13th and 14th District Baseball Check-In
By Perry Swack
With district play heating up, we swing around the 4th Region and take a look at each baseball district and where it stands after the first round of games last week. Districts have adopted a home-and-home round robin schedule for the regular season. Most inter-district affairs are played on consecutive weeknights with each team hosting. A weekly schedule is listed below, in addition to the district standings. Today we look at the 13th and 14th District.
13th District Standings
Franklin-Simpson 2-0
Logan County 0-0
Todd County Central 0-2
Upcoming Schedule
Monday at 5:30 – Franklin-Simpson @ Logan County
Tuesday at 5:30 – Logan County @ Franklin-Simpson
Overview
The most important games of the 13th District season are being played this week as the Wildcats and Cougars take the field on Monday and Tuesday. The two programs have combined to win the last twelve district titles and have faced each other in the district championship every season dating back to 2013. At the plate, Franklin is led by junior Layne Alford, who is batting .419 and has drawn a team-high 19 walks. Senior Brevin Scott is having an outstanding season, batting .333 with a team-high 19 hits, 19 RBI, and is 3-1 on the mound with a 2.13 ERA in 26.1 innings to date.
Hungry to avenge their district championship loss to Franklin-Simpson, Logan County is led by longtime star Davin Yates. The senior has been terrorizing opposing pitchers since 2021 and is having another banner year. Yates is hitting .329 and leads the team in batting average, hits (23), RBI (21), doubles (6), and home runs (3). The Cougars’ success this week will likely be in tandem with Yates having a big day at the plate.
Although off this week in district play, four Todd County Central players are batting better than .333 on the season. Senior Zack Robinson leads the team with a .364 average and ten RBI, while junior Devin Schutt is hitting .348 with 16 hits, 12 runs, and three doubles. The Rebels are a perfect 51-for-51 on stolen base attempts in 2024.
14th District Standings
South Warren 2-0
Bowling Green 1-1
Greenwood 1-1
Warren Central 0-2
Upcoming Schedule
Monday at 6:00 – South Warren @ Bowling Green
Monday at 6:00 – Warren Central @ Greenwood
Tuesday at 6:00 – Bowling Green @ South Warren
Tuesday at 6:00 – Greenwood at Warren Central
Overview
Bowling Green and South Warren will take to the diamond this week in what is a rematch of last season’s 14th District and 4th Region Tournament. The Purples defeated the Spartans in the district finale, before being upended by South in the region title game. BG has been on a tear to start 2024, as their 19-2 record will showcase. Junior Evan Schallert is having a breakout season in the leadoff spot, batting .423 with 26 runs, 22 hits, and 16 stolen bases through the season’s opening month. Sophomore Drew Isenberg has been “lights out” on the mound, amassing a 6-0 record in six starts with 29 strikeouts and a 0.49 ERA on the season.
To date, South Warren has had its fair share of ups and downs. The Spartans won seven of their first eight games, before dropping eight of their next ten. Chris Gage’s club has won three of four now and hope to continue the trend against their crosstown rivals. There are few hitters in the state who have been as hot as Ethan Reynolds. The junior is batting a whopping .491 and leads the team in nearly every batting category with 23 runs, 28 hits, 29 RBI, nine doubles, and five home runs. Fellow junior Mikey Coradini is 5-1 on the mound with 21 strikeouts and a 1.40 ERA in six starts for the Spartans.
The Gators and Dragons will battle across town, as each team looks to build some momentum heading into next week’s final round of district games. Greenwood junior Zachary Davis is batting .368 with 25 hits, 18 runs, and 12 RBI. Senior James Russell is 4-0 with a 2.13 ERA and has struck out 21 batters in nine appearances (two starts). Senior infielder Drake Bowers leads the team with a .412 batting average. Warren Central has dropped seven games in a row entering the week; however, the Dragons hope to find success against the Gators. Seniors Blake Akin and Jacob Bealmear lead the team in batting average, hits, runs, and are a combined 30-for-30 on stolen base attempts this season.
