Rowes enjoys family bonding at Henry – Shaw Local

Last spring, Ted Rowe was an assistant coach for the Henry-Senachwine baseball team when the Mallards finished second in the Class 1A state tournament.

He takes over as head coach this season and is enjoying that role while having his cousins ​​Carson and Preston Rowe on the roster.

“Having the opportunity to coach my two nephews has been a fun and unique dynamic this season,” Ted Rowe said. “I was fortunate to play baseball at the University of Illinois and then professionally in the Frontier League, and it was a joy to share the knowledge and experience I gained with my two nephews. In fact, it’s nice to see our relationships blossom off the field as well.”

Carson Rowe, a sophomore, started last season at shortstop, but this spring he has helped the Mallards fill some holes left by their graduation as the team’s catcher, No. 3 hitter and No. 2 pitcher.

He is hitting .448 with six doubles, 18 runs scored and 13 RBIs. On the mound, he is 4-2 with a 2.07 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 44 innings.

“He’s still working on his blocking technique behind the plate, but he’s been our best player at the plate and on the mound so far this year,” Ted Rowe said. “Carson is extremely efficient and has shown flashes of supreme control. Since Carson is only 15 years old, it will be exciting to see him in the years to come.”

Preston Rowe is hitting .299 with 14 runs and eight RBIs.

BROTHERS IN ARMS

St. Bede and Hall both have a pair of brothers who have made significant contributions on the mound this season.

For St. Bede, senior Seth Ferrari is 5-2, while sophomore brother Gino is 1-1. Seth Ferrari has a 2.88 ERA with 51 strikeouts in 34 innings, while Gino Ferrari has a 2.22 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 28 1/3 innings.

For Hall, senior Max Bryant is second in the area with an ERA of 0.98, while freshman Luke Bryant has an ERA of 2.05.

Max Bryant is 5-0 with 55 strikeouts in 28 2/3 innings, while Luke Bryant is 1-2 with 19 strikeouts in 13 2/3 innings.

( NewsTribune baseball rankings )

GO FOR EXTRA BASES

Jacob Gross of La Salle-Peru has shown some strength this spring.

He is hitting .364 (24-66), which ranks 10th in the area, and nearly half of his hits have gone for extra bases. He has six doubles, three triples and two home runs, all of which rank in the top three in the region.

Gross also ranks second in this area with 24 RBIs.

FINISH WHAT HE STARTS

Entering the season, Mendota coach Cody Zinke expected the pitching staff to be a force for the Trojans.

However, Mendota has been hit by injuries.

With Jace Baird and Braiden Freeman out, senior Izaiah Nanez has taken the mound.

Nanez has played five full games this spring, finishing every game he started, while also coming on in relief in a tie against Princeton.

Nanez is 4-2 with a 1.85 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 34 innings.

He also came through at the plate and played strong defense at shortstop when he wasn’t on the mound.

Over the past five games, Nanez is hitting .550 with five runs and five RBIs, including a walk-off hit against Princeton.

This season he is batting .500 with seven doubles, 10 RBIs and eight runs.

At short stop, Nanez has made only two errors.

“He has not only been our best player, but he is also our undisputed leader,” Zinke said. “Every guy on the team looks to Izaiah when we need someone to stick up for us, and he usually does that. He has the best attitude on the team, never bothers anyone when he makes a mistake, and always has his teammates’ backs. I can’t say enough good things about him. I’m just glad he’s on our team.”

VETERAN PRESENCE

Bureau Valley only brought back a handful of players from last year’s team, but those players have thrived as veterans on a young Storm roster.

Junior Elijah Endress is hitting an area-best .538 with 21 RBIs and 16 runs and has nine multi-hit games as catcher, third base and pitcher for the Storm.

“Elijah Endress has had a great year,” BV coach Ryan Schisler said.

Junior Bryce Helms is 3-0 with a career-best ERA of 0.93.

“Bryce Helms has stepped up with us in his second year to lead on the mound, throw deep in games and be extremely competitive every time.”

Sophomore Logan Philhower is hitting .340 with 17 RBIs and 11 runs and is on an eight-game hitting streak.

LEAD THE WAY

Jordan Heider leads Fieldcrest in most offensive categories and is also among the area leaders in several categories.

Heider is hitting .458 with two home runs, including a walk-off homer against Deer Creek-Mackinaw, and several doubles. He also leads the Knights with 15 points and is tied for second on the team with 10 RBIs.

Heider has also contributed on the mound, posting a 2.10 ERA in four relief appearances.