Panther baseball looks to take next step

MT. PLEASANT - The 2019 Mt. Pleasant team wasn't supposed to compete for a Southeast Conference title. The Panthers shocked the league last season, going 21-11 overall and 21-4 in the SEC, splitting the conference title with Fairfield. Mt. Pleasant was eliminated two games before state, falling to Fairfield in the district championship.

The Panthers set themselves up to be one of the conference favorites in 2020 with a big returning group. Mt. Pleasant brings back all but three players from last season's team, including the top five hitters on the team.

Chase Williamson is the leading returning hitter by average. He hit .342 with a double and 11 RBIs. Williamson was on base more than not, finishing with a .505 on base percentage. Clayton Lowery hit .333 last season and led the team with 12 doubles and 26 RBIs. Lowery also slugged an incredible .477.

Nik Coble returns after having a solid year at the plate last season. He hit .327 with seven doubles and 24 RBIs, and also led the team with 22 walks. Leadoff man Corbin Broeker hit .284 with one double and 20 RBIs, and Jaxon Hoyle hit .269 with four doubles and 12 RBIs.

Mt. Pleasant also brings back Dalton Gardner and Brennan Bender, who started over 30 games each last season, and Will Edeker, who played in 15 games.

On the mound, Mt. Pleasant returns two of its top pitchers from last season. Coble finished the year with a 2.46 ERA and 41 strikeouts, and Hoyle sported a 3.00 ERA with 48 strikeouts. Hoyle also had eight wins on the ear, which led the league. Clayton Lowery also will return after a 4.38 ERA and 26 strikeouts.

'Our strengths will be that seven of the nine positions will be returning kids who played there last year,” says head coach Brent Broeker. 'Our pitching should be strong with three of our starters being seniors.”

Mt. Pleasant will also get an added boost from former players returning. Senior Rylan Seberg and junior Jack Johnson, who formerly played baseball but took some time off, are back in the maroon and gold this season and ready to make a difference.

The Panthers will have plenty of competition this season. Fairfield and Washington both won over 20 games last year, and the Demons bring back a large amount of their group. Burlington should shake up the conference as well. Mt. Pleasant split its first doubleheader of the season, against Ft. Madison.

'I would say Burlington is probably the favorite, but Washington and Mt. Pleasant should give them some battles,” Coach Broeker says. 'We just need to wint he games we are supposed to, and hopefully get some help from some other teams when it comes down to the end of the conference race.”