The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Sports

March 17, 2008

Sectional champion Raiders have to overcome loss of Webb

By Gary Fauber

Donald Barnett is in his first year as Liberty’s head coach, but he’s no stranger to the team.

Barnett was an assistant last season, which means he can answer one of the biggest questions about that talented group.

Where’s the spoon?

The Raiders came up with possibly the strangest superstition in a game full of them when Pat Hedgecock found a wooden spoon under a set of bleachers at Shady Spring. He kept the spoon, and Liberty went on a long winning streak that eventually led to the team’s second straight sectional championship.

Coincidence? Of course. But the spoon became a rallying point for one fun ride.

Now, the spoon is with Hedgecock at Bethany College.

“I guess he figured he needed all the luck he could get so he took it with him,” Barnett joked.

The spoon is gone, and so is a huge chunk of the two-time sectional champions.

Chief among them is pitcher/shortstop Kyle Webb, a Class AA first-team all-stater his junior and senior seasons. The right-hander was 7-6 last year, absorbing most of the losses the first half of the season. But he had 152 strikeouts in 87 innings and an earned run average of only 1.77.

Also gone are outfielders Erik Bower and Josh Hodge and catcher Jeremy King.

Leading Liberty into 2008 will be left fielder Nic Hudnall, who hit .460 with eight homers last season.

Among the top players for the Raiders will be pitcher/first baseman Jacob Shea, utility player Jeff Wills and pitcher/outfielder Matt Acord. Wesley Moore will be at third base and Zack Acord takes over behind the plate.

Barnett, who takes over for Matt Lacek, thinks first-year seniors Austin Wright and Justin Breton could “step right in” as outfielders.

“We have nine freshmen and I believe a couple of them could be studs next year,” Barnett added.

In addition to assisting last year, Barnett also is an assistant football coach and a teacher at the school. Familiarity will not be a problem.

“We have 25 kids who want to be there,” Barnett said. “They have good attitudes and they’re working hard.”

Barnett thinks two straight sectional titles can provide inspiration to the team, but he wants the players to take the one-game-at-a-time approach.

The Raiders open the season at home against Oak Hill at 5:30 p.m. today.

— E-mail: gfauber@

register-herald.com

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