Camp Verde High School has flirted with .500 so many times through its first 14 baseball games, the Cowboys [7-7] should nominate the percentage for Colonel’s Daughter.
“The good thing is, most of those losses were tournament losses,” said head coach Will Davis. “Those were practice games, basically, and we used them as such.”
In other games, where Davis said the games count, CVHS has a 4-1 record after defeating American Leadership Academy, 10-6, on March 15.
“We lost both our [Nos.] 2 and 3 starters who would’ve batted three and four in this lineup,” said head coach Will Davis. “They threw the most innings of any of our guys last year.”
Davis was referring to Carson Zale, who moved to Montana, and Ezekiel Casillas, who started with Zale in the infield last season but did not come out for the team after finishing fourth in the state as a 126-pound wrestler.
“So we didn’t have a first baseman coming in and we’re struggling trying to adjust as we go,” Davis said. “Honestly, with our best pitching and our starting unit in the right positions, we would’ve gone 7-2 in those [tournament] games.”
The spark was provided in the third inning off a two-run home run by sophomore third baseman Rafael Zapata.
“That was definitely the changing point in the game,” Davis said. “We got a couple of guys on, and from then we continued to score.”
The Cowboys would score another three runs in the third and four more in the fifth to end the Patriots’ hopes.
Senior Logan Conrad went all seven innings for the win, striking out eight and scattering as many hits.
“He’s definitely our top thrower,” Davis said. “Behind him, we’re looking for Easton Braden for that role, but since he’s our catcher, we’d have to put Logan behind the plate.”
Braden, a junior, added an RBI double and would score after freshman designated hitter Dakota Battise drove him in for the Cowboys, who packed all their offense into the middle third of the game with a five-run third and four-run fifth inning.
“We came in pretty flat and just hadn’t found our energy yet,” Davis said. “We seem to be starting slow in games. I’m hoping we can pick it up.”
Juniors John Castillo and Wyatt Howe each went .500 at the plate — two for four with two stolen bases — batting in two total runs and scoring another two.
Howe’s on-base percentage is over .500 so far, Davis said, which means he gets on more than half of his at-bats.
“The kid’s been just tearing it up,” Davis said. “He’s made the biggest improvement from last year to this year, and we’ve needed it.”
Castillo has had to move in from center field to replace Casillas at first base. His replacements have been senior Bryce Wantland, who went two for three with two runs scored against the Patriots, and junior Darren Franklin, who has become a third starting pitcher for Davis since being called up from the junior varsity.
“At this point, that’s where he does better and is more comfortable,” Davis said. “Darren has been a big plus, actually.”
Castillo has also provided pitching support, along with Zapata and junior Ryan Cain, from the bullpen.
“Ryan likes playing shortstop and batting fourth,” Davis said. “He’s a guy we’ll only throw if he’s got his command of the strike zone.”
Thursday, March 24, the Cowboys travel to Payson High School for a 5:30 p.m. game before their final tuneup prior to the start of Division IV, Section I play Monday, March 28, at Gilbert Christian High School.
“We’re out of the Phoenix Metro [region] and in Class 2A, where we belong,” Davis said. “We’re pretty excited that we have a chance to win this section and make a deep run in the playoffs.”
