Somerset baseball ahead of schedule with new-look lineup

SOMERSET — The Somerset baseball team captured its fifth straight victory in commanding fashion with a 14-1, 5-inning triumph over Richland on Wednesday.

An upstart Golden Eagle team with six new starters and only three seniors is performing beyond expectations, especially as of late.

"We knew coming into the season that we were going to have a bit of inexperience, and we were going to be playing some new guys," said third-year Somerset coach Jimmy Mayer. "We also knew we had five guys that played last year. Between those guys and the younger guys stepping up, we've gotten on a little bit of a roll."

Somerset dropped back-to-back 1-run games to Central Cambria and Mount Union on the road to fall to 4-3. The Golden Eagles needed to rebound. With a youthful lineup, sometimes that is easier said than done.

However, Somerset knocked of perennial power Forest Hills 11-4 on April 16 to spark the current 5-game winning streak.

"I told the guys, 'We just need one big win,'" Mayer said. "We got it, and since then, we've been playing really good baseball."

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Sophomore transfer Braeden Flower has been doing plenty of the heavy lifting for the Golden Eagles. He was the winning pitcher on Wednesday, and he also hit a 2-run homer. Flower leads the staff with a 4-1 record and a 1.53 ERA. He is second on the team with 15 hits and 14 RBIs.

"He's been a bulldog on the mound," Mayer said of Flower.

Junior Callen Miller, one of the most experienced players on the squad, has a team-high 17 hits, while fellow junior Lane Lambert, who launched a grand slam against the Rams, paces the Golden Eagles with 15 RBIs. Five Somerset players have more than 10 hits this season. Mayer is receiving production up and down the lineup.

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"We're swinging the bats well, but what I am most proud about this team is the way we are playing defense," Mayer said. "We are playing clean baseball. When you play clean defense, get some quality pitching and timely hits, good things happen. That's what has happened the last five games."

Somerset won a District 5-8-9 Class 4A title two seasons ago. The Golden Eagles were ousted by Chestnut Ridge in the Class 3A semifinals last season. The new-look squad has plenty of intangibles necessary to challenge for not only an LHAC crown, but another district championship.

"We have a great mix of power and speed this year that I haven't had the past two years," Mayer said. "The younger guys have stepped up in a huge way. Four of these guys didn't have any varsity experience. I've got two freshmen playing almost every game. We threw them into the fire. They've been doing a great job and we're coming together as a team."

Somerset will host Bellefonte, a program rich in tradition, on Friday. Mayer is leaving it up to his veterans to help the younger guys understand the magnitude of games like this, and what's to come down the stretch.

"Friday is a barometer for where we are at," Mayer said. "We are first in our section, now. Bellefonte is a storied program. They've won multiple state titles, recently. We're throwing a 14-year-old kid at them. Freshman Garrett Reese has been phenomenal on the mound. I love these games. These guys love them.

"The guys who have been here ‒ Zane Hagans, Callen Miller and Kahne Foltz ‒ they have played in these kinds of games. I let it up to them to be leaders and let them know how important every game is. We treat every opponent with respect. Those guys have kept the other guys focused, and hopefully, we can keep stacking wins."

Adam Ripple is the Daily American sports editor. He can be reached at 814-444-5926. Follow him on X @ARipple_DAsport. Follow Daily American Sports on Facebook and @dailyamericanmedia on Instagram.

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Mayer guiding a thriving youthful Somerset baseball team