Albright lone senior for Galena

May 21, 2008 12:40 am

— By Anvil Welch
awelch@joplinglobe.com
The Galena High School baseball team, runner-up to Silver Lake in the 2005 Kansas Class 3A Tournament, is ready to make another run at the championship with an unusual roster.
Coach Ken Cook’s Bulldogs have just one senior in Mitch Albright.
Galena (19-3) opens against fourth-seeded Salina Sacred Heart (17-2) at 1:30 p.m. on Friday at Norvell Field in Manhattan at Eisenhower Middle School.
Cook indicated on Tuesday that Albright just might be an ideal “only” senior.
The right-handed Albright, who’s been battling an infected elbow, could start on the mound against Sacred Heart, Cook said. He’s 3-1 with a 3.32 ERA and has 24 strikeouts in 19 innings.
Look for Albright in the No. 3 hole in the batting order if he’s unable to pitch, Cook said. Albright, who bats left, is averaging .511 with seven home runs, 28 RBI and 16-for-16 in stolen bases.
Albright, as a third baseman, is headed for Neosho County Community College of Chanute.
Cook believes he has two more hurlers capable of the mound assignment — sophomore left-hander Troy Albright (2-1, 3.71) and junior right-hander Dakota Walker (3-1, 1.54).
“They all could be our best pitcher on a given day,” Cook said.
Walker, who also plays shortstop, leads off and is averaging .403 with three homers. Troy Albright (Mitch’s brother) also plays first base and is averaging .373.
The probable Galena batting order, with the older Albright pitching, consists of Walker at shortstop, sophomore Jacoby Martin behind the plate, Mitch Albright, sophomore second baseman Colton Leet, Troy Albright, freshman right fielder Drew Bilke, junior center fielder Grant Thompson, sophomore left fielder Dillon Katzer and freshman third baseman Codie Perry.
Martin is averaging .507 with nine doubles among 35 hits, 27 runs scored and 15-for-16 in steals. Leet is averaging .391.
“Team speed, experience — they have 10 seniors on the roster — and lack of mistakes are strengths for Sacred Heart,” Cook said. “It could be a wild game.
“We’re in for a battle,” Cook said. “It’s a tough draw.
“The CNC League (Galena finished third at 12-3 behind champion St. Mary’s-Colgan and Riverton) prepares us for the state tournament,” Cook said. “For example, the pitching in the league was the best I’ve seen in my 11 years as a coach.”
Baxter Springs, 3A champion in 2006 and 2007, defeated Sacred Heart in the first round last season.
Notes: Cook, who’s assisted by Matt Meyr and Ross Bailey, is in his seventh season as head coach after assisting Tim Casper for four. Cook graduated from Baxter Springs High School in 1990. ... Other opening-round games on Friday are No. 1 Wichita Independent (23-0) vs. Caney Valley (15-8) at 11 a.m., No. 2 Lakin (23-0) vs. Silver Lake (18-5) at 4 and No. 3 Richmond Central Heights (19-2) vs. Doniphan County (17-3) at 6:30.