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By BUBBA KAPRAL
PADEN CITY -- Brent Croasmun and Paden City baseball are synonymous.
Croasmun begins his 29th year as the Wildcats' head baseball coach. He has compiled 354 wins during his tenure. If things go as expected, that victory total could climb markedly this spring.
Croasmun has a pair of senior dandies to build his team around in Hayden Hizer and Aaron Heasley. Both are solid hurlers and middle infielders.
Hizer, working on his fourth letter, batted .366 with four home runs. On the mound, he was 2-2 with two saves and a 3.44 ERA.
Heasley, who has two letters to his credit, hit .272 with 24 RBI and seven stolen bases. He recorded a 5-1 record with a 2.58 ERA.
Croasmun also has two junior lettermen in Kolton Elliott and Marcus Allen and two sophomore letter-winners in Trey Slider and Matt Saxon.
Paden City will boast a deep and strong mound staff with Hizer, Heasley, Elliott, Saxon, junior David Joy and promising freshman Clayton Thomas.
Sophomore Ryan Cross will open at catcher with Slider or fellow sophomore Jordan Stackpole manning first-base duties. Heasley will play second.
Hizer is the shortstop, backed by Saxon.
Elliott, who batted .299 a year ago with 20 RBI, will see extensive duty at third base. Thomas may also see time at the hot corner.
Allen, Stackpole, senior Jack Pierce and freshmen Brad Baker all are pushing hard to land starting slots.
Thomas and sophomore E.J. Weber will likely gain outfield playing time.
Also vying for regular duty are senior outfielder Blane Mitchell, freshman second baseman Ethan Cross, freshman infielder Jake Amos and sophomore outfielder Anthony Newman.
"Hayden Hizer and Aaron Heasley will lead our pitching staff. They will be solid starting pitchers. We have two sophomore pitchers who looked good in fall ball this year in Trey Slider and Matt Saxon," Croasmun said. "Pitching is the name of the game in baseball. We will face some very good opponents this year as always.
"Our goals are to make the OVAC tournament and to win our sectional. Our section will be different this year. Teams will include Magnolia, Tyler Consolidated, Ritchie County and St. Marys."
Jeff Hohn is in his 12th year as Croasmun's assistant.
March 20: Hundred 5:30 p.m.
March 21: Tyler 5 p.m.
March 22: at Trinity 5 p.m.
March 23: at Tyler 5 p.m.
March 24: Cameron 6 p.m.
March 27: Valley 5 p.m.
March 28: at Magnolia 5 p.m.
March 29: at Beallsville 5 p.m.
March 30: Bishop Donahue 5:30 p.m.
March 31: Ritchie County 5 p.m.
April 1: Bridgeport (2) Noon
April 3:at Valley 5 p.m.
April 4: Monroe Central 5 p.m.
April 5: St. Marys 5 p.m.
April 6:at Bishop Donahue 5:30 p.m.
April 7: at Ritchie County 5 p.m.
April 8: Frontier 3 p.m.
April 10: at Cameron 5:15 p.m.
April 11: Beallsville 5 p.m.
April 12:Hundred 5:30 p.m.
April 17: at River 5 p.m.
April 18: Magnolia 5 p.m.
April 19: at Wirt County 5 p.m.
April 20: at Monroe Central 5 p.m.
April 24:Wirt County 5 p.m.
April 25: Clay Battelle 5:30 p.m.
April 26: at River 5 p.m.
April 27: at Frontier 5 p.m.
May 1: at Clay Battelle 5:30 p.m.
May 2: at St. Marys 5 p.m.
May 5: at Parkersburg Catholic 5:30 p.m.
* Consol Energy Park