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Team Of The Week: Fort Loramie Picking Up Where They Left Off

FORT LORAMIE - With most of last year’s Division IV state championship squad back, the target is no doubt on the back of Fort Loramie this year.

So far the target has not been hit and in doing so the top-ranked D-IV team in the state is one of this week’s Prep Baseball Report Ohio Teams of the Week.

The Redskins have won their first 10 games in impressive fashion with victories over D-IV sixth-ranked Minster, D-III eighth-ranked Coldwater and D-III ninth-ranked Wheelersburg.

“We knew there would be a target on our back with so many guys returning,” admitted Fort Loramie head coach Jeff Sanders, whose squad defeated Anna - a team which stood 7-1 coming in - on Thursday 23-0 in a battle for first place in the Shelby County Athletic League. “We knew the state ratings would look at us in a favorable light. We use that as motivational. We’re going to get everyone’s best shot, let’s see what we’re made of.”

With a sophomore catcher the only non-senior starter, the Redskins obviously have the opportunity to repeat as state champion.

“There’s a chance they can go down as the greatest baseball class in Fort Loramie history,” Sanders said. “It’s a group that has always been talented and looked at early on with big expectations. But I think they’ve handed it well. They still play loose and they’re having fun.”

Improvement on the mound has played a big part in the early success.

“We’re pitching better this year,” Sanders noted. “Going deep into counts was one of our weaknesses last year. Some of these guys worked out a lot in the winter on their own and one of the challenges we told them was to hit their spots. Once practice started, it was about focusing on a better pitching plan and not going deep into counts.

“It keeps the defense on their toes and keeps the game flow moving better. As a result, our defense is better.”

Ace pitcher Jared Middendorf (Video), a 6-4 205-pound left-hander committed to Huntington University, has led the way on the mound for Fort Loramie with Nate Raterman, CJ Billing and junior Griffin Meyer all lending to the cause for Sanders and company. Middendorf threw a three-hitter in last year’s state semifinal 2-1 win over Garfield Heights Trinity.

When it comes to hitting, left fielder Ben Barhorst has led the way with a batting average of .600.

“He’s a left-handed hitter that can bunt and drive the ball the other way,” Sanders said of Barhorst.

Trying to improve upon the perfect start remains a quest for the Redskins.

“We’re always looking for weaknesses, for mistakes, things we can work on in practice,” Sanders said. “Teams are looking to knock us off and they may do some things unconventional to catch us off guard. We need to be prepared for anything, expect the unexpected.

“Our staff does a great job of preparing our team for every facet. We just need to continue to reinforce things we talked about at the start of practice, keep our focus a day at a time and be prepared.”

The challenges never end for the defending state champs with D-III seventh-ranked Versailles on tap for a doubleheader Saturday and the Fort Loramie Invitational next Saturday featuring Elida, Minster and Indian Lake. Another matchup the following week takes place against Versailles at Fifth Third Field in Dayton with bigger schools like Springfield, Sidney and Bellefontaine also on the schedule.

“You ride that high of winning a state championship for a long time, but I’m a bit surprised how relentless these guys have been at the start of the season,” Sanders said. “We sort of pulled back the reins in the fall, they were hitting maybe too much and we didn’t want them to be burned out in May.

“The drive and desire of these guys is amazing. They’re never satisfied and always ready to get after it. It’s a special thing.”