With back-to-back state championships under their belt, the Owensboro Bombers are looking to make another deep postseason run with a number of returning players set to take on bigger roles.
The Bombers are full of familiar faces from the local baseball scene, including returnees and 3rd Region Champions Easton Blandford and Aiden Wells of Apollo. Head Coach Matt Freeman expects Wells to be the infield general behind the plate, while Blandford will look to follow up a 2022 season in which he led the Bombers with 41 hits and 34 RBIs.
Owensboro’s leading pitcher also returns, as Muhlenberg County’s Peyton Cary is coming off of an eight-win season where he struck out 52 batters and had an ERA of 1.90.
The Red Devils Connor Hallmark will suit up for the Bombers again as well, as Freeman will count on him to be the team’s top utility player and most effective relief pitcher. Daviess County catcher Cason Troutman, Ohio County pitcher and speedy infielder Matthew Smith and Apollo pitcher Noah Cook will also join the roster that totes a number of new players to fill out the starting lineup.
Despite some of the changes to the roster though, Freeman and company have not set the bar any lower for this season.
“This team is coming off its second state championship in two years, but has a number of holes to fill in the starting lineup,” Freeman said. “We have 11 returning players and eight new players. The team is focused on getting back to the state championship and playing in the ALB Southeast regional in Asheboro, NC.”
The Bombers currently sits at 2-4 overall, recently topping Rockport on Friday 10-0. And that offensive explosion is just what the doctor ordered, as Freeman said that in order for Owensboro to grab a third state championship, they’ll have to string together offense throughout the lineup while being efficient on the mound and in the field against some stiff competition.
“To do that we will have to find more offense in the middle of our batting order, limit errors defensively and be more efficient with our starting pitching,” Freeman said. “The kids have set individual and team goals. We will have our work cut out for us because of how much better the other Kentucky teams have gotten in the offseason.”
