It remains to be seen how much of spring sports will be played due to coronavirus concerns, but life is normal at least for now in the Volunteer State.
That is good news for three Northeast Tennessee baseball teams who have begun their seasons, with hopes of playing to the very end.
Few area teams had a better 2019 than Tennessee High, which finished 27-12, falling to perennial power Farragut one step from the Class AAA tournament.
The Vikings lost eight seniors off that game, but there is still talent remaining.
Sullivan East finished with a 16-12 record with hopes for more success in the weeks to come. Sullivan Central (3-19) struggled last season, but have started strong in 2020.
Here is a brief look at each of the programs.
TENNESSEE HIGH
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Graduation hit the Vikings hard, with eight seniors moving on, including Gavin Cross – who was contributing at Virginia Tech before the season was canceled – and Davis Hall, who is playing at King.
“Last year’s team had lofty expectations, not just from themselves, but anyone who knew high school baseball in our area,” said Preston Roberts, who had compiled a 128-76 record entering his seventh season with the Vikings. “We had a talented senior group that had a lot of varsity experience. They didn’t disappoint.”
Not all is lost for the Vikings, who do have building blocks, led by junior infielder Bryce Snyder (.317, 27 RBI, 3 2B, 2 3B) and outfield classmate Cole Presson (.278, 33 RBI, 28 runs, 4 2B, 4 3B, 2 HR), who also posted a 2-2 record with a 3.23 ERA with 35 strikeouts in 39 innings on the mound.
“This year’s team will still be talented, but will be young and inexperienced,” said Roberts, whose Vikings finished 7-5 in the Big 7 Conference last season, falling to Science Hill in the Region 1AAA title game. “We talk in the clubhouse often about how everyone expects us to be down this year and it’s a rebuild. That is sort of our motivation going into the season.”
Roberts does like his mound corps, including not just Presson, but senior Zach Anderson (5-2, 3.50, 45 Ks in 42 innings), junior Mason Johns (3-4, 3.64, 23 Ks in 33 innings) and senior Lance Tudor (2-0, 2.80 ERA, 15 innings) also have experience for the Vikings. Roberts also expects contributions from Snyder, Greeneville transfer CJ Henley, Logan Quales and Brayden Blevins.
Snyder and Henley will share duties in the middle infield at second and shortstop. Daniel Hicks (.235, 7 runs, 5 RBI) is slated for first base, while Blevins and Johns are competing at third base.
When not on the mound, Presson could be joined in the outfield by Tudor (14 runs) and Reece Proffitt (.313, 2 2B), along with Nick Graninger, Gregory Harris, Jerrick Juarez and Andrew Dingus, who is one of three freshmen for the Vikings, along with Evan Mutter and Garrett Embree.
Harris, Graninger and Embree are competing for the catcher position. Austin Mann is a candidate for the designated hitter role.
In addition to pitching, Roberts like his infield defense, base running and a strong nucleus of hitters. Experience will be the issue, at least early for the Vikings.
“The goal is to gain experience quickly early in the season and build off that peak at the right time,” said Roberts, who sees Science Hill as the favorite in the Big 7, followed by Daniel Boone and Dobyns-Bennett, “and make a run at the tournament like we have in the past several seasons.”
Tennessee High has its usual rugged Big 7 slate, along with a pair of games with crosstown neighbor Virginia High. Lebanon, George Wythe and Gate City are also on the schedule.
SULLIVAN EAST
Mike Breuninger has accumulated 250 wins entering his 16th season in Bluff City, and should be able to add to that total in the year ahead.
The Patriots, who were 16-14 last season, including an 8-4 mark in the Three Rivers Conference, losing the battery duo of pitcher Brantley Ellis and catcher Ethan Terry to graduation.
Returning are a trio of talented sluggers, led by seniors Perry Casaday (.420) and Dylan White (.429), along with sophomore Dylan Barkley, a basketball standout, who batted .404 last season.
In addition, senior Seth Chafin batted .340 and will get some innings on the mound, along with senior Alex Hawk, junior Luke Hale and Bartley, a definite strength for the Patriots.
Joining the infield, with Casaday at shortstop and Bartley at third is freshman first baseman Corbin Dickenson and either Chafin or senior Isaac Harlow at second base. Sophomore Justice Dillard is projected as the catcher for the Patriots.
White will be accompanied in the outfield by Hale and the sophomore duo of Luke Hare and Hunter Brown. Jett Jones and Austin Sampson could also get some playing time.
“The guys have worked hard and are ready for the season to start,” said Breuninger, who expects Elizabethton to be the team to beat in the Three Rivers Conference, followed by Sullivan South and Unicoi County. “If our inexperienced players get better and we stay healthy, we should be very competitive.”
SULLIVAN CENTRAL
Pitching could be a strength for the Cougars, who are looking to improve on last year’s 3-19 campaign, which included a 1-11 mark in the Three Rivers Conference.
Five seniors comprise the pitching staff, including Trey Sells, Ethan Bombailey, Zac Winstead, Isaac Hood and Mason Buckland.
“Pitching will be our strength most likely,” said sixth-year head coach Clay Colley. “[We are] not necessarily overpowering, but [we have] depth that we have not had in a long time. We have guys in every class that can work around the plate consistently and that is a big key to our success.”
The lineup is mostly upperclassmen, including seniors Jacob Fields (1b), Hood (SS) and Bombailey (3B), along with the junior duo of Connor Wilson and Nathaniel Mullins at second base.
Buckland, Sells and Winstead will man the outfield positions, while junior Preston Staubus and Wilson can play just about anywhere on the field.
“[They] will start somewhere different every night, possibly,” Colley said. “Both are true utility players that will see a ton of playing time at as many as three or four different spots.”
Sophomore Logan Bowers is the youngster at catcher. Junior Jaydon Minnick could also see time behind the plate. Other promising underclassmen looking for innings include sophomores Clay Wampler, Hunter Stanley and Kirk Dunford, along with freshman Carson Tate.
Among the seniors that must be replaced are Kaden Lawson, Kaden Grayer and Ross Beverly.
Stay healthy and these Cougars could begin to growl.
“Last year we battled injuries all season and it showed up early and often,” said Colley, who picks Elizabethton to finish ahead of Sullivan East and Sullivan South in the Three Rivers Conference. “We have already battled sickness and injury this offseason as well.
“If we can stay healthy and maintain the depth that we have built at every position, then we will have an opportunity to be really successful this season.