Summer of Swat: Missouri baseball players meet in Championship
By Kyle Jones
Tre Morris-Princeton WhistlePigs
Morris didn’t play in the last week, but overall he had a great summer. He knocked 44 hits in 140 at-bats, with 24 RBIs.
One of the most important numbers to focus on with Morris is his low strikeout count, only 18 throughout the entire season. Getting contact gives you a chance, and that could be crucial for Missouri baseball moving forward.
After topping the East Division all summer, the WhistlePigs choked away their lead to Pulaski, finishing second in the division with a record of 30-22.
Ross Lovich-Pulaski River Turtles
Lovich had a rough final week, bookended by a pair of decent performances. He went 1-for-2 in his first game of the week and drew two walks.
He then went 0-for in his next three appearances before going 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs and a walk in the Championship.
Lovich had a strong summer, batting .229 with a .381 on-base percentage. He led the league in triples and was third in runs scored. A strong period of growth that Missouri baseball fans can be happy with.
Garrett Rice-Pulaski River Turtles
Rice had a somewhat rough week before putting a good shift in the Championship game. He went 0-for in his first two games of the week, and only managed 2 hits in 10 at bats over the rest of the week.
In the Championship game, he went 2-5 and crossed home plate twice.
Rice finished the season tied for the league lead in RBIs with 42. His .304 batting average was among the best on the team and among Tigers in the Appy League. He also raked 7 home runs, a promising sign that still leaves room to improve.
Jackson Beaman-Pulaski River Turtles
Beaman took the role of the utility man in his final week with Pulaski, playing second base, left field and serving as a DH. He put in strong hitting performances in 3 of the 5 games he played in, notching 9 hits in 13 at-bats before going 0-6 in the Championship game.
Beaman finished the summer batting .269, with 29 RBIs. The one blemish on his record would be his 37 strikeouts, but that can be improved on in the offseason.
The River Turtles had a great late season surge, finishing 32-22 to win the East Division. But they couldn’t hold back the Flyboys, losing in the Championship game.