Armorel's Kennedy no stranger to Baum

For Armorel's Ashton Kennedy, Friday's state championship game against Taylor will not be a new experience.

Kennedy will start in his third state championship game for longtime head coach, Charlie Brown. His first start came in 2012 when the Tigers lost to Midland. Back then, he was a skinny young third baseman just trying to earn a spot on the Tigers roster that had already won a state championship the year before.

"Going into the big stage, Baum Field, as a freshman, I felt like I had the weight of the world on my shoulders," said Kennedy, reflecting on his experience four years ago. "It kind of scared me. There was a lot of pressure. I was a part of an already seasoned infield."

The nervous freshman, however, picked up an RBI single in the 5-3 defeat off of one of the toughest pitchers in the state that year, Drew Fortson.

Friday, he takes the field as a team leader for Brown and the Tigers and with as much experience as a high school player could have. He's no longer learning from the older kids. Brown implemented a mentor program this year which has Kennedy and his fellow upperclassmen taking underclassmen under their wings and teaching them how to continue the success of a program that will play in their sixth title game in 12 years. And he's no longer starting at third base. Over his four years at Armorel, Kennedy has become one of the most versatile players Brown has coached in his long tenure starting games at nearly every position at one time or another and has succeeded at each one.

"He's probably going to be a center fielder in college," said Brown of Kennedy. "He's worked very hard at each one of those positions

Including the most unlikely of positions when Kennedy was younger: pitcher.

"I had no idea that I'd be a pitcher when I was a freshman," said Kennedy. "Coach Brown would let me work on the mound every now and then. It was about my 10th grade year when he told me that I would need to step up."

Brown knew he needed some new arms in his program but wasn't sure he was looking at a potential championship game starter either in Kennedy's early years.

"He wasn't a natural pitcher," said Brown about Kennedy's development into his go-to man on the mound. "He's made himself into a pitcher. It's all about arm strength and getting your mechanics."

Kennedy pitched a few games as a sophomore but by his junior year, he was the number two starter when he wasn't chasing down balls in center field. Now, as a senior, he's developed into Brown's most reliable arm on a staff with at least three of them. He leads the team in every major category: innings pitched (61.1), starts (8), wins (7), saves (3), earned run average (1.48) and walks and hits per inning or WHIP (.978).

He's really picked up in the postseason allowing just two earned runs in 22 and a third innings pitched including Monday's one hit five inning 10-0 shutout of County Line in the 1A state semifinals. He only threw 50 pitches Monday leaving him with plenty of gas in the tank if Brown calls on him Friday.

"He was as efficient as he has been all year," said Brown. "He's been pretty efficient all year but he hit his spots and it worked out really well."

Kennedy now says he feel's most comfortable on the mound, not solely because of his abilities but because of his trust in his teammates. And Monday was a perfect example.

"It's because the defense behind me plays great," said Kennedy. "I can throw any pitch that coach (Mike Dobbins) Dobbs tells me. I have the confidence that my teammates will make the play behind me and get us back into the dugout."

"Hopefully he'll be ready to rock when we get to Baum," said Brown.

That's one thing Brown can be sure of is that he'll be ready. Kennedy and his teammates haven't won a title yet in two previous tries and would love to win a third for Brown. After four years and three trips to Fayetteville, Kennedy summed it up best.

"I feel like I'm supposed to be there now."

afitzpatrick@blythevillecourier.com