team leaders (through 21 games)

Batting average (minimum 20 at-bats): Logan Thomazin (.590)

ERA (minimum 20 IP): Thomazin (0.63)

ST. ELIZABETH HORNETS

County: Miller

Enrollment: 65

Coach: Caleb Heckemeyer

Record: 15-5

Team leaders (through 18 games)

Batting average (minimum 20 at-bats): Mason Kemna (.567)

ERA (minimum 20 IP): Aaron Blomberg (1.25)