H.S. Baseball Notes: Overs’ stellar career coming to an end
Steve Byrne | The Chronicle-Telegram
Soon it will be over for Overs.
Aaron Overs’ fine career at Open Door School will end soon. It has been quite a run for him at the small school in western Elyria that, because of size and not belonging to a conference, sometimes flies under the radar.
His coach, Matt Loescher, believes he could play for any school of any size in the area. “I will greatly miss Aaron,” Loescher said.
What coach wouldn’t miss a player who has been batting .393 (22-for-56) with 20 runs batted in, 16 runs scored, 12 extra-base hits and 12 stolen bases playing every inning of every game this season? Who would not cherish a player who has struck out only twice through 66 plate appearances and gets on base 47 percent of the time?
Overs owns OD career records for hits (98), RBIs (75) and stolen bases (68). He set the single-season record for triples this year (7) and holds the school’s single-season record for steals (28). He has single-game records for RBIs (7) and stolen bases (6).
The Patriots have at least eight more games for Overs to pad his career marks, set some new ones and try to break his own season and one-game standards.
Statistics will likely be Overs’ legacy. According to Loescher, his senior captain speaks about as often as an organized-crime kingpin facing a Senate subcommittee.
“Aaron says few words, if any, to his teammates,” Loescher said. “In four years I have never seen Aaron get angry or excited. He approaches every game, every at-bat, every defensive situation with calm confidence.”
He will attend Mount Union College next year with the option to play baseball. The MUC athletic department wants him , but Overs might hold off until he’s on strong academic footing, Loescher said.
“He’s held his own against good competition,” Loescher said. “We play against bigger schools. I believe Aaron actually thrives against better competition.”
A shoulder injury forced Overs to switch to left field from shortstop this season. He has stayed true to form and not let on about whatever pain he might’ve experienced.
“You will be lucky to get a verbal response if you ask Aaron a question,” Loescher said. “He will answer simply with a shake of his head and a cool grin.”
Dedication
A new scoreboard is going up at Amherst Steele. The Class of 1991 bought the $14,000 piece of equipment and will dedicate it to one of its own, Jason Dusho, who died unexpectedly on Dec. 19, 2006.
Dedication will be Thursday before Amherst’s sectional game against the winner of the Elyria-Southview game Wednesday.
Dusho was a creative director for radio station WJLB in Detroit. His professional name was Jason Alexander. He had been a pitcher for the 1991 baseball team.
More dedication
When Bay beat Fairview 9-0 on Thursday, it ended any chance Vermilion had of gaining a share of the West Shore Conference championship.
Don Greenleaf didn’t know that at the time, and it likely wouldn’t have mattered, because he kept Sailor hopes alive with a diving catch, with his body fully stretched, in the seventh inning to preserve Vermilion’s 11-10 victory over Rocky River.
The Pirates had runners at second and third with two out when center fielder Greenleaf made his spectacular catch in
left-center. Had he not gotten to the ball, Rocky River would have gotten two runs to pull out a victory and make the outcome of the Bay-Fairview game moot for Vermilion.
Contact Steve Byrne at 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com.
Player of the Week
Steve Wirth, Keystone
CLASS: Senior
POSITIONS: Pitcher, outfielder
LAST WEEK: Hit two home runs and drove in eight runs as Keystone scored easy victories over Patriot Athletic Conference rival Clearview and non-conference foe New London.
PARENTS: Debbie and Gregg
OTHER SPORT: football (running back-safety)
SUMMER TEAM: J.L. Clevelanders
IN HIS FREE TIME: Staying active is his goal. He will participate in any sports-related activity. He enjoys lifting weights and just being around friends.
FUTURE PLANS: Go to college to study computer graphics and design. Steve has not decided on which college, however.
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Filed by Steve Byrne | The Chronicle-Telegram May 9th, 2008 in Sports. Popularity: 4% |
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