The Cassville baseball team opened its home account on March 27, with a new head coach and new turf field bringing an abundance of excitement to the long-established program.

Shawn Trent, former assistant baseball coach and junior high softball coach, said the Wildcats had been chomping at the bit to take to the turf field.

“The players were very excited,” he said. “We practiced on it some before that first game against Purdy, but we are still getting a feel for it and how it plays. One of the kids said, ‘It’s so surreal to be out here on such a nice field.’ We look at what some others have to play on, and we are blessed to have this facility.

“The boys are excited, the parents and fans are excited, and it’s brought some good attention to Cassville baseball. We are blessed the school and community have invested in the program this way.”

The Wildcats enter this season on the heels of a 10-16 campaign, losing nine lettermen from the 2022 squad, including All-District and All-Conference Second Team pitcher and infielder and All-Conference Honorable Mention designated hitter Tim Hudson. Cassville was sixth in the Big 8 West at 2-4, and the Wildcats fell to Monett in district play, 9-1.

“This group of seniors was my freshman group my first year at Cassville,” Trent said. “They were a joy to be around and made coming to work every day fun. They were very hardworking and loved to play ball. Their positive attitudes on and off the field will be greatly missed.”

Key returners for the Wildcats number few, with seniors Isaac Hadlow, pitcher and third baseman, and Keaton Shellenberger, first baseman, leading a list that also includes sophomores Evan Butler, pitcher and shortstop, and Bodee Rose, pitcher and center fielder.

“Isaac is very soft-spoken and lets his play do all the talking,” Trent said. “He is a very talented player that can play a number of spots. He will likely play third, depending on who is pitching, and he will get a lot of time on the mound this spring. He is a leader by example, but he will be asked to step out of his comfort zone and be more vocal. The young guys really look up to him so we need him to be a guy we can rally behind. Isaac broke his arm halfway through his junior season. I know he will be even more driven this year knowing that heartache of any day can become your last. He played a lot of ball this summer and I am looking forward to seeing how he has progressed since that injury.

“Keaton has shown tremendous leadership and dedication to the team, consistently setting a strong example on and off the field. His experience and skills make him a valuable asset to the team and we are excited to see him in action this spring. Keaton could see time at first and outfield based on the rotation, and will see innings on the mound.”

Butler and Rose, Trent said, are both young talents he hopes will lead the program into the future.

“Evan plays a lot of ball throughout the year,” Trent said. “He is very coachable and a great teammate to the others. Although he is a sophomore, he brings a lot of experience to this team, and even our older guys look up to him. He really has taken to that role and has been working on helping others in the cage and in the pen. He will spend much time on the mound this spring, and when he isn’t throwing, he will play shortstop. His strength is his pitching, but the dude can swing too.

“Bodee was a guy we saw every day in the summer. He is one of the fastest kids I’ve seen on a baseball field and will spend most of the time roaming center field for us. He will also see time on the mound. Bodee has a great bat that he showcased this summer. He will be an offensive threat from the leadoff spot. He plays multiple sports, including playing QB for our football team. I’m excited to see how that leadership experience from football translates to the diamond.”

Behind the quartet of leaders is a strong mix of upperclassmen and underclassmen, including senior Mason Gautney; juniors Hunter James, Ethan Bohmke, Cadyn Smith and Danny Roper; and sophomore Simon Gates.

“Mason can play a few spots for us and could see time on the mound,” Trent said. “He worked hard this summer, and will compete for a starting position somewhere on the field. Hunter is an athletic lefty who will get time on the mound and possible play outfield or first for us, depending on the rotation. Ethan pitched a lot for us this summer. We have a strong defense with him on the mound.

“Cadyn is also a guy who can play a few different spots depending on the rotation. He played with us this summer and got better each day. Danny will compete for a starting job. He primarily plays catcher, but he can help us in the field and at the plate as well. We were very impressed with Simon this summer. Simon is a very talented catcher and wants to be the guy this spring. He handles the bullpen well and the pitchers trust him. He can swing the bat and is smart around the bases.”

As the turf field is young, so is the Wildcats team, but Trent said they are set up to be challenged, which will only make them better.

“We don’t have that many seniors, so we are going to rely on some younger guys to step into bigger roles,” he said. “We really want to challenge the team this year. We added some really good schools to our schedule. Playing those good teams will help prepare us for our already tough conference and district. McDonald County and Nevada have been very good recently on our side of the conference. Monett is always tough, and we would like to compete with them this year. Our district is also tough and well-coached.

Trent said to succeed this season, limiting defensive mistakes and competing on the mound will be key.

“We gave up a lot of runs last year,” he said. “We need to limit those runs if we plan on competing with the Big 8. We want to prepare our guys enough that they feel confident every time they step on the field. They need to believe they are as good as anyone.”

Hadlow said the Wildcats have the right tools to accomplish that goal.

“We have much-needed depth in pitching and serious potential to hit the ball well at the plate,” he said. “I am looking forward to having a good season.”

So far this year, the Wildcats are 3-5. Cassville fell in its home opener against Purdy, 8-2, the fell to Strafford and Marionville, 10-7 and 4-3, respectively, before getting a win on Saturday over Southwest, 7-1.

Cassville played Mt. Vernon at home on Monday, picking up a 4-3 victory in 8 innings.

“I was looking at stats after that Purdy game until about 3 a.m. and couldn’t sleep,” Trent said. We’ve lost some close games, but one thing we do well is compete. The guys never let up, and we are trying to bring that kind of culture to the program — be excited and want to play every day — and I see that in them.”

The commitment is evident, Trent said, in how the players have shown up on weekends and helped with the youth team, as well as hitting and throwing on their own.

“We were averaging 5.7 points against last year, and we are at 4 now,” Trent said. “We’re also throwing strikes 66 percent of the time compared to 55 percent last year. Our fielding percentage is better, and we are scoring more runs and giving up fewer. There’s a lot of great things happening when you look at the stats.”

Trent said he hopes those stats keep improving and the excitement for the program continues to rise.

“This year, we want to build some momentum,” Trent said. “We have new uniforms that look good, a new field that looks good, a new junior high program, and a new youth program to feed into the high school. The way we talk and do things at the high school are being brought down to the youth, and that experience will be invaluable. We’re trying to model what Mighty Mites has done with football, the Takedown Club has done with wrestling and Seven Valleys Soccer Club has done with soccer.

“If you can do what the high school coaches do with the youth, that will contribute to success in the future.”

The Wildcats return to action on the road on Thursday, facing Logan-Rogersville.