Written by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Editor
Dexter, Missouri – Spring Sports Media Day was held this week with upcoming seasons for baseball, softball, track, golf and boys tennis for the Dexter Bearcats. With basketball season almost over, spring sports will begin next week.
Eleven players will be returning this year to play baseball. Members of the 2014 Dexter High School Baseball Team are Nick Noble, D.J. Dowdy, Nathan Sadler, Cody Neldon, Wyatt Kiger, Jason Mattison, Jacob Murdock, Austin Aldridge, Chandler Young, Riley Mason, Peyton Pollock, Ryan Mayo, Garrett Keathley, Alex Rudd, Dalton Manuel, Blake Horton, Jordan Wood, Tyler Heil, Jacob Pedigo, Randall Allen, Colton Averett, Jason Jarrell, Cody Pullum, and Hunter Parrott.
“We struggled at the plate quite a bit last year, but hopefully we can turn it around this year,” commented head baseball coach Brian Becker. “We have some good ball players coming back. D.J. Dowdy #15 has adjusted his swing and worked on his hitting. He kind of retooled his swing a bit too. His whole career he has been a grip the bat as tight as you can and see how hard you can swing type of guy, but this year I think we’ve talked him down a little. He knows in order to get on base he’s got to make contact with the ball. He will be behind the plate catching for us and has played all four years and I believe he is going to have a great season.”
Senior Nick Noble #4 is returning this year as pitcher. “Nick threw some for us last year and I look for him to do a good job for us,” Becker stated.
Another returning player is senior Cody Neldon. He sat out quite a bit last year with a knee injury. “Cody is the only kid that batted over .300 for us last year that is returning,” Coach Becker said. “I look for Cody to have a good year once he gets released from the doctor.”
Shown in the photo below are the 2014 Seniors: Nick Noble #4, D.J. Dowdy #15, Nathan Sadler #12, Cody Neldon #6, and Wyatt Kiger #21.
Dexter will face Poplar Bluff, Kennett, Sikeston, Notre Dame, Cape Central, New Madrid County Central, and Jackson in the SEMO Conference. “The SEMO Conference is going to be tough as usual,” commented Coach Becker. “I went to the SEMO Conference coaches meeting the other day and the talk around those coaches was this could be the best pitching staff top to bottom in the SEMO Conference that we have ever had.”
Dexter competed in their first baseball jamboree last Saturday at the Kennett High School. “It was a beautiful day for baseball and so far this spring there haven’t been very many of those type days,” Becker said. “It was great that our pitchers got to throw on a dirt mound and our players faced live pitching for the first time this season. Overall, I thought our approach at the plate was good.”
The Dexter Bearcats will face Class 4, District 1 competitors such as Fredericktown, Notre Dame, Sikeston, Perryville, and Kennett.
With the Lady ‘Cats Final Four appearance, the Dexter High School has cancelled the first game of the season for Friday evening against Doniphan; therefore Dexter will have their home opener against Malden on Tuesday, March 25th at 4 p.m.
Below is the 2014 Bearcat Baseball Varsity Schedule. We wish the baseball good luck in their season and we will see you on the field! Go Bearcats!
