Pryor looks to 13 returning lettermen as Beth-Center’s lucky number
FREDERICKTOWN – Many people consider “13” an unlucky number, but in a baseball sense Frank Pryor isn’t going to be the least bit superstitious. He’s downright happy to have this “13” around him.
For that is how many lettermen the long-time Beth-Center baseball coach has on his returning roster, as he gets them ready for a demanding Section 1-AA schedule.
Pryor noted, “We finished 2-14 a year ago, and we lost only one senior from that team, Barry Niemiec, now at Waynesburg. We have a good group of players returning, and I hope that last year will be a good incentive for them. Most of all, I hope the year will have been of some benefit to our pitchers.
“I told the pitchers they have to throw strikes, and the others will have to play good defense in back of them. We have been stressing to the pitchers that they work on throwing to spots, rather than try to burn the ball past the opposing batters and then let the defense take over.”
Pryor is starting his 21st year in coaching and his 15th as head coach at Beth-Center. He also coached five years at West Virginia University, where he played, and was an assistant one year at B-C before being named head coach. He has only one assistant, Craig Kordich, who played scholastically at Frazier and is in his second year of coaching.
As a start toward building this year’s edition, the coaches welcomed back senior lettermen Matt Babko (1B-P), Bobby Yanak (SS), Ryan King (OF), Jarred Stepp (OF-3B), D.J. Nakutis (P), Kevin Kunkle (DH-1B), Mark Nesto (2B), Joe Ladisic (C) and juniors Tom Chisler, Ben Whitten and Drew Frost (OF), Matt Falcone (P-OF-2B) and Justin Huey (P).
Completing the roster are:
Juniors – Jeremiah Bell (OF).
Sophomore – Tristian Pinkney (C).
Freshmen – Garret Balas (3B-P), David Corazzi (2B), Bobby Plutch and Mike Williams (3B), Bryan McKee (OF), Jarrett Orlandi (1B) and Jason White (P-SS).
Like other schools around here, B-C has also been plagued by wet weather but did manage to get in one game before the Easter break. Huey was the winning pitcher and Pinkney backed him with a pair of home runs in an 11-3 win over Mapletown.
Pryor said, “Our pitching is average for high school. They gave up only two walks in that win, and our defense was solid. One pitcher had five assists, and our second baseman had six. The outfield had only two putouts all day.
“Our infield is solid at first and second base. We have a senior at short and a freshman at third, plus three seniors in the outfield. Sophomore Pinkney is a good prospect at catcher, and right now, he and Laidisic are having a good battle for the starting spot.”
A good note for the future is that Pryor has seven freshmen among his prospects.
He added, “They are a good group that will be learning the game as they go along, and some of them will get playing time this year.”
The section race shapes up as a real battle, and “Washington should be strong again with their returning players, McGuffey has some good returnees and Brownsville always has a solid program. After Washington, it should be a real scramble for the other positions.
“Our own hopes rest with our pitchers throwing strikes, not giving up many walks and our playing fundamental baseball all around. If we don’t do that, then we could repeat last year.”
The Bulldogs have five home games scheduled under the lights at the Fredericktown Field, and on Tuesday, May 7 they will be play Peters Township in a night game at the West Virginia University Field, where their coach played and coached.
Looking ahead, Pryor added, “We have been stressing fundamentals, defense, just basic baseball, and at the same time I hope to be able to teach them to become men as well as players.”
That former objective won’t be hard to do. All the players have to do is follow the example of the guy coaching them.