Baseball could be back in Days Creek

Days+Creek+players%2C+from+left%2C+Hayden+Harris%2C+Ryan+Newton%2C+Kacey+Benefiel+and+James+Buckner+watch+a+their+Riddle+teammates+from+the+dugout.+Days+Creek+could+have+its+own+team+in+2023.

Days Creek players, from left, Hayden Harris, Ryan Newton, Kacey Benefiel and James Buckner watch a their Riddle teammates from the dugout. Days Creek could have its own team in 2023.

Ryan Newton

Since the last time Days Creek had a Baseball team in 2010, players have tried in vain to assemble another team. This has meant returning to Riddle to co-op despite lukewarm feelings upriver. And as tradition continues, Days Creek is attempting to make their own team. 

This spring, James Buckner, Hayden Harris, Ryan Newton, Kacey Benefiel, Wyatt Geiger, Clark Warner and Keegan Stufflebeam competed for the Irish, who went 5-12.

But this year it’s different; Days Creek has released applications for coaches and have started the process of fixing Deb Moore Field by getting it evaluated and finding volunteers over the summer. 

“We’ve gotten the field looked at by a person up north, and I’m hoping to get it started this summer,” athletic director James Ellis said.  

Ellis has been very open to the idea of baseball team in Days Creek and has been very excited about it. Now that there is some assurance from our AD that there’ll be a program, other students have been open to joining the team like track runners that are willing to run bases. 

Landon Kruzic who has been willing to join the team as his only recorded sport is basketball. 

Track star Keith Gaskell has also been interviewed and has said that he would like to run for Days Creek’s baseball team. 

A big contribution to the progress and movement of the upcoming team has been Benjamin Newton. The 1999 Days Creek graduate has been pushing to recruit experienced coaches and student athletes to serve Days Creek. 

Earlier in the school year, there was talk of revival in the program which had 14 players listed but too few had questionable attendance and grades.

Mr. Ellis and some other volunteers are working very hard to make sure that the delays of this year carry on to the next by starting preparation earlier and recruiting earlier as well.