BRANSON — Nixa coach Logan Hughes is happy to report the move of Tanner Grant from third base to first to clear the way for Broden Mabe at third has worked out well for both corners of the Eagles’ infield.
Mabe stood out while helping Nixa win its COC opener last Thursday by producing two hits as the Eagles edged the Pirates 3-2.
At the plate and at the hot corner, Hughes has been pleased with what he has been receiving from Mabe.
“Mabe has been our bulldog,” Hughes said. “He knows who he is and he's great with who he is. He's always going to get dirty. He's going to stand in front of a 100 mph ground ball and take it off his arm, bend over to pick it up and throw the guy out. He sets a toughness tone for us.”
Meanwhile, Grant has responded well to his move across the infield.
“Tanner has done a really good job at first base,” Hughes said. "When you have a good defensive first baseman, it makes the rest of your infield comfortable, knowing they can throw it over there and know he's going to catch it, whether it's in the dirt or off the base.”
The combination of solid pitching and flawless defense helped Nixa eke out a victory on an afternoon in which its bats didn’t make much noise.
Branson outhit the Eagles 8-6.
Starting pitcher Ethan Taylor threw four shutout innings, Alex Thomason blanked Branson over the fifth and sixth innings and Rylan Evans helped the Eagles escape a bases-loaded jam in the seventh by striking out the final batter.
“When the bats are not as hot as they have been, it's great when you pitch well and play great defense. You do that and you always have a chance to compete and win,” Hughes said.
Mabe’s play in the field and at-bat have answered any questions regarding how he would respond to missing practically all of last season due to a broken right hand.
His sophomore season a year ago was over after just four games.
“I was sliding for a ball, had the ball in my hand and after I pushed off the ground, (the hand) snapped,” Mabe said. “It was a really weird way to break it. I was out all the way until mid-summer. It sucked being on the sideline. It’s been nice to get back out here and play.”
Mabe’s comeback started last fall during football season, when he became a starter in Nixa’s secondary.
The only issue he had with the hand upon having his cast removed came in the weight room.
“Even as I had the cast on it, I was swinging a little bit just so I could keep the muscle memory going,” Mabe said. “The main problem with me was weightlifting. Going back to bench-pressing, it was hard for me to put all that weight on my hand.”
The injury gave Mabe a new perspective in the dugout.
"It was a humbling thing. You can't play forever,” he said. “Even when you don't get to play, you've got to show you still have a care for your team to win. You need to have a good attitude, cheer on your teammates when they're down and keep the energy up.”
Mabe gave Nixa’s lineup a lift at Branson by adjusting to the assortment of off-speed pitching the Pirates threw at the Eagles.
“(The pitching) was a little slower than usual,” Mabe said. “You had to stay back. If you stay disciplined and allow yourself to stay back, you will have a good day. If you try to do a little too much, that's when you get out in front and swing and miss.”
For the right-handed hitting Mabe, the majority of his hits this season have went the opposite way to right field.
“Right over the second baseman's head, that's my approach every time,” he said. “It’s been a good year. I'm seeing the ball really well.”
"He has a really good swing,” Hughes said. “It’s a short, simple swing and he makes a lot of good contact.”
Nixa (12-1) upped its winning streak to 10 games by sweeping a double-header from Jackson on Saturday. The Eagles prevailed by counts of 9-6 and 13-3. They pounded out a dozen hits in both ends of the twinbill.
