WHS’s defense never rests
Pioneers make

easy tough plays
By Steve Behr
sports@wataugademocrat.com

GRANITE FALLS — Often when defense in baseball is shown on highlight shows, it involves a diving catch, or possibly a play at the plate.

Watauga’s defense has made its share of diving catches, the latest being a gem in center field by Baine Martin in the Pioneers’ 4-3 victory over East Burke.

It’s not uncommon for Watauga’s defense to make big plays, and then make the not-so-big plays. Since two infields are never the same, routine-looking plays can often be anything but routine.

“Our defense has been the consistent thing for us, that and our pitching,” Pioneers coach Pete Hardee said.

Watauga’s infielders — first baseman Trey Dunnigan, second baseman Chris Shelton, shortstop Cal Hardee and third baseman Ethan Moyer — have been anything by routine this season.

Yes, they occasionally make errors. Moyer made one error against East Burke, and almost made another on a throw to first base only to have Dunnigan dig his throw out of the dirt to make the catch and end the game.

“He dug that ball out of the dirt, which was huge,” Hardee said. “(Moyer) had a tough time at third today, but on plays a lot of people give up on, he stuck with it and got it out to first base. He’s the best third baseman I’ve ever seen at Watauga High School. He just makes so many plays.”

Cal Hardee said that good defense doesn’t just happen. It takes countless repetitions of fielding ground balls in practice just in case one or two are hit to a fielder during a game.

“We get live balls in practice and we try to play them like live-game situations,” Cal Hardee said. “When we do (batting practice), sometimes we’ll turn two the second round and go one the first round. You get a lot of reps and a lot of balls that are similar to what you get in real games.”

Watauga’s fielders have been particularly good at getting to lightly hit ground balls quickly and then throwing across their bodies, often on the dead run, to first base.

“We do a lot of work on slow rollers,” Pete Hardee said. “We do that as part of our defensive practice just about every day. We do a lot of work on running through the ball and making those kind of plays. It’s a skill you have to have because of these aluminum bats, you can also miss a ball and have it in play.”

“We’ve worked all year on defense,” Dunnigan added. “We’ve got a really solid defense. We don’t make many errors.”

Fielding those slow rollers, or high bouncing ground balls requires infielders to charge the ball and then get rid of it quickly. Hardee said his current group is as good as any infielders he’s coached at doing just that.

“They just keep getting more dynamic bats and with more dynamics, people are putting the ball in play and you’ve got to come in and get it,” Hardee said.

Watauga’s infielders also have excellent range and have quick releases when throwing the ball. Pete Hardee pointed to a line drive Shelton caught against East Burke at an example of the second-baseman’s defensive ability.

“His defense at second has been tremendous for us,” Hardee said “He made a nice play on that line shot that could have resulted in another run for them. It’s a lot easier to come back from one down than two. I’m pleased with our defense. When it goes along with good, strong pitching, it’s tough.”

There has been an extra emphasis put on defense this year because Watauga’s offense has been inconsistent.

Watauga scored 12 runs in victories over Alexander Central, 14 runs in a win over A.C. Reynolds and 10 runs in a NWC Tournament win over McDowell, but also scored just four runs in its win over East Burke and lost 4-1 to No. 1-ranked South Caldwell.

Any unearned runs allowed just makes it tougher for the Watauga offense to overcome.

In that loss to South Caldwell, Shelton made a difficult catch in shallow right field to help get the Pioneers out of the Spartans’ sixth inning.

“If we can keep the other team off the scoreboard, they can’t win,” Shelton said. “We went back to defense and it’s been fun. It’s been a lot of hard work, but it’s been a good trip.”

Good defense are not only appreciated by coaches, but by pitchers.

“I think I owe my team a hug after this,” Watauga pitcher Jon Sharpe after the East Burke game.