Division IV Team Of The Week: Week 6 - Whiteoak

May 10, 2023
Bruce Hefflinger
PBR Ohio Senior Writer

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Division IV Team Of The Week: Week 6 - Whiteoak

MOWRYSTOWN - There are five players hitting well above the .400 mark. The team batting average is .370 with nearly 11 runs scored per game. Add in a team ERA of 1.21 and it is no wonder Whiteoak is now 21-1 and the Prep Baseball Report Division IV Team of the Week.

“Looking back to February, we knew we had a veteran group that figured out how to win in 2022,” explained Whiteoak head coach Chris Veidt, whose Wildcats advanced to the regionals before being eliminated by Berlin Hiland. “Our domination and sheer offensive production has not necessarily been a surprise but surely impressive, no doubt. Having five guys at .432 above, it’s difficult to say one player has carried us. Landon Barnett, Ian Griffith, Luken Roades, Eli Roberts and Zander Roades have all been outstanding offensively. Nate Price and Carson Emery have been very productive as well.

“Our pitching staff has been carried by starters Landon Barnett and Luken Roades,” added Veidt. “Kaiden Moon-Stone and Ian Griffith have also been reliable out of the bullpen.”

It has added up to an abundance of success including this past week with a 12-1 win over Hillsboro, a 9-6 victory over Eastern Brown and a 16-5 pounding of Peebles. Griffith had four RBIs and Price three against Hillsboro while Roades, the winning pitcher versus Hillsboro, drove in four in the win over Eastern Brown. Griffith and Barnett each had three RBIs in the triumph over Pebbles, with Emery stealing five bases in the contest.

Brandt, the 21st-rated senior third baseman in Ohio who pitches, plays shortstop and center field, tops the Wildcats in batting with a .478 average, with 39 runs, 26 RBIs, eight doubles, six triples and 22 stolen bases. Griffith is hitting .474 with 23 RBIs and 17 stolen bases and Luken Roades is at .462 with 29 runs, two home runs and 28 stolen bases. Junior second baseman Roberts is carrying a .453 average with 22 runs scored while driving in 33 with sophomore third baseman Zander Roades batting .432 with 22 runs and 23 RBIs.

Emery is at .339 with 24 runs, 28 RBIs and 24 steals and Price .373 with 28 runs, 20 RBIs and 16 stolen bases. The 54th-ranked 2023 catcher in the state, Price is a Wilmington commit.

“Hitting .370 and scoring 238 runs we'll just say has been a luxury, not necessarily a surprise,” noted Veidt, who also points to the team’s defense as a big factor in the success to date.

“We are blessed to be very strong defensively up the middle with Price (catcher), Emery (CF), Luken Roades (SS) and Barnett (SS, CF),” explained Veidt. “Nate Price has been extremely solid behind the plate for us defensively, throwing out four of nine attempted base runners. Most teams don't even attempt to run.”

Luken Roades and Barnett are the top pitchers for the third-rated Division IV team in Ohio, Roades with a 0.58 ERA and Barnett at 0.79. In the lone loss on the season, 2-0 versus D-I 24th-rated Fairfield, Barnett threw a no-hitter.

“Strong starting pitching, team defense and timely hitting will be the key to a strong tournament run,” pointed out Veidt, whose team finished out as SHAC champions on Friday with a 12-1 record.

Tough games ahead this week are with Zane Trace, Adena, Valley, Portsmouth and Ironton St Joseph. The top seed in the Chillicothe 1 bracket, Whiteoak will take on the winner of Manchester and Eastern Pike in the sectional finals.