Senath-Hornersville BB has taken a journey to success

Then-Senath-Hornersville sophomore catcher Jesus Mendoza makes a throw during the 2022 MSHSAA Class 2 District 1 Tournament against Bernie at Meatte Park in Portageville. Mendoza will play next season at Crowley's Ridge College in Arkansas.

Tom Davis ~ Tdavis@semoball.com

CARUTHERSVILLE – Senath-Hornersville High School is so far south in the Bootheel, that it often proves to be a journey for the Lions to venture anywhere.

That is the literal case for the school’s student-athletes, but in the case of the Senath-Hornersville varsity baseball squad, it has proven to be a figurative journey, as well.

The Lions have won 11 games this spring, and their next victory will match the program’s most successful spring in six years.

“A lot of these guys, who are seniors now,” veteran Senath-Hornersville coach Chris McClain said during this week’s Bootheel Conference Tournament, “have been playing for four years.”

That growth and maturity have paid dividends.

As freshmen, now-seniors Madox Belcher, Christian “Pookie” Garza, Amador Luna, and Jesus “Chewy” Mendoza, won just five games, but that improved to seven in 2022.

That number grew to 12 last year and with (at least) three games remaining this season, the Lions have the potential to top the 13-win campaign in 2017.

“It’s one of those things where they have been a part of the program for four years,” McClain said, “and they have matured, gotten stronger, and it is kind of a learning process in the way that we like to do things.

“It’s paying off.”

That showed on Tuesday, as Senath-Hornersville nearly knocked off Class 2 No. 3-ranked Portageville in the semifinal of the Bootheel Conference Tournament before falling 5-4.

The Lions held a 4-3 lead in the sixth inning before the Bulldogs rallied against Garza’s pitching.

“Pookie isn’t a guy who will throw it by you,” McClain said, “but he is a guy who we can rely on to go out there and throw strikes and get people out.”

Garza threw all six innings and walked just two batters while striking out three. He allowed nine hits and four earned runs.

Against Portageville, Garza threw 63 strikes in his 105 pitches.

The growth of the Lions can be seen in numbers, as well.

Four years ago, Senath-Hornersville allowed seven runs per game by its opposition, whereas, this spring, that number has been lowered to less than four.

“Defensively,” McClain said, “we’ve gotten better every year. These guys have gotten reps and matured and have been around the game more.”

Senath-Hornersville will visit East Prairie (13-9) on Saturday at 4:30 p.m.