16U Highland Bulldogs look toward offense to carry club into second half of season

During the first four weeks of the 2020 summer season, the Highland 16U baseball team has been primarily reliant on the strength of its bats to help them win games.

Highland (4-3-1) has averaged better then four runs per game and for Bulldogs manager Jed Eggering, that will need to continue and improve if the club is going to make a strong run in the second half of the season.

“Right now, our big thing is to hit consistently,” Eggering said. “I mean, top to bottom, I know all of our players can hit but we’ve got to learn to play small ball sometimes because there are times that we hit a double or triple to start the inning and we just don’t move the runner over and that’s killed us in a few games.”

Two hitters Eggering does not have to worry about are Blaine Kapp and Luke Darling.

Kapp has been pounding the ball at a near .550 clip while Darling also is hitting over .500 in the opening half of the season.

“It’s been a close run between Blaine Kapp and Luke Darling,” Eggering said. “They have been my three and four hitters and whoever my one or two hitters are that day that get on before them, we’ve got a great chance of scoring (runs). Neither of them has had a day where they haven’t had at least one hit in a game.”

Other players swinging the bat well include Tyler Griesbaum, Will Trame, and Bryce Knackstedt.

Pitching scuffles, but bright spots have emerged

The biggest challenge facing the 16U Bulldogs as they head into Monday’s game with the Trenton Senior Legion team — and the final month of the season — is trying to get the pitching more on par with the club’s hitting.

“Pitching has just been real hard (for us),” Eggering said. “Our boys did not have a spring season, so their arms aren’t conditioned to what they were last year so pitching ... it’s definitely been a struggle, but everybody has been stepping up and taking innings when I need them to.”

Steven Jack has been a major boost to the rotation by eating innings when needed.

“Steven Jack’s been crazy for us,” Eggering said. “He has been a workhorse and any time I call him into pitch, he’ll give me whatever I need.”

Brady and Bryce Knackstedt have also turned in solid outings in their trips to the mound as well.