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Coldwater senior Baylen Blockberger (5) moved during the season from shortstop to first base, and the Cavaliers have not missed a beat as the team plays in the Division V state semifinals on Friday in Akron against Apple Creek Waynedale.
It took a little prodding for Baylen Blockberger to get comfortable playing first base, but the move has been a key to Coldwater playing for a chance at an eighth state title this weekend.
The move might not have been as stunning as when Pete Rose moved from the outfield to third base in 1975, allowing the classic Big Red Machine outfield of Griffey-Foster-Geronimo to blossom, but the shift from shortstop proved important.
The reason for the move was to help prevent issues with Blockberger's throwing shoulder, which had been injured in the past and had limited him to doing some designated hitting during last summer's ACME season.
"Halfway through the season, I tweaked it playing baseball," said Blockberger, who will play basketball next season at Defiance College. "I could barely throw for a week. I took one game off."
Cavaliers coach Cory Klenke then broached the subject of moving Blockberger over to first.
"When Bay come to us during one of the first practices after basketball, we said we had him penciled in at shortstop, but given the history (of shoulder issues), we're going to get you some reps at first. He kind of looked at us like we were crazy. He said he would be fine, but here we are. His shoulder wasn't fine, but his bat was. We told him we would make the move over there. At first, he was a little apprehensive, but he's a team player and found it pretty nice."
"I took a couple reps during the season just in case," said Blockberger. "Then I just took off from there. My arm got better, but we felt like we were a better team with me (at first base)."
With Blockberger now at first, that allowed a shift of spots. Mason Welsch, who had played first when not pitching, moved over to a more natural spot at second base. Karsyn Homan, who had been the second baseman, took over at short.
Meanwhile, Coldwater has kept rolling. After losing the opener to Benjamin Logan, on March 29, the Cavaliers did not lose their second game until May 12 to Wapakoneta, which is playing in the Division III state semifinals. The Cavaliers enter Friday's game against Waynedale on a nine-game winning streak.
As for Blockberger, who earned honorable mention All-Ohio honors in Division V this season, the move didn't hurt his bat. After batting .340 with 34 runs and 32 runs batted in last season, Blockberger is batting .337 with 33 runs and 28 RBI to go with six doubles.
"It feels pretty natural," said Blockberger. "Karsyn has been doing good at short."
The move also allowed Blockberger to fill the role held last spring and summer by Cale Wenning, who died shortly before football season. A baseball sign is located in whichever dugout the Cavalier uses.
"It's cool. In football, he was my center," said Blockberger, an All-Ohio quarterback. "Taking his spot in baseball has been a cool experience being able to play for him and knowing I'm in his spot gives you a boost."
