By Joanna Chadwick
Experience is a factor in any sport, and Campus baseball has seen the results.
“What sets this team apart from the previous few years is our experience,” coach Colton Flax said. “We have seven seniors this year that have all had varsity experience in previous seasons. We also have two other players who were starters on last season’s team.
“So coming into this season most of our team were starters on previous teams and have played a lot of varsity games.”
The experience has made an obvious difference as Campus won three games where it trailed in the sixth inning or later in the game.
“With an older group of players brings the willingness to win into play and knowing how to win close ball games,” Flax said. “… So the willingness to do whatever needs to be done to win and the no quit mentality has been a big change this year. There have been multiple scenarios where we have been in that if it was a previous year we more than likely lose the game.”
Campus clinched the AVCTL I title, their first since 2019.
The Colts’ offense has been led by Hagen Warkins and Grady Clements, who hit in the No. 3 and 4 spots, with both hitting above .400.
Lukas White is at .330 out of the No. 2-hole, while freshman Remington Merlau is in the 5-hole and is hitting over .300.
“We hit .219 as a team in 2024, which is hard to win hitting like that,” Flax said. “Our team average is .280 at the moment, which is a great jump from last year’s team.”
Senior shortstop Camden Stateler has been critical defensively.
“He has made a lot of tough plays and saved a lot of runs playing there,” Flax said.”
Senior Camden Schroeder and sophomore Trace Van Asdale have played important utility roles.
Schroeder plays second, short and third, while Van Asdale can play any outfield position, middle infield and even has pitched well.
Warkins is perfect on the mound with only two earned runs in 38.1 innings. Senior Ryan McWilliams has several wins and has been 100% in save opportunities.
But it’s McWilliams’ story that is so cool.
“Ryan was cut from tryouts his freshman year and did not make the baseball team,” Flax said. “He decided to play golf his sophomore and junior seasons, but as a senior, he decided to try back out for us — and he made the team.”
