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Baseball preview: Storylines to follow this season

Centerville High School pitcher Andrew Brown led the Elks with a 7-1 record and 0.59 earned-run average as a junior last season.

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By Greg Billing, Staff Writer Updated 10:16 AM Tuesday, April 7, 2009

• Centerville and Northmont are the favorites in the Greater Western Ohio Conference Central Division. The pitching-deep Elks won their second straight Central title last season. The hard-hitting Thunderbolts won the North before switching divisions. T-Bolts are paced by Blake Beemer (.446, 33 RBI), Jordan Grillot (.475) and Ian Creager (.412).

• Butler, Sidney and Troy are the frontrunners for the GWOC North. The Aviators are bolstered by an ACME team that qualified for the state tournament and a Jr. ACME team that won state. Troy's defense boasts one of its fastest outfields.

• Lebanon's pitching depth — led by Ryan Butcher, Adam Poff and Dusty Isaacs — has the Warriors the team to beat the GWOC South. Isaacs, who hit five homers last season, also will see time in center field.

• In a change from last season, GWOC games between the North and South will count in the league standings this year. Those teams will now play 13 conference games instead of eight.

• Valley View and Eaton are expected to slug it out for the Southwestern Buckeye League Southwestern Division title, but watch out for pitching-heavy Franklin. Spartans are led by senior catcher Josh Allen (.408) and junior third baseman Zac Cottingim (.500).

• Central Buckeye Conference Player of the Year Allen Comer (.400, 25 RBI, 19 stolen bases) leads Tippecanoe's charge toward another CBC Kenton Division title. Kenton Ridge presents a challenge with 10 returning players from last year's state Division II state semifinalist team.

• Coldwater, with strong-armed Cory Klenke, has won 24 Midwest Athletic Conference titles since 1974. A 25th could be in the works, but St. Henry and Versailles could spoil that.

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