Notebook: Strong Offense Propelling Holt Baseball

The baseball team entered play this weekend with an 8-4 record, and now has its collective sights set on the GAC South league schedule. The Indians boast a mighty offense that is averaging nearly nine runs per game, and has scored 14 or more runs in a single game five times this season.

But, as Holt coach Joel Adam is well aware, good pitching can always beat a good offense. After reeling off four straight wins, Holt has dropped two of its past three games, including a 7-0 defeat to Fort Zumwalt North last Friday and an 8-1 loss to Francis Howell on Tuesday. Sandwiched in between was an 8-6 home victory last Monday over Fort Zumwalt South.

After playing Clayton on Saturday evening at TR Hughes Ballpark in O’Fallon, Holt will host a GAC South game against Howell Central on Tuesday at 4:15 p.m. The Indians will travel to Quincy on Wednesday at 4 p.m.

As the league schedule gets under way, the race promises to be tight and thrilling. Six of the seven schools are at least four games above .500, including defending conference champion Francis Howell at 13-1, Howell Central at 10-3 and Timberland at 8-3. Timberland won the GAC North in 2010 before the conference was realigned.

Adam’s offense is well-balanced and features nine batters hitting over .300. Leading the charge is senior infielder-pitcher Nolan Fisher, who has signed to play baseball at Southeast Missouri State University next season. Fisher is hitting .459 with two home runs and 19 runs batted in. Senior outfielder Connor Hales is hitting a team-best .512 on 22 hits and he has scored 20 runs. Junior shortstop Ben Snarr is hitting .410 with 16 RBI, and senior outfielder Cody Bishop (.381, 11 RBI), junior catcher Nate Giessmann (.375, 12 RBI) and junior first baseman Dylan Skinner (.304, 10 RBI) have each been prominent in the Indians’ attack.

Hales is also 3-0 as a pitcher while senior Mike Rivolta has been Adam’s most effective pitcher with a 1.21 earned-run average in 17 1/3 innings pitched.

The Holt girls soccer team is 4-9-0 following their 1-0 victory over Timberland (1-9) on Thursday night. The Indians are 1-1 in GAC South play, and will host conference foe Francis Howell Central (6-7) next Tuesday at 4 p.m before a rematch at rival Timberland on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.

Coach Bobby Nicholson has seen his team score just 14 goals, with five coming from sophomore forward Kam Taouil and four from junior forward Julie Ireland, who tied for the team lead last season with five goals.