By Ken Hansard
TheAndover Trojans baseball team returns all but one starter from last season’s team that fell one game shy of a state berth after a tough loss in the Regional Championship game. They should have great depth and an elite pitching staff, including senior right-hander and ace, Brody Bailey.
Bailey has compiled some impressive credentials. He has already set Andover’s single-season school record for ERA with an impressive 1.08. He was a First-Team All- ACTVL D2 honoree and a Second-Team All-Metro selection. He would like to improve upon that school record and to additionally set a new mark as Andover’s career ERA leader. If Bailey can do those things, his other goals of repeating as First-Team All-League and being named First-Team All-State and All-Metro Area should be well within reach.
Andover finished 16-12 last year with a heart breaking season-ending loss to Hays in the Regional Championship. After an off-season of contemplation and hard work, Bailey and his teammates are ready to accomplish something special this season, “My biggest weakness has been my velocity. I’ve been getting after it in the weight room to get that up. As a team, we are looking to make a run in the State tournament and win our league. We have a lot of talent. We have depth and an elite pitching staff. We are good at every position and have power and speed throughout the lineup.”
Bailey spent two years at rival Kapaun before transferring to Heights for one semester. He then transferred to Andover for the second half of his junior year. It was especially rewarding to him to set the ERA record in his first stint as a Trojan, “I worked my way up to get that record my first year on varsity and first semester at the school.”
Now, as a senior and veteran member of the Trojans’ staff, Brody wants to step into more of a mentorship role and lead his team to something that Andover High has never accomplished – a state championship. “I should be our number one pitcher, and I need to bring the energy and keep the team morale high. We have a great group of guys, and all are good friends, so that shouldn’t be difficult. In the end, I intend to be whatever my team needs – whether that is out of the bullpen or starting.”
Brody has also played football for the Trojans and he is one of the leaders of the AHS 6th Man Section for basketball. Bailey has committed to Dodge City Community College to continue his education and baseball career.
