Jimtown High School

Jimmies have solid core as they await baseball season By Red Williams Freelance Sportswriter ELKHART - “We have a solid core to build on,” related Brandon Squibb, head coach of baseball at Jimtown High School. “We will have some growing pains, but expect to be competitive.” The Jimmies, 22-8 last year and 9-1 in the Indiana Northern State Conference to win the title, hope to be in fine mettle as they defend that conference standing and Sectional championship. Jimtown will have some big shoes to fill from that squad: Ty Zartman, Mason Armstrong, Cole Dutton, Ben McAllister, Conner Christman and Jackson Arbogast. Armstrong is playing baseball at Olivet Nazarene, and Christman at Spring Arbor, while McAllister is plying his trade at Bethel University. Squibb, entering his second season at the helm, has four seniors back from last season to form the core: Dalton Cook, likely to be the No. 1 starter on the bump; Brodric Kaler, Collin Davis and Landon Garretson. Cook was 6-1 last season with a 1.47 earned run average and a 40-to-4 strikeouts-to-walks stat. He also hit .386 and drove in 26 runs; he plays shortstop when not pitching. Kaler will play third base and do some pitching. He hit .347 last year with 33 RBI to lead the team, with three homeruns and eight doubles. Davis will be the No. 2 pitcher (2-2 last season with a 3.60 ERA) as well as playing first base. He batted .361 a year ago. Garretson will be a utility player. “He’s our Swiss army knife,” Squibb said. Others battling for starting spots in the lineup are Owen Biggs, a junior catcher who hit .282 last year; seniors Camden Flores, Colin Rivers, and Justin Shellito; Junior Colton Adcock, sophomores Carson Covey; Brayden Presley and Kolton Vitali and freshmen Carter Poole, Logan Smith and Camden Pappas. Squibb figures to use Pappas at short when Cook is on the mound. “We’re throwing a lot at these young guys,” he said, “but we’re hopeful they all will grow up by playoff time.” The Jimmies will find out quickly where they stand, taking on nearby Elkhart in the season opener Monday (3.30.26) at the Lions field. “Our mantra is to always compete,” Squibb said, “and avoid the cardinal sin of backward K’s (called out on strikes) and keeping the errors low.” Davis related, “Everyone’s working hard. A lot of underclassmen are stepping up, doing new things. We will be competitive.” Schedule (all start at 5:30 pm, unless otherwise noted) 3/30 at Elkhart 3/31 at Mishawaka, 5 pm 4/1 at Wawasee 4/2 Warsaw 4/13 South Central 4/15 at Goshen 4/16 Tippecanoe Valley (c) 4/17 at Tippecanoe Valley (c) 4/18 Northridge, noon 4/21 at Kouts, 6 pm 4/23 at Bremen (c) 4 /24 Bremen (c) 4/27 at Mishawaka Marian 4/28 NorthWood, 5 pm 4/30 at LaVille (c) 5/1 LaVille (c) 5/4 Elkhart Christian Academy 5/5 at Westview 5/7 at John Glenn (c) 5/8 John Glenn (c) 5/9 at Fairfield, 10 am 5/11 South Bend Adams 5/14 Knox (c) , 6 pm 5/15 at Knox (c) 5/18 at Edwardsburg 5/19 at Niles 5/22 at Concord, 7:30 pm