By John Henson
Sports Writer

With his Bobcats improving from 4-25 in 2023 to 16-9 in 2024, Jeff Sziksai led a remarkable transformation of the Bell County baseball program in his first season on the job. What he does for an encore in 2025 with all but one player returning is what the rest of the 13th Region is waiting to see as the Bobcats’ season opens Tuesday at Cumberland Gap, Tenn.
“We’re just trying to focus on practice tomorrow. We’re trying to send the message of let’s worry about today. If we can do that enough times in a row, the results should take care of themselves,” Sziksai said.
The Bell coach also likes his team’s improved depth.
“I really feel we have 15 kids who will vie for playing time,” he said. “We’ve added some kids who weren’t eligible last year or injured.”
One of the big reasons for the Bobcats’ success last year was a deep and dependable pitching staff led by juniors Blake Burnett, Cooper Brock and Joseph Brigmon and sophomore Brayden Carroll. Burnett posted a 5-1 record with a 1.48 earned run average. Brock was 2-4 with a 4.01 earned run average. Brigmon was 4-1 with a 2.18 earned run average. Carroll was 2-1 with a 3.56 earned run average. Gavin Matthews, a senior, will also see action on the mound.
“I like our pitching depth. Those four from last year will pitch a lot of innings for us, along with Logan Greene, Holden Clark, Alex Creech and Dalton Black. We have a lot of guys who can help us,” Sziksai said. “I feel good about our pitching. At every level, from Little League to the big leagues it starts with pitching. We were competitive and threw strikes. I’m hopeful that can continue this year. At times, not playing soundly enough on defense hurt us last year. I hope that will improve.”
Brock will play shortstop when he isn’t pitching after leading the squad in 2024 with a .319 average that included 22 runs, 22 hits and 13 RBI.
“Cooper had a really good year. He does everything well,” Sziksai. “He has a good arm and glove. He will be a mainstay at short when he isn’t pitching.”
Burnett is back at third after hitting ..270 with a team-high 31 runs scored, along with 17 hits, 13 RBI and 12 stolen bases in 12 tries. Creech will play third when Burnett is at short.
“Blake is a great athlete who can play third or short. We’re just getting him back from basketball,” Sziksai said. “Alex was injured last year. He’s a really versatile player. We anticipate him being in the lineup somewhere.”
Brigmon, at 6-6, is perhaps the state’s tallest catcher, and he provides a defensive threat with his strong arm and was solid at the plate with a .292 average and 15 RBI. Creech or Jackson Walters catch when Brigmon is pitching.
“Joseph is one of the biggest bats in our lineup,” Sziksai said. “He was really good for us in the tournament last year. He has a really good arm and handles the game very well. He is tough to steal on.”
Dalton Black, a freshman, is expected to move in at second base with freshman Ty Mays and Austin Goodin also seeing action, along with Alex Creech.
“Dalton is a good athlete who didn’t play last year because he held back. He’s athletic and a good defender with a good arm. He’s one of our better infield defenders,” Sziksai said.
Goodin and Ty Mays are expected to share time at first base. Goodin played in 19 games last season.
“We have a lot of options at every position,” Sziksai said. “Austin played a good bit there for us last year and did a nice job defensively. He’s a senior and one of our leaders. Ty Mays swings it pretty well too.”
Walters, a senior, will anchor the outfield in center following the graduation of Mr. Football Daniel Thomas. Walters hit .303 last year with 20 hits and 24 RBI.
“He played infield and catcher last year, but he’s a good athlete and our best overall outfielder,” Sziksai said. “He has good instincts and is athletic and will probably hit somewhere in the middle of the order.”
Hunter Fuson, a junior, will play right field after hitting .304 last year with 14 hits.
“He played there almost every day last year. He is a big, strong kid who swings a good bat,” Sziksai said. “He also moves very well for his size.”
Holden Clark, a junior, is the probable starter in left field. He hit .250 last year with 22 runs scored and 17 RBI.
“He is one of our most athletic kids,” Sziksai said. “He can run and has a good arm. He can create havoc on the bases and cover ground out there.”
Sziksai said Carroll will be the designated hitter or play in the outfield or a corner infield spot after hitting .246 with 14 runs scored and 14 RBI last season.
“Brayden will definitely be in the lineup somewhere with his bat,” Sziksai said.
Greene, a freshman, and Dawson Brown, a senior, will also see action in the outfield. Two eighth-graders, Ayden Smith and Mason Sziksai, are also battling for playing time, along with junior Carson Walters.
While last year’s success set the bar higher for this year’s team, Sziksai reminds them it doesn’t guarantee anything this spring.
“I think having success last year will give our kids confidence,” he said, “but I think they know last year’s results don’t mean anything this year. We have to focus on daily improvement, and I think they are doing that.”

DATE	OPPONENT	SITE	SCORE				STATS?
Tue, Mar 18, 25	Cumberland Gap, TN	at Cumberland Gap
Thu, Mar 20, 25	Leslie County	away					6:00 PM		⇄
Thu, Mar 20, 25	TBA	home					6:00 PM
Tue, Mar 25, 25	Whitley County	away					6:00 PM	2A Section 7 Baseball Tournament	⇄
Thu, Mar 27, 25	Knox Central	home					6:00 PM		⇄
Fri, Mar 28, 25	Williamsburg	home					6:00 PM		⇄
Mon, Mar 31, 25	TBA	at .					6:00 PM
Mon, Mar 31, 25	Menendez (St. Augustine), FL	at Pedro Menendez					7:00 PM
Tue, Apr 1, 25	TBA	at .					6:00 PM
Tue, Apr 1, 25	Beacide (St Johns), FL	at Beachside					6:30 PM
Wed, Apr 2, 25	First Coast (Jacksonville), FL	at First Coast					4:00 PM
Wed, Apr 2, 25	TBA	at .					6:00 PM
Tue, Apr 8, 25	South Laurel	away					6:00 PM		⇄
Thu, Apr 10, 25	Claiborne County (New Tazewell), TN	home					6:00 PM
Fri, Apr 11, 25	Campbell County (Jacksboro), TN	at Campbell County					6:00 PM
Fri, Apr 11, 25	TBA	at Not Listed					6:00 PM
Mon, Apr 14, 25	TBA	away					12:01 AM
Mon, Apr 14, 25	Harlan	away					6:00 PM		⇄
Tue, Apr 15, 25	Harlan	home					12:01 AM		⇄
Thu, Apr 17, 25	Cumberland Gap, TN	home					12:01 AM
Fri, Apr 18, 25	TBA	home					12:01 AM
Mon, Apr 21, 25	Harlan County	away					6:00 PM		⇄
Tue, Apr 22, 25	Harlan County	home					12:01 AM		⇄
Thu, Apr 24, 25	Claiborne County (New Tazewell), TN	at Claiborne Co. H.S.					6:00 PM
Fri, Apr 25, 25	Knox Central	away					6:00 PM		⇄
Mon, Apr 28, 25	Middlesboro	home					6:00 PM		⇄
Tue, Apr 29, 25	Middlesboro	away					6:00 PM		⇄
Mon, May 5, 25	Barbourville	away					6:00 PM		⇄
Thu, May 8, 25	McCreary Central	away					6:00 PM		⇄
Mon, May 12, 25	Barbourville	home					6:00 PM		⇄
Tue, May 13, 25	McCreary Central	home					6:00 PM		⇄
Thu, May 15, 25	South Laurel	home					6:00 PM		⇄