Just as the Fayette Falcons were ready to embark upon the 2020 baseball season, it came to a screeching halt. COVID-19 struck, causing the Missouri State High School Activities Association to shut down all 2020 spring sports, wiping out high school baseball state-wide. 

Some players across the state were able to find teams on which to play later in the summer, some even with their own high school teams. But that was not the case with most of the Falcons. With Central Methodist’s Estes Field being the “home” field for the Falcons, it would have been very difficult for Fayette to field a team without having a ballpark to really call home. CMU maintains the field year-round to continue to have a quality playing surface required to achieve the degree of success they have.

Fayette, through the hard work of many, has been able this year to utilize Lembke Field to some degree for spring training purposes. While not ideal, the infield has been enlarged by skinning the grass off a portion of the outfield, thereby allowing for 90-foot base paths on the dirt. The configuration, however, puts first and third bases approximately 10 feet from the fence.

Undaunted, head coach Charlie Trick and his team are just happy to be Shiflett back on a field after no season last year and a 2019 season in which they did not get on an actual field until the night before their season opener, with practices being held in a local warehouse.

Fayette will boast many returners from last year’s spring team, with two seniors, Jonathan Ebbesmeyer and Robert Saunders, returning. Familiar faces from the junior class will be Matthew Stornello and Tyler Bartholomew. Alex McBain, Haden Kelly, Gage Sulltrop, Caleb Thompson, Mason Sappington, and Landon Shachlete will return from the sophomore class.

The old guard will be welcoming reinforcements in the form of senior Zane Rice, and juniors Chris Brown, Dalton Collins, and Cale Hudson. Joining the newcomers will be sophomore D.J. Moore and freshman Jayden Shiflett.

“Jonathan Ebbesmeyer brings the most experience as the only four-year senior on the team,” said coach Trick. “He has been a great leader by example as well as verbally. Zane Rice and Robert Saunders are our two other seniors that provide us with defensive versatility and are great offensive weapons.”

Effective pitching is always the cornerstone of any good baseball team and coach Trick believes he has several pitchers available as the season begins. Collins, McBain, Kelly, Shiflett, Stornello, and Brown all look to see time on the hill this year either as starters or relievers. Reliance on them in any situation will be a key throughout the season.

The other half of the battery will be mostly manned by Sulltrop. Acting as his backup will be Stornello and Bartholomew. “Both Tyler and Matthew have shown promise in bullpens and blocking work,” said Trick.

While not willing to name a starting lineup at the time of this interview, Trick acknowledged there were about six players in the race to be starting infielders. “Kelly, Collins, Bartholomew, Shiflett, Brown, and Stornello are competing for those top four spots and have all shown the ability to produce in more than one position,” said Trick.

“Our outfield is returning a lot of experience which we are excited about. McBain, Ebbesmeyer, Shiflett, Bartholomew, Stornello, and Sappington have all shown impressive control of the outfield,” Trick said.

Speed will be another key of this Fayette team with six of the nine possible starters, Sulltrop, McBain, Bartholomew, Collins, Shiflett, and Kelly being legitimate threats on the bases and in the field. 

“We have very talented and hard-working guys on both sides of the baseball this year and we believe we can compete at a very high level,” said Trick. “As for goals, we believe every year the goal and expectation should be a state championship.”