Around the Horn

Let's go "Around the Horn" with Salina Ortho, Kansas Pregame's look at some of the top baseball stories from across the state, presented by Central Kansas' largest Orthopedic's Practice, Salina Ortho.

Marion is headed to the 2-1A state baseball touranment for the fifth time since 2017 after knocking off top-seeded Sedgwick 6-1 in the regional finals. The run scored by the Cardinals was the only one the two-seeded Warriors allowed throughout the postseason, outscoring opponents 40-1 through three games.   

To read more on Marion baseball, check out our Spring Edition feature below:

Marion made a trip to the 2-1A title game last May, finishing as runner-up to Colgan and closing the season with a 20-3 overall mark, a great year for a talented senior class that featured three All-League selections.

“I was very happy how the season turned out with making it to the state championship,” current senior Jack Lanning said. “Coming up short was obviously disappointing, but getting there was a great accomplishment.”

Despite the graduation losses, the Warriors do return significant talent in five seniors, among them All-State utility player Jack Lanning, who batted .549 with 39 hits, 23 RBIs, 44 runs scored, four doubles, four triples, a homer, and 27 steals and was 2-1 with a 3.11 ERA and two saves over 18 innings pitched.

“Jack has been the catalyst of our program going on four years now,” head coach Roger Schroeder said. “Since his freshman year he has played and contributed as an impact player at many positions. This year he will settle into his role as our starting shortstop in addition to his role on the mound out of the bullpen.  Last season he played every position except for first base and catcher, so this will be a little bit of an adjustment for him playing full time at one spot. Offensively he’s a great table setter out of the leadoff spot. His blend of power and speed sets the tone for our lineup.”

As a sophomore, Lanning set the school records for runs in a season with 49, led the team in average, hits, triples, runs, and stolen bases as a junior, and now, as a senior, has already reached another milestone in early season action becoming just the third player in program history to collect 100 hits.

A particular area Marion has question marks is pitching, and while Lanning, along with fellow senior Cooper Bailey, provide good arms on the mound, the loss of 50% of their innings from 2023 hurts.

Luckily, the return of senior pitcher and first baseman Trevor Schafers from a football injury to his non-throwing shoulder that kept him out until the tail end of last baseball season should help solidfy the rotation.

“Trevor is back in the fold for us this year after missing most of last season due to shoulder surgery,” Schroeder said. “He came back at the very end of last season and provided some needed depth to our pitching staff.  He threw a complete game shutout - one hit, 2 BB, 8 K - in the regional quarterfinals that set us up to make a day two run with a well-rested staff.“

As a sophomore, Schafers was 5-0 with a 3.03 ERA with a team leading 32⅓ innings pitched, and posted a .368 batting average with 28 hits, nine doubles, a triple, and a team high three homers, while in his limited junior campaign he ended with a .333 average, two hits, a double, and two runs scored, along with a 2-0 mark on the mound with 0.00 ERA in 10 innings pitched.

“He will be relied upon to be a key piece in our rotation and a big bat in the middle of the order,” Schroeder said. “After missing most of last season, I think he’s excited to be back healthy and play a big role in our success.”

Schafers’ excitement follows his determination to get back to form.

“For me I just want to get back to where I was pre-injury and be the best that I can be,” Schafers said. “As well as show how much I’ve grown in the offseason.”

The goal of getting back to All-State form on the mound led Schafers to forgo his senior basketball season to focus on a return to the diamond.

“Didn’t play a winter sport and lived in the weight room,” Schafers said. “Tons of work in the cage and have been throwing on my own time with some teammates just about every nice day we get.”

Lanning and Schafers don’t just make a great duo on the diamond; both earned All-State honors in the backfield at quarterback and running back respectively, and led the Warriors to a 9-2 season that ended with a narrow loss to eventual 1A champion Conway Springs in the quarterfinals of the state playoffs.

Along with Lanning and Schafers, others back include seniors Cooper Bailey (OF/P, .328, 21 H, 5 2B, 2 3B, HR, 22 RBI, 28 R, 8 SB; 3.25 ERA,  4-1, 23.2 IP), Gavin Wasmuth (C, .377, 19 H, 5 2B, 2 3B, 28 RBI) and Cole Smith (INF, .279, 12 H, 2 2B, 19 RBI, 23 R), while Schroeder and company hope to see All-State junior Lander Smith (1B/OF, .383, 23 H, 3 2B, 2 3B, 30 RBI, 30R) return from an injury that has the potential to keep him out this spring.

“We have the core roster to make another run deep into the postseason,” Schroeder said. “A lot will depend on our depth on the mound.  We must replace 50% of our innings pitched from last season, but we are hopeful Trevor can pick up a good amount of that workload.”

After graduation Lanning plans to play football at Coffeyville, while Schafers will do an electrician apprenticeship, but first they have unfinished business.  

“This year’s goal is to make it back to state and win it all,” Lanning said.

The Warriors started the season with a pair of losses to 3A schools Trinity Academy and Cheney in the Air Capital Classic, but rebounded with a dominant doubleheader sweep of Conway Springs.