Grace Baseball Team Focused On The Process
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Josh Neuhart-
The process of building a championship contender under head coach Bill Barr took another step last spring. The Lancers seemed to peak late in the season, winning 12 games in the Crossroads League season. Grace also qualified for the Crossroads League Tournament for the first time in recent memory.
But becoming a nationally recognized program doesn’t happen overnight. It happens one practice at a time and one pitch at a time, according to Barr. He hopes the 2015 Lancers will be defined by hard work, consistency and a resolution to overcome adversity.
“This is the most focused team I’ve had. They’ve been very coachable, and they work hard,” said Barr. “I’m hoping we can play as a team and that we focus on doing the little things really well. If we follow the process of playing Grace Baseball and get our focus off the wins and losses, we will have a successful season. If we are consistent each day with our approach to practice and games, it will lead us to our ultimate objective, which is winning baseball games.”
Grace won’t rely on one or two players this season with a balanced lineup. However, the Lancers will need to replace the run production from graduated senior Jacob Bloom, who finished his sterling Lancer career ranked in the top 10 in seven offensive categories.
Barr believes Grace will be a hard team to scout thanks to its steady contribution from top to bottom in the batting order.
“We don’t have those one or two guys to focus on and pitch around in our lineup,” said Barr.
Warsaw grad Aaron Christenberry returns the biggest bat to Grace’s lineup. He had eight extra-base hits and 13 RBIs as a freshman in 2014.
On the mound, Grace boasts an impressive arsenal of pitching talent. Barr has the luxury of being able to start a number of Lancers this spring, including returners Tim Weber, Austin Green, Joe Dougherty, Logan Grigsby, CJ Swartz and Jason Stevens, as well as Goshen College transfer Alex Mosbarger. Each pitcher brings a unique blend of speed, control and movement that should make opposing hitters think twice at the plate.
Green and Weber each tossed over 30 innings last year, and Swartz posted a 3.57 ERA against Crossroads League opponents.
“We’re deeper than we’ve been in the past,” said Barr. “We have arms in our bullpen that can spot start and do a good job in relief. Everyone has different games based on how they throw, and I think we can really cause other teams to have fits.”
Behind the Lancers’ pitching rotation will be a much-improved defense this spring. After finishing seventh in 2014 in team fielding percentage in the Crossroads League, the Lancers have spent much of the offseason improving their defensive techniques. While pitching and offense can vary from game to game, Barr is hoping Grace can provide a consistent defensive effort each day.
Jared Lemler was Grace’s starting catcher in 2014 as a freshman and is poised for a breakout year in 2015. According to Barr, Lemler is “exactly what you need behind the plate. He is a leader who understands the game, is trusted by the pitching staff and works closely with the coaching staff to manage the game.”
Paul Blankley was Grace’s starting shortstop for much of his freshman season, but he will be making the switch to centerfield as a sophomore. Swartz also provides a crucial role for the Lancers defensively with the versatility to play nearly any position on the diamond. Freshmen Noah Follett and Colton Ferrand also figure to start defensively for Grace.
“We have to be pretty balanced this year,” said Barr. “We don’t have a team that will dominate any one aspect of the game, but we’ll need to play good defense to carry us. That’s one of the controllables that we can manage.”
Leading Grace’s team is the senior class of Brook Vosler, Matt Morgart, Weber and Tim Young. The seniors, along with junior Frank Rocchio, have provided a stable source of leadership and vision for the team.
Barr has organized a challenging non-league schedule with the hopes of getting Grace better prepared for the Crossroads League season. Grace will travel to Tennessee today to kick off the season against Hiwassee College. The Lancers will also play Oakland City next weekend before the team’s Spring Break trip to Tucson, Ariz., on March 1.
“The Lord has definitely had his hand on putting this program together,” said Barr. “We’ve got challenges like we do any year, but I like where we are as a team. We’re energized and working hard. We still enjoy coming to practice and getting better every day. If we focus on the process and take advantage of each opportunity to get better, the results will come.”[[In-content Ad]]
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The process of building a championship contender under head coach Bill Barr took another step last spring. The Lancers seemed to peak late in the season, winning 12 games in the Crossroads League season. Grace also qualified for the Crossroads League Tournament for the first time in recent memory.
But becoming a nationally recognized program doesn’t happen overnight. It happens one practice at a time and one pitch at a time, according to Barr. He hopes the 2015 Lancers will be defined by hard work, consistency and a resolution to overcome adversity.
“This is the most focused team I’ve had. They’ve been very coachable, and they work hard,” said Barr. “I’m hoping we can play as a team and that we focus on doing the little things really well. If we follow the process of playing Grace Baseball and get our focus off the wins and losses, we will have a successful season. If we are consistent each day with our approach to practice and games, it will lead us to our ultimate objective, which is winning baseball games.”
Grace won’t rely on one or two players this season with a balanced lineup. However, the Lancers will need to replace the run production from graduated senior Jacob Bloom, who finished his sterling Lancer career ranked in the top 10 in seven offensive categories.
Barr believes Grace will be a hard team to scout thanks to its steady contribution from top to bottom in the batting order.
“We don’t have those one or two guys to focus on and pitch around in our lineup,” said Barr.
Warsaw grad Aaron Christenberry returns the biggest bat to Grace’s lineup. He had eight extra-base hits and 13 RBIs as a freshman in 2014.
On the mound, Grace boasts an impressive arsenal of pitching talent. Barr has the luxury of being able to start a number of Lancers this spring, including returners Tim Weber, Austin Green, Joe Dougherty, Logan Grigsby, CJ Swartz and Jason Stevens, as well as Goshen College transfer Alex Mosbarger. Each pitcher brings a unique blend of speed, control and movement that should make opposing hitters think twice at the plate.
Green and Weber each tossed over 30 innings last year, and Swartz posted a 3.57 ERA against Crossroads League opponents.
“We’re deeper than we’ve been in the past,” said Barr. “We have arms in our bullpen that can spot start and do a good job in relief. Everyone has different games based on how they throw, and I think we can really cause other teams to have fits.”
Behind the Lancers’ pitching rotation will be a much-improved defense this spring. After finishing seventh in 2014 in team fielding percentage in the Crossroads League, the Lancers have spent much of the offseason improving their defensive techniques. While pitching and offense can vary from game to game, Barr is hoping Grace can provide a consistent defensive effort each day.
Jared Lemler was Grace’s starting catcher in 2014 as a freshman and is poised for a breakout year in 2015. According to Barr, Lemler is “exactly what you need behind the plate. He is a leader who understands the game, is trusted by the pitching staff and works closely with the coaching staff to manage the game.”
Paul Blankley was Grace’s starting shortstop for much of his freshman season, but he will be making the switch to centerfield as a sophomore. Swartz also provides a crucial role for the Lancers defensively with the versatility to play nearly any position on the diamond. Freshmen Noah Follett and Colton Ferrand also figure to start defensively for Grace.
“We have to be pretty balanced this year,” said Barr. “We don’t have a team that will dominate any one aspect of the game, but we’ll need to play good defense to carry us. That’s one of the controllables that we can manage.”
Leading Grace’s team is the senior class of Brook Vosler, Matt Morgart, Weber and Tim Young. The seniors, along with junior Frank Rocchio, have provided a stable source of leadership and vision for the team.
Barr has organized a challenging non-league schedule with the hopes of getting Grace better prepared for the Crossroads League season. Grace will travel to Tennessee today to kick off the season against Hiwassee College. The Lancers will also play Oakland City next weekend before the team’s Spring Break trip to Tucson, Ariz., on March 1.
“The Lord has definitely had his hand on putting this program together,” said Barr. “We’ve got challenges like we do any year, but I like where we are as a team. We’re energized and working hard. We still enjoy coming to practice and getting better every day. If we focus on the process and take advantage of each opportunity to get better, the results will come.”[[In-content Ad]]
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