Dixie baseball hopes to build on record-setting season

Record Season

Some of the team and individual records set in 2009 by Dixie’s baseball team:

TEAM

INDIVIDUAL

Dixie baseball coach David Bingham had 2009 circled on his cerebral calendar, stored in his memory like a favorite password or the family birthdays.

It was the season his four four-year starters would be seniors. It was the year Bingham felt his Greyhounds could make a rumble in the Southwestern Buckeye League, and possibly the tournament.

“This was something we anticipated at the beginning of the year,” Bingham said. “These seniors were four-year lettermen for me — they had started as freshmen. This was our best chance to have a really good season. They lived up to their potential.”

Dixie went 21-7, finishing second in the SWBL Buckeye Division at 8-4. More importantly, Dixie did well in the state tournament, advancing to the regional semifinals before losing to Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy. It was the deepest playoff run for Dixie baseball since 1965.

Bingham’s high hopes centered on four seniors — Nick Worley, Josh Gratsch, his son Aaron Bingham and Wiley Vires.

Bingham batted better than .600 the past two seasons as Dixie’s leadoff hitter and shortstop. He was named first-team All-Ohio and has committed to Urbana to play baseball.

Gratsch was one of two seven-game winners for Dixie as a pitcher. He committed to Ohio Northern and will pitch and play outfield for the Polar Bears.

Before the big four arrived, Dixie was in a slump. Bingham took over as coach in 2004 and inherited a team that won two games the previous season.

In Bingham’s first year, the team won three. In 2006, Dixie improved to 15 wins.

“We gradually progressed from there,” Bingham said.

All that progress was needed in a home game against West Carrollton, just before the start of the playoffs. Dixie was down 8-2 to the Pirates — not how Bingham wanted to start the postseason.

“We came all the way back and beat them in the bottom of the seventh,” Bingham said.

“That really gave us positive momentum. The kids believed they could do anything after that game.”

Dixie beat Stivers 12-4 in the first round of the playoffs. Then came league rival Carlisle in the sectional final. Dixie won, 3-1. The Greyhounds bumped into Cincinnati Madeira in the district final and won 6-4.

“It was a huge thing for the kids,” Bingham said. “Just the opportunity to get in that district championship knowing no one had done it since 1965. The school gave us a big send-off for the regional. It didn’t pan out, but it was a big moment for the kids.”

Bingham hopes this year’s success pans out for next year. Seven-game winner and cleanup batter Ryan Hayes returns. Another pitcher, Reed Campbell, will be a senior. Michael Hall, a center fielder, is an early favorite to bat leadoff.

Bingham hopes some key returnees can make up for big holes in the lineup. All the new-found enthusiasm for Dixie baseball shouldn’t hurt, either.

“We are pretty excited,” Bingham said.

“This season, it’s really helped us get the kids thinking about baseball.”