Clay's Jurski, Spears, Sutton to play college baseball

Clay baseball has three players who have already committing to play collegiate ball next year—Trevor Jurski will head to Notre Dame College, Ethan Spears to Ohio University and Bryce Sutton to Mount Union.
In addition, if Clay coach Jim Phillips’ team gets 10 wins, then Phillips (90-67) has his 100th career win in his eighth season. For Phillips, a Clay grad and former standout at Youngstown State University, he is just glad to be playing baseball again. Making it even better is that his team’s home park, John Ousky Field at the Oregon Recreation Complex, now has artificial turf in its infield.
“After the disappointment of the 2020 season, it has been exciting to get back at it. This year’s team has a high ceiling, and leadership will play a pivotal role in getting us to reach that ceiling,” Phillips said.
Two years ago, Clay was 17-8 overall and 8-6 in the Three Rivers Athletic Conference. He has nine lettermen returning this year, including Spencer Fortier, who was an honorable mention All-TRAC choice in 2019. Playing third base in 2019, as a freshman Fortier batted .286 (16 for 56) with seven runs, 13 RBIs and one stolen base.
Phillips expects Spears, Fortier, Jackson Kennedy and Logan Heintschel to be his top hitters, and top returning pitcher are Jurski and Spears. As a sophomore two years ago, Jurski was 5-1 with a 1.63 ERA, one save, 33 strikeouts and 13 walks in 30 innings pitched. Leading the defense is Spears, Fortier, Kennedy and Heintschel.
Phillips feels good about his team’s chances in the league.
“I think we have an opportunity to finish in the top half of the TRAC and compete for a TRAC championship,” Phillips said. “It is very difficult to gauge where everyone will be at with the 2020 season being lost but St. Francis and St. John’s have a tendency to be at the top. Overall, the league is very competitive with the top five teams being able to beat one another on any given night.
“I think that this team has an opportunity to be my best offensive team top to bottom. Our aggressive mentality at the plate and depth should make this line-up dangerous. Defense should be another strong point for this team. We have been able to get out a lot over the first three weeks and I really like what I am seeing from our guys across the board. Finally, team speed should be an asset that allows us to put pressure on team’s defensively up and down the line-up.”
Phillips cannot say where team weaknesses lie yet, but it does not help when there was not season a year ago.
“I’m not sure I would use the word weakness, but more appropriate would be unproven,” Phillips said. “After you get past Trevor and Ethan, we do not return any significant innings on the mound from 2019. I am sure that most teams in one facet or another face the same issues, there is talent but as of now at the varsity level it is unproven talent.