(Guthrie Center, IA) — 2024 was not an easy baseball season for the ACGC Chargers — just 2 wins came their way and a last place finish in the West Central Conference. However, Head Coach Taylor Morris has hopes for the future after losing two seniors and has seven starters coming back.
The two starters graduating are both pitchers — Tegan Slaybaugh (4.44 ERA, 23 strikeouts) and Andrew Mahaffey. Both were workhorses, especially Slaybaugh who led the team in innings pitched but Morris has guys coming back with plenty of experience
The bats need to come around for the Chargers — ACGC only hit .237 as a club and were last in the conference with only 96 runs scored. Slaybaugh (.316, 7 RBI, 15 runs) and Mahaffey (.182, 1 HR, 7 RBI) will be missed. The line-up will be centered around Junior Noah Kading (.360, 14 RBI) and a lot of young players according to Morris
Morris saw some progress at the end of the season — both wins came late in June and ACGC scored 3 runs against Lynnville Sully in the playoffs before losing 8-3 — nobody scored more against the eventual 1A champs in the playoffs, bragging rights for the Chargers
Morris is also the Athletic Director at ACGC and is looking forward to the start of a new school year with all Fall sports beginning practice on Monday.