As the calendar turns to April, the Cowboys baseball team is in the thick of the 2A Central playoff race.
Whether he is on the mound or up to bat, Camp Verde senior Dakota Battise has been lights out for the Cowboys.
“We have asked a lot from Dakota this season and he has handled the task pretty well,” Cowboys coach Will Davis said.
This season, Battise is batting .426 and has registered 20 hits in 52 plate appearances.
Battise is tied for the team lead in doubles [7] with Dawson McCune and Dominiq Bruno. He believes hitting is the most difficult aspect of baseball.
“Hitting is pretty hard, especially when someone is sending it 80 or 80 miles per hour,” Battise said. “Pitching also comes more natural to me.”
On the pitching side, Battise has been the Cowboy’s ace this season.
“The season has gone well, so I have been hitting alright but I think my pitching has been solid,” Battise said. “Recording eight strikeouts against Northland Prep has been my favorite moment this season.”
Battise opened Camp Verde’s season with a bang as he pitched a no-hitter in the Cowboys’ 13-0 win over Mayer High School on Feb. 20.
In six appearances, he has posted a 2-0 record and a 2.70 earned run average.
So far, Battise leads the 2A Central in strikeouts [32] and no-hitters [1], while serving as the Cowboys’ ace.
Battise believes the Cowboys most difficult match came in Camp Verde’s 6-5 loss to Northland Prep on Monday, March 25.
“I just pitched in the zone really well and got a lot of ground balls throughout the zone.”
The player relies on his slider to consistently get batters behind the counts.
“I start off throwing a fastball and a curveball, so batters believe I only have two pitches,” Battise said. “Then, I come back with a slider that they do not anticipate and I strike them out.”
Battise prefers setting up his opponent before striking them out.
“A fastball on the first pitch followed by a curveball typically gets batters swinging,” Battise said. “The slider usually strikes the batter out looking.”
Camp Verde is currently 11-6-1 this season.
“I feel like last year’s team was better because nobody was playing only for themself,” Battise said. “We need to work on playing more like a team instead of as individuals.”
Camp Verde is 3-1 in regional and conference play and trails only Scottsdale Prep and Northland Prep.
Last season, the Cowboys finished 5-3 in conference play, good for a three-way tie for first in the 2A Central.
Battise led the Cowboys in runs and doubles last season, good for first team all-region honors.
“Our coach [Will Davis] has been hard on us but he has been great,” Battise said. “He expects a lot out of us, so hopefully we can reach our potential.”
For the Cowboys to reach their peak, Battise believes they must improve at meshing as a unit.
“We should look for base hits and try to work together, instead of swinging for the fences and attempting to hit home runs,” Battise said. “Everybody has been focused on their own stats, but we need to focus on the team.”
The Cowboys are 3-1 in the conference and in regional play, good for third in the 2A Central.
When Battise is not on the field, you can catch him hunting, fishing or daydreaming about baseball.
“I just dream about baseball, it is on my mind 24/7, so I am usually ready for practice or a game,” Battise said. “I enjoy the challenge because baseball is the hardest sport out there, in my opinion.”
The Cowboys returned to the field on Monday, April 1, to face Valley Lutheran.
Results were not available by press time.
Camp Verde’s next home game is Friday, April 5, against Sedona Red Rock High School.
Last time these rivals faced off, on April 17, 2018, the Scorpions defeated Camp Verde 11-2.
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