Experienced Risco getting balanced production in strong start

Risco High School senior hitter Kyle Albritton waits on a pitch recently against Bloomfield at Bloomfield.

Tom Davis ~ Tdavis@semoball.com

It’s been six years since the Risco High School baseball program has enjoyed a winning spring, but when the Tigers opened this season with three consecutive victories, it didn’t shock veteran Tiger coach Brandon Blankenship.

“We’re expecting to have a good team this year,” Blankenship said following a recent 6-5 win at Bloomfield. “We’ve got enough arms with guys who can throw strikes.”

The Tigers finally stumbled on Tuesday in an 11-3 loss against South Pemiscot (1-2) at Risco High School, however, there was some brightness shown, even in the loss.

“We’ve got to get some more production from the bottom (of the lineup),” Blankenship said. “We did (against Bloomfield).”

Risco remains unbeaten by holding off late charge from Bloomfield

Tom Davis

BLOOMFIELD -- Veteran Risco High School coach Brandon Blankenship has coached the Tigers through 16 fall and spring baseball seasons and 22 basketball seasons, so he has seen, and had to endure, every type of scenario possible in sports.
On Monday, that experience came in handy, as Blankenship had to utilize four pitchers, and his team overcame...

And the Tigers did against the Bulldogs, as well.

Risco freshman Camden Earnheart is hitting eighth for Blankenship, but he connected for a hit and a pair of RBI against South Pemiscot.

In the win at Bloomfield, Earnheart tallied a hit, an RBI, and a walk from the nine-hole while senior Kyle Albritton hit eighth and had a hit and an RBI.

Against the Wildcats, senior Memphis Hickerson had a hit and an RBI from the seventh spot, but Blankenship moved him up a notch in the order against South Pemiscot and Hickerson had a very solid outing (two hits, one run, one RBI, one walk, and one stolen base).

“Any time that you can get production from the bottom of the order,” Blankenship said, “that is a plus.”

Risco doesn’t lack experience.

Blankenship coached the program for 12 seasons before stepping away when he initially took the principal position at Risco Elementary School, but he returned four seasons ago.

“We have had to kind of start from scratch,” Blankenship said of the past four seasons.

However, between the fall, spring, and summer seasons, Blankenship said his players “have played over 100-plus games.”

“These guys have played a ton of baseball over the last three years,” Blankenship said.

Last fall, Risco baseball won half of its 24 games, which was the most in well over a decade for the program.

The tests don’t get any easier for the Tigers. Risco will host unbeaten Senath-Hornersville (3-0) today at 4:30 p.m.