WAYNESBORO – The Waynesboro Area Senior High School varsity baseball team has arguably experienced the most continuity of any high school program, and not just in Waynesboro.
The Indians, under the direction of second-year head coach Travis Hardman, wants to continue its winning ways. And, while other Waynesboro teams highlight opposing teams, it is the baseball team that probably gets extra special attention when players and coaches look at the schedule.
Hardman has been a part of the Waynesboro baseball program since the mid-1990s, when he was a standout pitcher who inherited ace status after Matt White graduated in 1996. Hardman played at George Mason University from 1999 to 2003 and decided to continue his life in Waynesboro.
Hardman was an assistant coach under Greg Chandler for 18 seasons. When Chandler retired following the 2020 season (which was canceled because of COVID-19).
Last season was a highlight in and of itself. Waynesboro finished with a 14-5 record, 11-3 in the Mid-Penn Colonial Division. The Tribe just missed a league title as Northern York had that distinction.
Waynesboro lost a heartbreaker to South Western in the first round of the District 3 playoffs, losing 1-0.
Hardman was very appreciative of last year’s senior group, which made up the infield and pitching. Bryce Shaffer has gone on to play in college at York College. Izzy Reed and Josh Clapsaddle are playing collegiately at Hagerstown Community. Fred Guarino is attending Penn State-Altoona where he is also playing the sport.
Waynesboro’s baseball tradition will be put to the test this season. The Indians will have a new group of infielders, and the pitchers are young and untested.
“I am looking for growth,” Hardman said of the 2022 version of the Waynesboro baseball team. “Other than Garrett Beaver, we are very young on the mound with two sophomores and two freshmen. I am hoping one or two of those young pitchers can step up.
“We also lost our entire starting infield to graduation, so we need to make plays behind them. Our starting shortstop is a sophomore (Kellan Smith), and our starting third baseman is a freshman (Ethan Hotchkiss).”
Overall, the Indians graduated nine players, while this year’s squad returns eight players – Beaver, Maddox Brooks, Luke Martin, Evan Swanson, Wynkoop, Jared Peck, Garrett Blount and Dominic Moats.
ROSTER
Seniors – Garrett Beaver, Luke Martin, Evan Swanson, Garrett Blount, Jared Peck, Nathan Wynkoop, Maddox Brooks
Juniors – Ethan Earley, Devin Wynkoop, Dylan Morgan, Aiden Campbell, Evan Stein
Sophomores – Mason Gochenour, Kellan Smith, Dominic Moats, Logan Clapsaddle
Freshmen – Bryan Benedict, Ethan Hotchkiss
SCHEDULE
March 26, at Cedar Cliff, 12:30 p.m.; March 29, at West Perry, 4:30 p.m.; March 31, Greencastle-Antrim, 4:15 p.m.; April 1, Spring Grove, 4:15 p.m.; April 5, at James Buchanan, 4:15 p.m.; April 7, Northern York, 4:15 p.m.; April 8, Harrisburg, 4:15 p.m.; April 12, at Boiling Springs, 4:15 p.m.; April 14, Shippensburg, 4:15 p.m.; April 18, at Chambersburg, 4:30 p.m.; April 19, Big Spring, 4:15 p.m.; April 21, West Perry, 4:15 p.m.; April 26, at Greencastle-Antrim, 4:15 p.m.; April 28, James Buchanan, 4:15 p.m.; May 3, at Northern York, 4:30 p.m.; May 5, Boiling Springs, 4:15 p.m.; May 6, at Carlisle, 4:30 p.m.; May 10, at Shippensburg, 4:15 p.m.; May 12, at Big Spring, 4:15 p .m.; May 16, Mechanicsburg, 4:15 p.m.
