Staff writer
Five Marion High School baseball players last week were named to Heart of America League teams, as were two MHS softball players.
Junior Cole Lewman was named as a first-team outfielder. Lewman played every outfield position during the year but primarily patrolled center and left fields. He was also prone to making diving catches on sinking line drives.
However, Lewman’s offensive production led to his first-team selection. The junior led the Warriors in batting average at .362. He compiled 22 RBIs and 21 runs. Lewman also had an on-base percentage of .418.
Ethan Hett, Grif Case, and Dylan Seacat were named as second-team players.
As a sophomore, Hett established himself as the Warriors top pitcher. Hett went 5-3 on the season in nine appearances, recording two complete-game shutouts. He had a team-best 38 strikeouts and an earned run average of 4.51. In the first round of regionals, Hett pitched a four-inning no hitter against Minneapolis.
“We always knew what we were going to get when Ethan was on the mound,” coach Roger Schroeder said.
Case was the only Warrior pitcher, with more than two innings pitched, who bested Hett in ERA, 3.05. The freshman went 2-3 on the season with a save in nine appearances. He also recorded 34 strikeouts. In his first start of his varsity career, Case threw a complete game shutout against Bennington.
Sophomore Dylan Seacat played both second base and shortstop for the Warriors. Seacat hit .242 with 14 runs and eight RBIs. He posted an on-base percentage of .329.
“Dylan was a catalyst for us at the top of the lineup,” Schroeder said. “He played excellent defense at both middle infield spots for us.”
Senior catcher Matt Sprowls was named as an honorable mention. Although he split time with freshman Caleb Williams early in the season, Sprowls was behind the plate in the games that mattered most to the Warriors. Sprowls hit .350 with 13 runs and 11 RBIs. Sprowls also led the Warriors in on-base percentage at .435.
“Matt was the leader for our team from behind the plate,” Schroeder said. “His experience and knowledge of the game was a big reason for our success this season.”
Junior MHS softball player Annie Whitaker was named to the Heart of America League second team.
Although she started the season at third base, Whitaker played most often in left field. She was one of the Warriors top hitters; at one point, early in April, she hit 4-for-6 with five RBIs in games against Canton-Galva and Ellinwood.
Senior Raelene Allen was named as an honorable mention. She hit cleanup for the Warriors and consistently held a high batting average. She was Marion’s top starting pitcher.