Mountain Grove Panthers set for spring

Mountain Grove’s baseball team is entering the 2025 season under the direction of new head coach Jeff Richardson, who comes over from Houston to take over a Panthers team that was 12-13 overall last spring.
Coach Richardson, along with assistant coaches Christian Vonderheide and Garrett Newberry, know the key to the Panthers’ success this year will be how well the pitching staff takes shape after losing five of their top six pitchers to graduation.
The lone returning pitcher is 6’5” senior Brayden Haughey. Senior Sam Peterson (IF, P) will likely eat some innings as will senior Garrett Hutsell (1B, P) on the mound this year as well as sophomore Trace Harker.
Other returning starters include senior Destin Unger (CF) and junior Kaden Murphy (Util.).
Top newcomers include senior Rusty Deaton (OF); juniors Wyatt Cantrell (OF), Tanner Thorton (OF), Christian Stillwell (OF) and Murphy (IF); sophomores Taylor Garner (Util.), Briar Parsons (OF, 1B, P), Kale Gardner (OF/2B), Brady Burnett (Util.); and freshman Skip Thompson (IF, P).
Senior Josiah Schott, who played two seasons ago, may return mid-season after being cleared from an ACL surgery last fall.
“There will definitely be some growing pains earl,y with not only a lot of new faces playing key roles, but also this being my first season as head coach,” Coach Richardson said. “With a team full of guys that play multiple sports, I know they will be ready to compete right from day one. I’m grateful to have Christian Vonderheide coaching with me and the information he’s brought to our team.”
Tough start to season
The growing pains started this week as the Panthers dropped their first two contests of the season.
They took on Forsyth at the Ozark Mountain Sports Complex and dropped a tough one, 8-4.
The Panthers led 4-0 after the first two innings before Forsyth took the lead in the top of the fourth inning and never looked back in the win.
Gardner led the offense with three RBIs while Hutsell, Peterson and Harker each scored one run.
Harker also tossed three and two-thirds innings and gave up five earned runs on four hits with seven strikeouts and three walks.
Peterson tossed two and a third innings of scoreless ball and gave u pone hit with one strikeout and five walks.
Thompson tossed one inning and gave up one earned run on two hits with three strikeouts and one walk.
One day earlier, the Panthers traveled down to Hollister and left with a tough 12-1 loss.
Murphy had one RBI while Gardner scored the lone run.
Haughey tossed two innings and gave up six earned runs on five hits with three strikeouts and four walks.
Parsons tossed two inning and gave up two earned runs on three hits with two strikeouts and three walks.