The George Washington Patriots posted one of their best baseball seasons ever last year, going 23-15 and finishing as the Class AAA state tournament runner-up.
GW lost key players from last year’s roster, including pitcher Bryson Hoff, who is now playing at ÐÔÊӽ紫ý.
However, coach Mike Davis feels something brewing with this year’s Patriots, especially with five seniors, three of them starters.
GW is 18-6 and claimed its first-ever MSAC baseball championship earlier this week.
“I like this team’s resiliency,†Davis said. “We’ve showed that so far and definitely through this little streak that we’ve had. We can win in a multitude of different ways. We can win with small ball and close games. We have to be tough. Our guys have kept their focus. We always talk about winning the inning and pitch. They’ve taken off with that mentality, and I’m proud of them for that.â€
Five seniors graduated from last year’s roster. This year’s senior starters for GW include catcher Corbin Dixon, left fielder Hunter Stewart and right fielder Cole Ellis.
This year’s seniors have been a part of two GW teams that have reached the state final, having also done so as freshmen.
“All three of [the starters] play different roles,†Davis said. “Corbin, obviously, is probably the most seasoned of the three. He’s played the most baseball and is physically imposing. When he steps on the field, you notice him. The other two guys are grinders. Early in the year, when our top of the order wasn’t going, those two carried us at the bottom.â€
There is a common type of camaraderie among the players that Dixon has seen develop since the beginning of the season.
He believes everyone is in it for the same reason, which makes things easier when everyone is playing together.
“We all have one plan, and that’s to win,†Dixon said. “All the guys work together, and we have a saying of that we try going every day 1-0. Everybody’s sticking to that. I like that vision because everybody knows where we’re trying to go.â€
Three of GW’s first four losses came in an event in Memphis, Tennessee, losing to Braddock (Florida), Lockport (Illinois) and Ventura (California).
George Washington had only played one game before making the trip south.
“We played a team from Miami and it was their 17th or 18th game, while that was our third,†Davis said. “There wasn’t necessarily a talent discrepancy, but when you have teams that are on the field and have played more baseball than you, then it’s definitely noticeable. We have a mature group that understand. They didn’t let that affect them.â€
The Patriots then dropped their first game in April at Scott, 9-4. That game served as a wake-up call.
The players congregated for a heart-to-heart and down-to-earth conversation to try and rally behind each other.
Dixon believes that the tough conversation following the loss to Scott has ignited a new flame in the team.
“That loss definitely hit us. We had that realization that we’re not where we need to be at,†Dixon said. “We took a day as a team to discuss what we’re doing wrong and how we can fix it. We developed the together mentality and not the “me†mentality. It was a wake-up call for sure. But we’re together now and are starting to get through it.â€
One of the young players who has stepped up for George Washington this season has been sophomore Jon Fala.
Fala has had a strong sophomore season, hitting .488 with 42 hits, 10 doubles, four home runs, 23 RBIs and 23 runs. He’s also pitched 18 2/3 innings, has struck out 19 batters and has an ERA of 0.375.
“I hate to make a comparison to Bryson Hoff, but they’re, in a sense, more mature than what their years are,†Davis said of GW’s young contributors. “Jon is a 30-year-old man trapped in a 16-year-old’s body. He’s four steps ahead of me as a coach. The way he sees the game is on a different level than most high school kids. His work ethic is off the charts.â€
George Washington would like to replicate last season’s success by reaching the state final for a second consecutive season.
Dixon sees the potential there for this year’s Patriots. But he knows it’s going to take a collective effort to reach the ultimate goal — a state title.
“If our pitchers keep pitching the way they are and defense does its job, we have a shot at a state title,†Dixon said.
