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Mules battling opponents, injuries through challenging fall season
One of the reasons for playing 20-some baseball games each fall for some of the smaller high schools throughout Missouri is to learn more about each team, and specifically, about each player’s ability and potential for the upcoming spring.
Veteran Bernie High School baseball coach Marcus Massey has achieved both through this fall, which has had its positive moments, as well as some challenging ones.
“I don’t want to say that we are underachieving,” Massey said of his team, “because I don’t know that we are with everything that has gone on.”
The Mules (9-5) topped Leopold 6-1 on Monday at Bernie and will visit South Pemiscot (1-7) today at 4:30 p.m.
Bernie’s season has been a rollercoaster of sorts, as Massey has had to deal with a run of injuries.
Senior catcher Cody Massey has a shoulder injury, which has allowed him to continue to take at-bats, at least.
Junior pitcher Leightin Hicks tweaked his back during a recent game against Twin Rivers and had to leave the game after working just one inning.
On Monday, the Mules were taking some morning batting practice and senior third baseman Taylor Stanfield took a bad hop off a grounder smack-dab in his face and now has to have reconstructive surgery in St. Louis.
“It has been one thing after another,” Massey said. “So, just being able to go out and compete (against Leopold) and get a win was good.”
If there is a positive to the lineup shuffling, it is that Massey has been able to see different players in more significant roles – or at least, different roles.
With Hicks and Stanfield, who may be the Mules’ top two arms, injured, it has provided an opportunity for players like junior Brayden Vaughn to flourish.
Vaughn moved to catcher with Massey’s injury, and he has also thrown at the varsity level for the first time.
Against the Wildcats (0-9), Vaughn hit a double and scored twice from his leadoff spot. He also closed the game on the mound with 1 1/3 innings of work in which he didn’t walk a batter, and he struck out three while giving up a pair of hits.
“Brayden has been throwing really good,” Massey said. “He's been a nice addition, definitely.”
Cody Massey had three hits in Monday’s win to go with his three RBI and one run scored while sophomore Cane Hobgood (one hit, two runs), senior Blake Nash (one double, three RBI), and senior Jonah Copeland (two hits, one run) also were productive.
Hobgood and senior Cayden Hunt each stole a base, as well.
Hobgood threw 5 2/3 innings in the start and gave up four hits, one earned run, walked one and struck out eight in earning the victory.
Leopold was paced offensively by junior Riley Engelen, who had a couple of hits while junior Preston Campbell (one hit), freshman Alexander Hampton (one hit, one run), senior Drew Engelen (one hit), senior Garrett Brown (one walk), and senior Joshua Horrell (one hit) also contributed.
Drew Engelen threw the entire six innings and allowed eight hits while walking none and striking out three.
Leopold is now finished for the fall season.