INDIANOLA — Justin Irion is the only senior on this year’s Riverside High School baseball team. His brother Jason is a sophomore.
Justin has been a member of the Bulldogs for six seasons, and this year he sees himself in many of the youngsters on the team, including his younger brother. He wants them all to succeed.
“I offer encouragement to them at every game,” Justin said. “I like to see them do well. I like seeing them smile after they make a great play.”
Riverside coach Boo Ellis said Justin’s leadership means quite a bit to his young players. In their game at Indianola on Thursday, which they fell 11-3, the Bulldogs started freshman Lucas Sims at pitcher and seventh grader Cody Polson at catcher.
“Any senior means a lot to me, but Justin is one of the guys who has been with the program since the 7th grade, and not everybody can say that,” Coach Ellis said. “He started with me for six years, and this is his last year. He is a tremendous student and a tremendous kid, and he is one of the hardest working players that I have ever been around.”
Justin Irion does more than cheer his teammates on, however. He is also, perhaps, the biggest bat in the Bulldog lineup. In his team’s game on Thursday at Indianola, Justin smashed a double off the leftfield wall to spark a Riverside rally in the top of the third inning. Justin’s big hit would have cleared the fences if it weren’t for a brisk, stiff wind that was blowing in all night.
“I thought I had that one,” Justin said.
After Justin’s hit, Riverside’s Christian Chamblee drove in a pair of runs to put the Bulldogs up 2-0.
Riverside would have another big rally in the top of the fourth when Chamblee, Jason Irion and Abraham Ramirez hit three straight line drives to left field.
Coach Ellis, who has coached Riverside for 18 seasons, said he was pleased with many of his players’ at bats, but the Bulldogs still need to improve their pitching.
“Our Achilles Heel has been pitching. We are throwing too many first-pitch balls,” Coach Ellis said.
