The Bellwood-Antis baseball team had its season end last Monday without a spot in the District 6 playoffs.
The Blue Devils finished up 10-10, which was a disappointing end after nearly qualifying for the postseason down the stretch, but the team in general is very young, and as you look at who will be returning next year, there are two freshmen that stand out.
Utility player Chase Plummer and pitcher Curtis Shedlock stepped up and made major contributions to the team this season, and they are sharing this week’s Athlete of the Week honor.
In their final game, both Chase and Curtis played great and were big reasons as to why the Blue Devils were able to get the win. Chase hit a double and a triple and drove in 5 of Bellwood’s 6 runs. Curtis came into the game in the fourth inning to pitch after Bedford had tied the game up. He would go on to pitch the rest of the game without allowing a single run to score.
It was par for the course for Shedlock, who entered games in many tight spots this season and always came through, according to Coach Adam Plummer.
“We relied on him to come into many difficult situations during the year with multiple base runners on base and one or no outs in the inning and he was able to get us out of those jams.,” he said. “He really became our guy towards the end of the season to come in late in the game and close the door.”
On the season, Chase was one of the team’s top hitters. He had a .333 batting average, which was the second highest on the team. He led the team with 25 RBI, 8 doubles, and two triples. He also was one of three players on the team to hit a home run this season.
Chase’s said his success was a testament to the hard work he put in to get better. He says he spends five days a week in the weight room and doing agility work. He also puts in extra hitting work on top of the team’s regularly scheduled practices.
Coach Plummer, who is also Chase’s father, said he was proud of the way his son took on the heavy load the coaching staff gave him as a freshman.
“Coming into the season, (we) had pretty lofty goals for Chase,” Coach Plummer said. “We put a lot on his plate from the start of the season, ensuring that he knew how to play multiple positions, as he was our utility player being shuffled around the infield, while also playing multiple games in the outfield. With his hard work and dedication, he exceeded our expectations.”
Chase said he has big aspirations for his high school career.
“I hope to be one of the top players in my class nationally,” Chase said. With the success he has had already, that goal is well within the realm of possibility.
Despite playing a multitude of positions, Chase maintained a sure glove and never got distracted from what he was doing at the plate. Coach Plummer said that kind of focus from a player so young is rare.
“He led the team in multiple offensive categories and committed only 5 errors in the field. He was a starter from day one and provided some big-time hits in clutch situations,” Coach Plummer said. “To have a freshman come in and exhibit the confidence in his abilities the way he was able to, we can’t say enough about him. We look forward to what he can do for this program for years to come.”
Chase’s favorite memory from his freshman season was when he hit his first home run of his high school career against Mo Valley.
For Curtis, he spent his ninth grade year not just as the team’s top reliever, but one if its best pitchers overall. He had a 2.55 ER, which was the lowest ERA on the team for anyone with at least 10 innings pitched. Curtis was also great at throwing strikes. He allowed 9 walks, which was the lowest walk rate on the pitching staff.
Curtis’s success didn’t surprise Plummer, who has coached Curtis since he was young, but his ability to rise to the occasion in big situations stood out.
“I’ve coached Curtis for many years, so I obviously know what he is capable of doing as a pitcher, but you never expect such high results from a freshman,” Coach Plummer said. “I’m very excited to see what he will do for us in the future. He’s a great kid and the future is bright.”
Curtis gave a shout out to his team for his success. When asked what the biggest factors for his outstanding season were he said, “My catcher Cam Swogger, all of my coaches for helping me, and my teammates for giving me confidence to pitch well.”
Curtis’s favorite memory from his freshman season was when the team came back in the 7th inning to beat Richland.
Congratulations Chase and Curtis on a great season and being the Blueprint’s Athlete of the Week!
