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2015 Team Preview: Oak Grove Panthers

January 14, 2015

Shon Plack and Jeff Viles
Prep Baseball Report-Missouri

As we prepare for the upcoming 2015 high school season, we will be taking a preseason glimpse at programs from around the state.

Team: Oak Grove
Nickname: Panthers
Class: 4A
League: MVRC West
Head Coach: Kirk Sears
Twitter Handle: @OGBasebll
2014 Overall Record: 22-7
2014 League Record: 8-2
2014 League Finish: 1st
2014 Post-Season Finish: 2nd place finish in Districts

Number of Staring Position Players Lost: 6
Number of Staring Pitchers w/15+ innings 2014 Lost: 2
Number of Starting Position Player Returning: 3
Number of Starting Pitchers w/15+ innings Returning: 3

TOP RETURNERS
Austin Nibarger, LHP/1B, 2015
Austin Reader, RHP/INF, 2015
Aaron Graham, OF, 2015
Skyler Jackson, RHP/UTL, 2015
Tanner Johnson, INF/C, 2016
Josh Lewis, UTL/C, 2016
Zach Hipsher, OF/P, 2015
Jake Hendrix,  UTL/P, 2015


OUTLOOK
The Panthers will enter the 2015 season as the reigning MVRC West Champions, finishing the 2014 season with a 22-7 record overall.  They climbed as high at #7 in the MHSBCA poll in Missouri Class 4, but fell to the hands of Marshall in the District finals. This spring, the Panthers will rely on a pair of seniors on the mound in Austin Nibarger and Austin Reader to get them back into the state tournament.  The senior class will deep with experience.  Aaron Graham and Zach Hipsher look to anchor down the outfield, with Skyler Jackson, Jake Hendrix and Hipsher all contributing on the mound.  Look for Josh Lewis and Tanner Johnson to be impact players in the 2016 class.  The 2015 edition of the Oak Grove Panthers will be poised to make a run at the Final Four in June.

CLICK HERE, to see the Final 2014 MHSBCA Rankings
CLICK HERE, to see the entire list of 2015 Missouri Team Previews

Coaches Preseason Questionnaire

We appreciate all of the help provided by high school coaches across the state assisting with our preseason coverage. If you have not already done so you can fill out our coaches' preseason questionnaire online by CLICKING HERE. 

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