Warren East and Russell County will be looking to return to the region finale with Bowling Green on their heels
Sporting Times Preseason Top 10
- Warren East Raiders
Outlook: After falling one game short a season ago, the Raiders are primed to contend for their first 4th Region championship since 2011. Coach Wes Sanford’s club returns its top seven hitters (in terms of total hits) and nine of its top ten pitchers (in terms of total innings pitched). Senior Braylen Lee returns after batting .392 with 38 hits and 26 RBI a season ago. The Raiders travel to state champion St. Xavier on March 18 to kick off their 2023 campaign.
- Russell County Lakers
Outlook: Russell County nearly won the state title in 2022, falling just short of the state championship as it lost to St. Xavier in the finale. Although four of the Lakers top hitters graduated, they still bring back sophomore Mayes Gosser and junior Trace Stringer. Gosser batted .377 a season ago, while Stringer logged 34 hits (third on the team) and 22 runs batted in.
- Bowling Green Purples
Outlook: Bowling Green lost its top six hitters from a season ago; however, the Purples expect to contend in the 14th District and 4th Region in 2023. Rend Lake College signee Dom Davis returns after only playing in eleven games a season ago. The senior slugger batted .517 in limited action, knocking in 14 RBI. Dillon Maners will likely be the club’s ace after starting eight games in 2022, pitching 43.2 innings and a 2.56 ERA.
- Logan County Cougars
Outlook: Logan County won its first 13th District championship since 2018 and the Cougars will be looking for more when they start their 2023 campaign next week. Coach Ethan Meguiar’s club returns its top two hitters in Chance Sweeney and Davin Yates. Sweeney batted .364 with 44 hits. while Yates hit .358, 12 doubles, and knocked in 28 RBI. Sweeney also pitched a team-high 57.1 innings in 2022, posting a 3.05 ERA.
- Todd County Central Rebels
Outlook: First-year coach Jim Daigle will look to lead a senior-laden squad that returns five of its top six hitters from a season ago. Senior Preston Rager hit .403 in 2022, scoring 44 times, and drawing a walk a team-best 45 times. He also started seven games on the mound and compiled an ERA of 3.35. Fellow senior Jase Hampton started eight times and struck out a team-best 58 batters while holding an ERA of 2.67.
- Greenwood Gators
Outlook: Greenwood will look to its pitching depth as the Gators look to reach the 4th Region Tournament for the first time since 2017. Although Jason Jaggers’ club graduated ace Caden Whittle, they will return their remaining top four pitchers. Blake Marks and James Russell each started seven games in 2022, posting sub-3.00 ERAs and striking out a combined 55 batters. Sophomore shortstop Zachary Davis returns to the lineup after batting .365 with 26 RBI a season ago.
- Glasgow Scotties
Outlook: The reigning 15th District champions will have to make way for region favorite Warren East in the newly-configured 15th; however, Sam Royse’s club will not be short on experience. Junior Zachary Poore batted .346 in 2022 and hit a team-best 13 doubles. He also held a 2.86 ERA with 30 strikeouts over nine appearances on the mound. Fellow lefty Mason Bass went 4-2 in seven starts and struck out 39 a season ago.
- South Warren Spartans
Outlook: The senior trio of Tucker Bishop, Eli Capps, and Dalton Sisson will look to end South Warren’s three-year absence in the 4th Region Tournament. Capps batted .362 with nine doubles, while Bishop hit .328 with 17 RBI. Sisson finished the season with a .319 batting average and cranked out 30 hits. Capps and Sisson each made 12 appearances on the mound, posting sub 4.00 ERAs and a combined 42 strikeouts.
- Franklin-Simpson Wildcats
Outlook: Although the Wildcats are replacing their top seven hitters from a season ago, the expectation will still be to make it out of the 13th District for a tenth-consecutive season. A lot of that hope rides on junior Brevin Scott. Scott went 8-0 on the mound, posting a 2.70 ERA and striking out 31 batters in 33.2 innings. With zero seniors and eleven juniors on the roster, Matthew Wilhite’s team looks for new starts to shine for Franklin-Simpson
- Clinton County
Outlook: Clinton County reached the region semifinals a season ago and returns two of its top hitters in Walker Casada and Caleb Thrasher. Casada batted .373 with a team-high 31 hits, 29 RBI, and ten doubles. Thrasher hit .300 with a team-high 23 walks. The incoming freshman also made twelve appearances on the mound, striking out 48 batters and posting an ERA of 2.54.
Next Team Up: Barren County
