Archers Look to Bring Energy, Return to Winning Ways on the Field

"We're going to play an exciting brand of baseball, play hard and play smart," said head baseball coach Scott Goodrich. "People that haven't seen us play will be surprised by the level of competition." 

Entering his 11th year at the helm of the St. Louis Community College baseball team, Goodrich has seen plenty of highs and lows during his tenure. He described this year's team as "balanced," as the Archers hope to improve on last year's 20-34 record. 

On the offensive side, look for a few familiar faces from last year's team. Dylan Block returns for his second year after leading the team with a .345 average last year, with 17 doubles and five home runs as the team's primary leadoff hitter. Goodrich said Block will likely hit further down the lineup this year to give him more opportunities to drive in runs. Although he played mostly left field last year, Goodrich said he plans on giving Block a lot of playing time at second base this season.

Another middle-of-the-lineup bat returning is third baseman Jayden Jones. His 10 home runs and 48 RBIs are tops among the returning players this year. After a .335 average and steady play in the field at third base last year, fans can expect to see Jones at the hot corner most games this year.

However, don't count out Cooper Howell from also seeing some occasional time at third this season, too. "He's super athletic and super versatile, and does a lot of things well," Goodrich said. "He's going to get a chance to play shortstop for us a bit, but could also see time in the outfield or some at third base to give Jones a chance to DH."

Rounding out the infield will be returning starting first baseman Owen Constantineau. "He gives us real consistent at bats, doesn't strike out a ton and finds ways to get on base," Goodrich said. He's just a real steady player for us which helps a lot."

While the offense is still somewhat of a "work in progress," according to Goodrich, "we have a pretty good group of pitchers with guys who can help us in a lot of roles and do so consistently." 

The two returning pitchers with the most innings under their belts are Bryce Louis and Ethan Smith. 

"I know as a pitching staff we have worked hard all winter to try and become more competitive on the mound," Smith said. "We have really been focusing on having three good pitches to throw with confidence in any count." 

Jones said the team has had very few off days in preparation for the spring. "We have spent countless hours working on the things that we need to be working on to have success during the season," he said. "I'm hoping for us to have a winning record, and I think we have done enough to prove that and I think we will surprise a lot of people."

"Meaningful practices, hard-core weight lifting sessions, and intensive training outside of school are what will help our team manage to achieve our goals," Cooper said. "We are a high energy group that loves to have fun." 

After kicking off the season with a tough 9-6 loss to Fontbonne University on Feb. 6, the Archers head south to Louisiana for the rest of the month, with games in Baton Rouge and New Orleans. 

"We've been going to Baton Rouge for about 15 years now," said Goodrich. "They take care of us down there, a good spot with good competition." 

The Louisiana trip is arguably the most exciting part of the season, according to Howell. 

"I'm very excited about the trip," said Smith. "The bus ride down is long, but it's fun being trapped with your teammates for nine-plus hours."

"Last year, we made a lot of memories," Jones said. "It helps us get closer as a team." 

When the Archers return, their home opener will be Saturday, March 2, with a pair of games against Rock Valley College, with two more games the following day. To view the entire season schedule, visit archersathletics.com.

"I think college baseball games are a lot more entertaining compared to Major League Baseball games," Smith said, encouraging fans to attend a game "if it's not too cold. There's a lot more action and interesting things that happen in a college game you don't really see in the majors, so it's a unique experience."