After their season was cut short due to COVID last March, the Butler baseball team is eager to take the field again for the first time in nearly a year.
Butler, still the defending KJCCC West Champions form the 2019 season, had a 15-4 overall record and were 3-3 in KJCCC West play a season ago prior to the shutdown. They had a hot start to the season winning 12 of their first 13 games to start out the year.
"I think it's hard to carry momentum from year to year," said head coach BJ McVay now in his 11th season as the head coach and 17th with the Butler baseball program. "You have different guys every year, so the dynamic is different every year. I just hope we can have a hot start like we did last year."
One of the highlights from a year ago was the Grizzlies 30-13 win over Des Moines Area Community College in late February. It was an impressive win because the Grizzlies started down 8-0 after the top of the first inning. They finished with 23 hits and two homeruns in that game.
Head coach BJ McVay is 279-240 (10 seasons) as head coach of the Grizzlies. His assistant and Butler pitching coach, Ty Reese, is entering his 13th year with the team, not counting his two as a player. The Grizzlies added a new coach to the staff this past summer in Taylor Sanagorski. See Taylor's bio HERE.
"Taylor brings a lot to our program," commented McVay. "From working with catchers, infielders, and hitters, Taylor has a wealth of knowledge and knows how to teach it. Taylor will also be the third-base coach and run the offense this season."
With the cancellation of the season last year, the team, both returners and freshman, are itching to take the diamond once again.
"All I know is they are ready to get going," exclaimed McVay. "From the freshman from last year only getting to play 19 games and the incoming freshman getting their senior year taken away. We didn't get to play outside competition this fall so the guys are ready to play some outside competition and do what they love."
The Grizzlies return 17 players from last year's roster but a few names that stand out and Butler will look to lead the team in 2021 are Noah Argenta and Jackson Syring.
Argenta, sophomore catcher from Fair Grove, MO, played in 12 games last season. He caught four runners stealing while only allowing six stolen bases. He had 93 put outs and eight assists with just three errors in 104 total chances. Argenta had 43 plate appearances with 29 at bats. He recorded nine hits, nine runs, a double, a triple and a homerun. He had a .310 batting average and had seven RBI's with one stolen base.
Jackson Syring, sophomore outfielder from Derby, KS, was a force at the plate last year. He played all 19 games and finished with a .361 batting average and a .530 on base percentage. He had three doubles, a triple and a homerun during the season. He finished with 10 RBI's 25 runs scored and eight stolen bases. He was walked 12 times and hit by pitch 10 times. Form his centerfield position, Syring recorded 30 putouts and had three assists with a double play.
On the mound, the Grizzlies return two starters from last season in Nate Adler and Zach Chiolis. Adler was 4-0 in five starts for the Grizzlies recording 11 strikeouts in 22 innings pitched while only walking six. Chiolis was 2-0 on the year striking out 18 batters in 13.1 innings pitched.
With 17 players returning, the Grizzlies didn't have to bring in a huge signing class. Some of the new faces the staff is excited about are Tanner Leslie RHP/OF from Haysville, KS, Braxton Hyde RHP, from Liberal, KS, Jonah Cox SS from Thornton, CO and Jaren Jackson MIF from Augusta, KS.
"We will have a good makeup of players with the returners that came back along with some new faces. I am excited about this group and look forward to watching them compete this spring," said McVay.
After weather altered their original schedule, Butler opens up the season on Sunday, February 21 in Edmond, OK at the University of Central Oklahoma. They will take on Seminole State (OK) at 1:30pm and Crowder College (OK) at 6:30pm. They will host Cowley College in their home opener on Saturday, February 27 in a double-header starting at 1:00pm.
"The main thing this season is to just play games," said McVay. "After all we have been through, giving these players an opportunity to play games and compete doing something they love is our main goal."
