GRANGER — It would be hard to underplay the anticipation with which the Woodward-Granger baseball team enters the 2020 season.
The Hawks were 23-8 last summer and 16-6 in WCAC play. A total of 11 seniors return, including a pitching roster that would be the envy of any school, especially a smaller school.
Head coach Eric Evans knows this is the moment to make a serious push for a state tournament bid, if not aiming for a state title, though he is reticent to say so publicly.
“We like what we have coming back and we know we can take this a long way,” he said. “But we also remember that one bad inning can spoil everything, so no one is taking this as a ‘we are gonna do this’ type thing — we know we are going to have to earn it.”
“That is what I might like the most out of this team,” Evans added. “The guys are ready to have fun, but they are really set on cashing in this chance and are willing to work very hard to make it happen.”
Returning to the mound will be Alex Bice (5-1, 44-2/3 innings, 1.88 ERA), Brandon Worley (5-3, 39-2/3 IP, 2.12 ERA), Worth Henry (4-1, 33 IP, 3.39 ERA), Jay Dorenkamp (3-2, 28-1/3 IP, 2.72 ERA) and Caden Easter (3-0, 21-1/3 IP, 2.95 ERA). Bice had a 49-19 strikeout-walk total, with Worley (42k, 13bb), Easter (34-13), Henry (33-10) and Dorenkamp (22-16) all combining to make the staff a tough nut to crack.
Opposing batters hit just .149 off Bice and .198 off Easter, with Dorenkamp yielding an opposing average of .211, Henry of .222 and Worley of .224.
Tate Lettow will return behind the plate to handle the staff. W-G fanned 205 batters and walked only 88 last summer, yielding only 67 earned runs.
Shortstop Reese Jamison hit .458 with 44 hits and 30 RBIs to lead the offense, with second baseman Jack Grell batting .260 with 23 RBIs. Pacey Moats batted .300 and Henry .253 with 18 RBIs while Trevor Simmons hit .235 while driving in 16 runs.
Bryce Achenbach (.372, 32 hits, 19 RBI) returns in center field, with Moats in left and either Bice or Henry in right. Third base and first base will like be platooned and based on who has pitching duties.
W-G scored 228 runs on 233 hits last year, batting .292 as a team. A hallmark of Evans’ teams has been aggressive base running, and the Hawks were able to swipe 138 steals in 2019.
Achenbach was 24-of-26, Jamison 17-of-21 and Grell 16-of-19 on stolen base attempts, with both Moats and Henry 13-of-14 while Simmons was safe on all 20 of his tries at larceny.
The season begins Monday with a home date against AC/GC. W-G visits Panorama Tuesday and IKM-Manning Wednesday before hosting a varsity doubleheader against Van Meter Thursday. The Hawks will then play both Pella Christian and Ankeny Christian Academy at Hawk Field Saturday.
WOODWARD-GRANGER BASEBALL
6-15 AC/GC
6-16 @Panorama
6-17 @IKM-Manning
6-18 Van Meter (x2)
6-20 Pella Christian/Ankeny Christian Academy
6-22 WCV
6-23 @Martensdale-St.Marys
6-24 Madrid
6-26 South Tama County
6-29 Ogden
6-30 @Madrid
7-2 Des Moines Christian (x2)
7-3 @Earlham
7-6 CAM
7-7 @AC/GC
7-8 @Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont
7-9 Panorama
7-10 Chariton
