The Mount Gilead varsity baseball team finished 11-15 last season, but that record doesn’t tell an accurate story.
In May, the Indians lost eight straight to tough conference foes. The defeats to East Knox, Highland and Fredericktown were tight ones to teams that all advanced to regional playoffs.
Mount Gilead baseball coach Mark Kennon said, “Our kids showed up every game and battled. We only had two seniors last season, but they were both great leaders -- Owen Blanton (OF) and Zack Davidson (catcher).”
Kennon was proud that his team pulled a home game for the postseason tournament and won a sectional championship, beating Fairbanks 2 -1.
“It had been six seasons since our last sectional championship, and our goal is to improve on last season, compete for the KMAC title, win another sectional championship, and advance to districts,” said Kennon.
The Indians coach played locally at Utica High School and for Muskingum University and developed a coaching philosophy like that of many coaches: to work and drill on the fundamentals (fielding the ball, throwing strikes on the mound and putting the ball in play and making the defense field it).
The Indians’ baseball program has positive history in terms of records, championships and stellar players. Their last big season was in 2013-2014, when they went 17-8 and 6-2 in conference. Kennon said he tells his players that as a team, they want to represent MG and all alumni baseball players.
“We want them to be proud of the product we put on the field when we compete. For my history, I would like kids later in life to look at me as a positive role model for them as a person and someone who loves the game of baseball,” said Kennon.
For the 2022 season, Kennon said, he is counting on the players with varsity experience, which he sees as a strength.
“We return all our pitchers from last year led by starters Carter Kennon (junior) and seniors, Carson VanHoose, Tyler McKinney and Cade Smith," he said. "I am also looking for senior Paul Butterman, and juniors Ben Whitt, Graham Sherbourne and Jonny Martinez, all to pitch good innings as well.”
Kennon also sees a strength behind the plate, where junior Nick Garvey will take over catching responsibilities, replacing the graduated Davidson.
In terms of weaknesses, Kennon said, “We need to eliminate the big innings from last season. We would play great every game, but in one inning we would have two to three costly errors which hurt us.”
The Indians will play this season with two rallying slogans. The team motto for the season is “Why not us?”
Kennon said, “The motto is basically stating to the kids that we can do it just like anyone else can. Our secondary motto is an attitude: ‘Next play up.’ That means that sometimes the kids make an error or have a bad at bat. The saying is to let them know that one little mistake in the game can’t affect your performance the rest of the game so get ready for the next play and forget it.”
