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High school spring sports are in full swing in North Carolina now, meaning that Burke County’s four baseball squads have taken the diamond to begin their seasons.

That includes Draughn, East Burke, Freedom and Patton high schools, which all started with different outlooks following last year’s outings.

A season ago, the Draughn Wildcats finished 19-5 overall, going 11-1 in the Western Highlands 1A/2A Conference to win the league before advancing to the third round of the NCHSAA 1A state playoffs.

The East Burke Cavaliers were 9-13 overall last spring, but finished with a winning record of 8-6 in the Catawba Valley 2A Conference to place fourth in the league and earn a first-round berth in the NCHSAA 2A state playoffs.

Last year’s Freedom Patriots went 3-19 overall and were held out of the win column in the Northwestern 3A/4A Conference, posting a 0-10 mark to finish in the cellar of the six-team league.

The Panthers of a season ago were 7-16 overall and 2-10 in the Mountain Foothills 7 1A/2A Conference, placing seventh in the league standings.

DRAUGHN HIGH SCHOOL

Tate Jensen

The Appalachian State signee is back for the Wildcats as a senior pitcher, first baseman and outfielder after a stellar junior season that saw him lead the team by hitting .564 with 26 RBIs, 35 runs scored, eight home runs, one triple, nine doubles and 12 stolen bases. Jensen also was one of Draughn’s best pitchers, posting an ERA of 1.61 across 56 2/3 innings of work with 106 strikeouts and 43 walks allowed. His fielding percentage was .913.

Jacob Mull

Mull, who has signed with Gardner-Webb University for football, will play first base, third base and shortstop for the Draughn baseball team as a senior. In his junior season, Mull hit .339 with 26 RBIs, 18 runs scored, three home runs, six doubles and six stolen bases. Mull was one of the team’s best fielders with a .925 percentage. He also worked sparingly on the mound, posting an ERA of 2.33.

Griffin Stephens

Now signed with Young Harris College, Stephens’ senior season with the Wildcats will see him pitch and play second baseman and shortstop after a junior effort that saw him tally a 2.76 ERA across 25 1/3 innings on the mound with 37 strikeouts and 16 walks allowed. He hit .288 with 16 RBIs, 14 runs scored, one home run, three doubles and three stolen bases. Stephens had an .881 fielding percentage.

EAST BURKE HIGH SCHOOL Colt Butcher

Butcher made an immediate impact as a freshman and is expected to do the same as a sophomore pitcher and outfielder. Last spring, he was the Cavaliers’ best pitcher with a 1.25 ERA across 39 1/3 innings on the mound with 49 strikeouts and 18 walks allowed. Butcher’s fielding percentage was .767. He was not a full time offensive player, but did score two runs.

Mason Mosteller

The Cavaliers’ best all-around player last spring, the now-senior infielder and pitcher led the team by hitting .380 with 10 RBIs, eight runs scored, three doubles and three stolen bases. On the mound, Mosteller pitched 40 innings with a 3.85 ERA, 40 strikeouts and 18 walks allowed. He was nearly flawless in the field with a .929 percentage.

Gabe Wittenberg

Now a senior outfielder and catcher for East Burke, Wittenberg finished his junior season as the team’s second-best hitter at .278 with eight RBIs, six runs scored, one double and three stolen bases. He had a .857 fielding percentage with 27 putouts on 35 total chances.

FREEDOM HIGH SCHOOL Jonah Griggs

As a junior shortstop, Griggs was the Patriots’ top hitter at .365 with 11 RBIs, 12 runs scored, one home run and three doubles and led the way with 17 stolen bases. The now-senior also sported an .853 fielding percentage.

Kaden Michaels

Michaels is back for Freedom after succeeding as a sophomore pitcher and first baseman last spring, working 21 2/3 innings on the mound with a 7.11 ERA, 18 strikeouts and 29 walks allowed. At the plate, he hit .267 with six RBIs, three runs scored, one triple, five doubles and one stolen base. Michaels posted a .941 fielding percentage.

Kyle Self

The Minnesota North College-Vermilion signee returns to pitch and play first base for the Patriots as a senior. Last year, Self pitched 27 2/3 innings with a 6.83 ERA with 23 strikeouts and 12 walks allowed. In the field, he posted a .946 percentage. Self hit .179 with four RBIs and four runs scored.

PATTON HIGH SCHOOL Cole Attaway

The Panthers’ junior was the team’s best hitter as a sophomore, finishing at .375 with 11 RBIs, 12 runs scored, one home run, five doubles and three stolen bases. He also pitched a team-high 44 2/3 innings with a 6.11 ERA, 47 strikeouts and 38 walks allowed. His fielding percentage was .937.

Cohen Christian

As a sophomore, Christian was Patton’s most effective pitcher with a 3.26 ERA, 67 strikeouts and 24 walks allowed across 43 innings on the mound. He hit .196 with five RBIs, four runs scored and two doubles. Christian was nearly perfect in the field, posting a .983 fielding percentage.

Brady Davis

Davis hit .262 as a Panthers sophomore with 14 RBIs, nine runs scored, one home run, two doubles and one stolen base. He also pitched 14 innings with a 5.00 ERA with 20 strikeouts and seven walks allowed. Davis had a fielding percentage of .875.