Taylor Stafford leads the New Hope High School baseball team this season with a .397 batting average.
New Hope coach Lee Boyd said Stafford”s work in center field is equally impressive.
The freshman (4-2, four saves) also has excelled on the mound and shown an ability to protect leads.
Good job, Taylor. Now go get the balls.
Starting as a freshman doesn”t exempt him from the same chores assigned to all ninth-graders, no matter how hard Stafford hits a ball, how many balls he chases down in the outfield, how many games he completes.
It doesn”t matter if he”s hanging out with starters, playing pitch and catch.
“It”s not as much work as it seems,” said Stafford, whose gameday tasks include lugging balls, ball buckets, batting helmets, bats, catcher”s equipment to the field or to the team bus. After practice, he joins the freshmen as they drag the infield and sweep dirt off the infield grass.
“It”s not as bad as you think it would be,” he said. “It”s not a big deal.”
Stafford is enjoying his season and the Trojans (17-5, 4-2) are sharing in his success. Entering a Class 5A, Region 2 showdown against Oxford (11-7, 4-2), Stafford”s play has been vital in New Hope”s six-game winning streak.
For his accomplishments this season, Stafford is The Dispatch”s Prep Player of the Week.
“We knew we”d be young this year, knew somebody young would have to step up,” said infielder Jared Shelton, a senior. “I guess he was the guy to do it.
“Some of the other younger guys, they know when they get up to the plate they have a chance to succeed because he”s doing it. You don”t have to be an upperclassman to be a leader and produce.”
Stafford had to earn the trust of his coach. Boyd didn”t let him swing at the plate in his first couple of games. But Stafford kept showing Boyd in practice he could hit, so Boyd took the reigns off his freshman and has watched him flourish.
Stafford is now tied with junior Peyton Lee for the team lead with 27 hits, and ranks third with 20 RBIs. He also is second in runs scored (22) and tied for second with six doubles.
“He”s exceeded all expectations,” Boyd said.
Stafford hasn”t been perfect. He”s working with the coaching staff to improve his mechanics and his ERA (5.25). He still commits a mistake on the bases, chases bad pitches, or is too aggressive with his bat. Yet Boyd will take the growing pains with the great plays, especially the way Stafford has regrouped.
Boyd recalls a game March 23 against Oxford. Stafford entered in the sixth with a 4-2 lead and gave up a grand slam.
“Most ninth-graders, most anybody would have tanked in that situation,” Boyd said. Instead of sulking, Stafford survived the inning. In the bottom of the inning, he slammed a two-run home run to left field to tie the game.
In the top of the seventh, Stafford kept Oxford off the scoreboard then watched Dillon Hawkins” walk-off home run give New Hope a 7-6 victory.
“I”ve always been able to pretty much do that — come back,” Stafford said. “Not that things don”t affect me, (but) you can”t let one pitch that happens on the mound affect the way you hit.”
You just have to get ready for the next pitch, the next batter. Afterward, grab the bags.
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