With California in its sights, Carmichaels hopes to reach new heights
Observer-Reporter
Carmichaels’ coach Richard Krause, right, would cut down the number of playoff teams and make sure teams play an equal amount of section games.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter Waynesburg’s Jacob Phillips steals 3rd base as Carmichaels’ Jake Wamsley is late with the tag during a game at Consol Energy Park. Thursday, March 31, 2016.
Carmichaels catcher Colin Reynolds attempts to tag Waynesburg’s Hunter Robinson Thursday.
For the last seven years, the Carmichaels High School baseball team has been looking up.
At California, that is.
The Mikes have been in the same section as the Trojans since 2011, and the Mikes have finished first only once. In every other season, California has either won outright or tied for the section title. Since 2011, the Trojans own a 132-24 overall record and a 73-5 section record, including four undefeated section seasons.
Even in 2013, when Carmichaels edged California by one game for the then-Section 1-A title, the Trojans made it back to the WPIAL and PIAA semifinals, while the Mikes lost in the WPIAL quarterfinals.
The goal this season, according to Carmichaels head coach Richard Krause, is for the Mikes to try and “catch up” with the Trojans.
“The last few years we’ve been a playoff team,” Krause said. “We’ve finished second or third in the section every year. But we’ve never been able to climb that hill and catch California.”
Catching California, Krause said, likely isn’t a one-year goal. It’s a multi-year process, and he hopes this season can be the start.
“I don’t know if it’s even possible this year,” Krause said. “They are the heavy favorite to win the section again. I don’t know if catching them is the goal this season, but we have to find a way to close the gap with California.”
Last season, the Mikes went 14-5 overall and 11-3 in Section 1-AA. The Mikes had a mix of veteran players like first baseman Joel Spishock and left fielder Cody Brown and youngsters such as second baseman Dylan Wilson and starting pitchers Matthew Barrish and Logan Mayhle.
“We went into last year having lost eight senior baseball players, all of whom played a lot or started,” Krause said. “We didn’t know what to anticipate going in. We were looking for a .500 or better season, but after a week of practice, I turned to my assistants and said we’d be lucky to win three games. We ended up the year 14-5. I was very pleasantly surprised with last year.”
The Mikes graduated Spishock, Brown, catcher Hunter Phillips and shortstop Liam Shea, with the biggest loss being Spishock. As a senior, Spishock slashed .473/.618/.836 for a ridiculous 1.454 OPS with four home runs and 28 RBI in 19 games. As a freshman at junior college Potomac State, Spishock has 34 plate appearances in 11 games.
“Spishock was our best hitter. We’re not going to replace that bat the very next year,” Krause said. “Our goal is to be better one through nine. … I think we can be a better one through nine lineup than we were last year.”
To help replace Spishock’s offensive output will be Wilson, senior third baseman Nathan Broadwater, Barrish and senior outfielder/first baseman Nick Mundell, who missed last season because of a knee injury. Last season, Wilson had a .493 on-base percentage with 19 stolen bases, Barrish accumulated 24 walks in 19 games and Broadwater hit .300 with 20 RBI. As a sophomore, Mundell was the Mikes’ No. 5 hitter, and Krause expects him to step back into his role in the middle of the order.
Krause said his pitching staff will continue to be young, though he expects the group’s experiences last season to be beneficial. Last season, underclassmen threw 88 percent of the Mikes’ innings.
“You know what comes with youth is mistakes,” Krause said. “I think there are days where our pitching looks really good and then there are days where we don’t pitch very well and we have to hit our way out of our problems.”
Leading the pitching staff will be the left-hander Barrish, who had a 3.18 ERA last season with 35 strikeouts in 39 2/3 innings.
“He saw some of the better teams we played,” Krause said. “He looks really good so far; we’re really optimistic about what he can do for us. He’s not a hard thrower, but he’s a very smart pitcher.”
Krause said Mayhle, who won five games last year as a freshman, Brad Ruse, Wilson and Mundell will all see time on the mound this season.
Headlining the team’s newcomers is Gavin Pratt, who Krause said will likely be the team’s starting shortstop and contribute to the pitching staff.
Carmichaels started its season Monday with a 7-0 loss to Brownsville, and the Mikes are back on the diamond Tuesday at Bentworth.
With a young team and with the goal of catching up to California, Krause said staying focused is vital.
“I think if we are focused, we’re going to have a nice year,” he said. “We’re not talented enough to be able to throw the balls and the bats on the field and think we’re going to beat anybody by just showing up.”