The Northmor Golden Knights are coming off an 18-9 season where they went 6-6 in KMAC play, and while the team has a duo of top-tier pitchers, the team will have the daunting task of replacing a standout shortstop and a group of key seniors this season.
“Our biggest challenge will be replacing eight seniors that played every day and our All-Ohio shortstop Max Lower (injury - out for year),” said Coach Buck Workman. “We will be young and have our share of ups and downs.”
He says his mantra is to do what is best for the team on a year-to-year basis based on who they have. While this season there are some worries due to injuries and depth, there are several players on his mind who could make a major difference as long as they stay healthy.
This year, he is counting on Grant Bentley (All-KMAC First Team) and Drew Hammond (All-KMAC Second Team) to anchor the pitching staff. Bentley and Hammond were stars on the basketball team that went deep in the playoffs, and while Workman said he waited for them to finish up, he noted that this isn’t a bad thing. They are a pair of competitors who can keep the Golden Knights in games. The two juniors have been on the team since their freshman year and have excelled on the diamond, looking to do big things this season.
Last year, Hammond led the staff with a 6-2 record and 48 strikeouts and Bentley went 5-3 with 55 strikeouts. Bentley was third in the conference in strikeouts and Hammond’s six wins were second in KMAC. Offensively, Bentley batted .456 and had four doubles, one triple and a .561 slugging percentage to go with 27 RBIs, which were good for fifth in KMAC.
Losing Lower will be a major task to overcome, however. He was fourth in the league in batting average and home runs with a .494 average and three homers. He was second in slugging percentage at .679 and also hit a triple.
The Golden Knights have a couple of seniors that they will lean on for leadership and the team will also rely on offense from Bohdi Workman and Cooper Thomas. There are also several freshmen, along with some sophomores and juniors, who will be competing for spots.
Coach Buck Workman is a graduate from Shelby in the class of 1989, and he coached freshman baseball there in 1991. He also coached junior varsity baseball at Galion from 1999 to 2000 before coming to Northmor in 2001. During his time, he has coached college baseball players Wyatt Reeder, a left fielder at Muskingum, and Preston Harbolt, a first baseman at Shawnee State. He said he feels that there are some players on his current squad that could play at various levels as well.
“We're looking for our guys to make their own history, whatever that may be,” Workman said. “The stories you still hear from ex-players are phenomenal and usually an obscure moment you wouldn't expect. We're just looking to compete on a nightly basis and give ourselves a chance to win. The goal is always to be better at the end of the year. We've dropped to D4 this year, so that will be a different experience.”
Northmor starts off their season at home on Saturday, March 25 against Mansfield Senior with first pitch at 11 a.m. They have their first KMAC play at home against Centerburg on Wednesday, March 29 at 5:15 p.m.
