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Bishop McLaughlin baseball has early ambition for postseason

 
Published Feb. 18, 2015

SPRING HILL — JetBlue Park in Fort Myers will host the state high school baseball tournament this year, and the spring training home of the Boston Red Sox is where Bishop McLaughlin expects to be playing come May.

"Our goal is to make it to JetBlue," coach Jeff Swymer said. "We've had pictures of the field posted in the locker room since the fall."

Heading into this season, the program is 143-95 under three different coaches. In that span, the Hurricanes have been to the postseason seven times, missing the playoffs once in the past eight years, but this team has a different feel to it.

Swymer, in his second year at Bishop, fell right into place as the leader of the program. He was focused on instilling a better attitude into his players from the first time he stepped into the dugout.

"When I took the job, I went to watch the team play the spring game against Land O'Lakes," he said. "They lost 15-0 and guys were in the dugout laughing and joking around. The biggest thing we had to do was create a sense of discipline. . . . When we lose a game now, the losses bother guys."

Swymer helped Bishop McLaughlin to a district title last year, defeating Tampa Prep 2-0 in the final. The Terrapins returned the favor only a week later, ousting the Hurricanes in the region semifinals, but the foundation for the future was set.

Hurler Will Potosky, who shut down the Tampa Prep bats in the final, is back for his senior campaign. In fact, all five of the players who hit over .300 for the Hurricanes last season and four of the team's top five pitchers all return.

Expectations are obviously high for the Hurricanes, but the group is taking nothing for granted. Competing in Class 3A, District 7, Bishop McLaughlin is making sure it is battle-tested with a rigorous regular-season schedule. In the first four games, Bishop McLaughlin has topped Sunlake (5A) and Clearwater (7A). The team's only loss came on the road in a 2-1 nail-biter against East Lake (7A).

"That's exactly why I like making the schedule," Swymer said. "The regular season doesn't mean a whole lot, and if our goal is to get to JetBlue, we aren't going to get there if we don't challenge ourselves now."

There has already been plenty of highlights early in the campaign. After going 76-33 over four years with Wiregrass Ranch, Swymer picked up his 100th career victory in Bishop's 3-1 win over IMG Academy last week.

In the 1-0 win over Clearwater, junior Carson Ragsdale put up six no-hit innings, striking out 12 and walking one. It was a dominant performance for a starter who is taking over as the staff ace.

Ragsdale (5-4, 2.12 ERA) led the team in innings pitched a year ago and showed great versatility as a reliever and starter.

"He threw a lot last year as a sophomore," Swymer said. "Carson got thrust into a role he probably wasn't ready for, but it serves us well this year that he logged those innings against quality teams."

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Ragsdale is joined by senior Nate Pearson, who returns to the rotation after missing last season because of injury. The duo is a formidable combination.

At the plate, the Hurricanes are also loaded. Dillon Morton led the team in runs batted in a season ago (15), and Paul Coumoulos was the team leader in batting average (.393). Ragsdale led Bishop McLaughlin in runs scored (21).

It's a foundation that should intimidate any opponent, and the Hurricanes have plenty of tough games ahead. Besides a difficult district schedule, Bishop McLaughlin still has big games with Springstead, Nature Coast and Pasco.

After the school's four district championships and a 5-7 all-time record in the postseason, Swymer is looking forward to making history with this group. In 2010, Bishop McLaughlin reached the region final before losing to eventual state finalist Shorecrest Prep. The team has the potential to go even farther if all of the pieces fall into place.

"After our (playoff) loss to Tampa Prep last year, hopefully (the players) learned that you have to show up every day," Swymer said. "Our guys got the taste in their mouths of what it's like to be in the playoffs, where every pitch and every play matters. They want it more now."