Keenan baseball young but experienced

By Neill Kirkpatrick

Special to the HSSR

Columbia – Four years ago, Johnny Burbage took over as the head coach of the Keenan Raiders baseball program and all he, his staff and his ball players have done is improve every year and established a winning culture on the diamond with getting out of district play and moving on in the playoffs

“Our expectations are always to make the play-offs; however, with things that are going on in our region we can’t finish first which would be our first goal of any season,” said coach Burbage. “Now we want secure second place and get a home play-off game.”

One of the biggest changes for the baseball program has been the participation in the off season. When coach Burbage took over the first two years two-four players showed up to go work but this past off season 9-12 players showed up every day.

“This is the best group of guys I have evet had. They pick each other up when they are there down. I know family is an overused word in sports, but it is a family that we have with this team. We have guys that are freshmen now that are three-year starters and they grown together as a team,” said the coach.

While the Raiders are a young team, they do have four seniors that will leave the program knowing it is better than when they started. The senior players are Brock Flemming, Jamarion Charley, Lionel Watson, Chris Walker, and Steven Coleman. Watson and Crosby are currently hitting .400.

On the mound Charley has been the top pitcher sporting a 2-0 record and 2.74 ERA. Walker is also 2-0 for the Raiders as well.

Junior Desmond Washington is behind the dish and is a returning All Region player for coach Burbage. Washington is the leader of the team and is a coach on the field.

The Raiders’ other returning All-Region player is sophomore outfielder Max Ketcherside. He is a three-year starter who is currently second on the team with a .563 batting average and in runs scored with nine.

Two returning freshmen shortstop Nasir Jackson and right fielder Peyton Bishop were named honorable mention All-Region as eighth graders last year. They are three-year starters for coach Burbage. Bishop is hitting .364 and is second on the team in RBI’s while Jackson is hitting at a .500 clip.

First basemen Elijah Smith leads the team with 9 RBI’s and has a .500 batting average.

Newcomers’ sophomore second basemen Luis Santiago and eighth grade outfielder Josiah Clarke have been lights out. Santiago leads the team in batting with a .636 average and has scored a team high twelve runs and Clarke is hitting at a 500 clip.