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PBR Michigan Division 3 Team Of The Week - Buchanan

BUCHANAN - The first year of the Jim Brawley coaching era at Buchanan is off to a solid start.

The only losses to date for the Bucks have come to two-time defending Division 2 champion Stevensville Lakeshore. Buchanan is currently 4-2 while also leading two other games that were not able to be concluded. It has Buchanan honored as PBR Michigan’s Division 3 Team of the Week.

“It’s been a lot of fun,” Brawley said. “We have a good group of kids, a lot that I knew from coaching travel ball. There’s a lot of talent from the freshmen up to the seniors. The kids are working hard and we have a good staff.”

Brawley is happy to be in charge of a program in a place like Buchanan.

“This is a good baseball town that started with Bob Storm winning state championships,” Brawley explained. “Last year they were 14-11 but we expected to win this year with a good group of kids. We feel we can play with most teams and compete with everybody we play.”

A strong batting lineup has been key to the start.

“We’re hitting the ball right through the lineup,” Brawley noted. “Our eight-hole hitter Austin Williams is batting .600.”

Junior catcher Dedrick Adkerson is batting .412, senior left fielder Brandon Rogers .364 and senior center fielder Kade Hearington .360.

“We put in a lot of time,” Brawley said about what he likes most about his squad. “We hit right through the lineup and we play good defense. That’s a rare combination when you hit the baseball and back it up with solid defense.”

Junior third baseman Sam Riley and freshman shortstop Matthew Hoover have been big in the infield along with Williams at second base.

“We didn’t know what to do there,” Brawley said about second. “He worked out for me in the fall and I was still not sure. He’s got a laid back personality so you’re not sure about him, but he’s been great for us. He’s made every play.”

That has helped a pitching staff that is led by a trio of junior right-handers. Bradley VanOverberghe has a 1.10 ERA while Jacob Hoover is at 2.50.

“Both can bring it with good offspeed pitches,” Brawley said of the one-two starting pitchers on the team. “The pitch count gets to them sometimes.”

Kennan Janowski has been outstanding out of the bullpen, not permitting an earned run entering this week of action.

“The key for us is to continue to take coaching,” Brawley said. “The kids have done a good job accepting coaching and they continue to work. If we put in the work and play the game hard this can be a lot of fun.”