The William Byrd baseball team is scheduled to open this week, and as of
press time opening day will be Friday at Cave Spring.
The Terriers have already seen some changes to their schedule. They were
slated to open at home with Craig County on Wednesday, but Craig officials
called and cancelled that game without giving a reason. The Rockets did play
Glenvar on Monday of this week and lost 10-0 by slaughter rule, so that likely
wiped out a sure win for the Terriers.
With the Craig game eliminated the new opener is Friday at Cave Spring.
However, several Byrd events were moved from Friday to Thursday with
anticipation of poor weather. The baseball game at Cave Spring was still on for
Friday at press time but that could change.
“I really didn’t want to open with Cave Spring,” said Byrd coach Jason
Taylor. “We’ve had to find two more games. We added a third game for our trip
to Tennessee but we’re still looking for one more.”
Whenever the Terriers play, they should be pretty good. They lost just two
starters from last year’s 12-11 team, catcher James Purcell and centerfielder Evan
Mullen, and Taylor has the entire pitching staff back. And, the 12-11 record is
somewhat deceiving.
“We lost seven games by one run and didn’t win any by a run,” said
Taylor. “If we turn around three or four of those games we would have had 15 or
16 wins.”
Jason is hoping the Terriers do just that this season with a strong pitching
staff. Seniors Blake Glover, Cooper Minnix and Brenin Witcher and junior
Brogan Dent all return to give the Terriers quality depth and balance. Glover and
Witcher are righthanders and Dent and Minnix are portsiders.
“If they throw strikes we should be pretty solid on the mound,” said
Taylor.
Senior Keller Spraker, juniors Hunter Obenchain and Torin Bundy and
sophomores Cannin Lutz and Kylind Spence are also available to pitch.
Byrd graduated slugging Purcell behind the plate and senior Noah
Thompson will inherit the tools of ignorance. Noah has excellent speed and he
can also play the outfield, and in that case sophomore Joshua Vaughan would
catch.
Glover or Dent will play first when the other is pitching, and if neither are
pitching the one with the hotter bat will play. Israel Hairston will be at second and
Jerrett Shepherd and Hayden Eads can also play there. Ian Burnett moves from
second to short and All-Region Spraker returns to play third. Eads can play any of
the infield or outfield positions.
Junior Kam McKee moves from short to centerfield to replace Mullen and
anchor the outfield. Others vying for time at the corners include Bundy, Minnix,
Witcher and Eads. Juniors Obenchain, Landon Haithcock, Logan Beavers and
Conner Amos are all up from the jayvee team and looking to crack the lineup.
It should be a good team and an exciting season at Walthall Park. Like last
year, every game will count as Byrd looks to play in the region and beyond.
“We’ll be better,” said Taylor. “We have a plan, and the way the region is
set up every game will be important whether it’s a district game or not.”
