“That was the most terrifying thing I’ve ever been on,” he said.
The Braves return one of the top-scoring teams in the area. And while foes may not go as far as labeling that offense as terrifying, it’s certainly capable of spooking opposing pitchers.
They scored 35 runs and struck out just three times while going 3-1 in Tennessee. They clubbed 22 homers that cleared fences last year and five of the seven returning position players hit above .300.
“We were a really good hitting team last year,” said Roberts said.
The Braves (16-10) finished second at 11-5 in the Central Buckeye Conference Kenton Division. Opponents took notice of how well they batted.
“The Indian Lake coach asked us last year, ‘How long do you spend on hitting?’ ” Roberts aid.
Actually, the Braves don’t devote much more time to it than anyone else, but they do have some creative methods.
Roberts doesn’t believe in hitting much off pitching machines. He’ll put a safety net 10-15 feet from home plate for live pitching to get players accustomed to seeing the ball come out of the hand.
He also attaches a trash can to the safety net about seven feet above the ground to encourage players to drive the ball up the middle.
“When someone hits that trash can, it rings out, and you get a big, ‘Whoooo.’ And the kid gets to sign it. It’s kind of a motivational thing,” Roberts said.
In another tool to inspire all-around play, the coach hands out beads for positive results such as a home run, diving catch or victory. When the team accumulates 20, the players can choose between getting Schuler’s donuts, devising their own practice or skipping practice altogether. They reached 20 in Tennessee and chose to take Tuesday off.
While Kenton Ridge has dominated the division, Shawnee has finished second twice in the last four years and reached a Division II regional final in 2014. It appears Roberts may have his best team yet:
• Senior shortstop Aliya Saunders hit .379 last year with five homers, giving her 18 for her career.
• First baseman Abbie Tuttle batted .414 with six homers and 37 RBI’s. Claudia Spitzer, who has moved from second base to third, batted .398. Second baseman Makenna Loveless hit .420 and center-fielder Paree Furness .303.
• Pitcher Mary Britton, first team All-CBC last season with Tuttle and Loveless, went 13-7 with a 3.36 ERA.
The Cal Ripken fields are replicas of current Major League stadiums. One of them was modeled after Fenway Park with its Green Monster wall in left field.
“Claudia Spitzer hit one over the Green Monster, just to the right of it,” Roberts said. “It was 226 feet and she cleared the fence. It was a bomb. When I looked at the fields, I said, ‘Nobody is going to hit a home run.’ And in the first game in the first inning, she unloaded.”
That likely won’t be the last impressive clout for the Braves.
Well worth it: Roberts would recommend the Pigeon Forge trip to other schools. The team raised $4,000 with a golf scramble at Locust Hills and the players paid only for their meals and recreation.
“It was jammed packed, but it was probably the best way to do it — not a lot of down time and we had a lot of time together as a team,” he said.
Helping hand: Roberts' daughter, Erica Ryan, is his assistant. She was known as Erica Roberts when she pitched for Northwestern in 2010, going 10-9 with a 2.89 ERA as a senior.
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