Very young Advance BB shows 'potential' in fall for solid 2025

Then-Advance High School sophomore hitter Lelind Kennedy swings at a pitch in a game against Bernie last spring at Bernie High School.

Tom Davis ~ Tdavis@semoball.com

After taking a step back during the spring season earlier this year, the Advance High School baseball program wanted to show signs of hope during its 14-game fall schedule, and it did according to Hornet coach Neil Johnson.

“This was their chance to really focus and see what they were made of,” Johnson said recently.

The Hornets won six of their 14 games this fall, and that included four losses by one run each and a fifth loss by just two runs. Compare that to just three victories in the fall of 2023 and a 4-15 mark last spring, and there is an air of positivity surrounding Advance baseball.

“We had a lot of sophomores,” Johnson said of his young roster, “and a couple of freshmen that started.”

Advance only had one senior (Colbey Roper), who played first base and left field, to go with a couple of juniors (Jameson Hamlin (pitcher, catcher, shortstop) and Lelind Kennedy (center field).

Johnson utilized sophomores Kadon Rodgers (pitcher, third base, shortstop), Cole Curtis (pitcher, catcher), Braxton Kennedy (first base, third base), and Drew Welch (second base), and freshmen Karson Bess (pitcher, second base, third base, right field), Cash Westbrook (left field, right field, second base), Dominic Robertson (left field) and Shea Bird (right field, designated hitter).

Johnson not only looked at young players in various positions on the field, but he also gave innings on the mound to several arms to see who he could rely on.

Curtis, Bess, Hamlin, Rodgers, and Braxton Kennedy threw a lot of pitches this fall and fared well at times, according to their coach.

“I tell the boys that if they come in and work hard,” Johnson said, “then they can compete with anybody.”

Curtis threw a gem of a game in a 5-1 win over Neelyville late in the season while Kennedy closed that game with a couple of shutout innings in relief.

Bess threw a complete game shutout against Leopold while Rodgers didn’t allow an earned run in four-plus innings in a one-run loss to Meadow Heights.

Hamlin struck out eight in a win over Puxico late in the fall, as well.

“We pitched it well,” Johnson said. “We showed some potential (offensively). We just have to make sure we play a full game.”

The Hornets will open the spring season on March 21 vs. Risco in Advance.