By Patrick MacCoonRecord Sports EditorThe postseason accolades continued to flow in this past week for Warrenton baseball standout Ben Stephens.On Saturday the right-handed hurler was recognized for his success on the pitching mound as Stephens received an honorable mention on the 2015 Missouri High School Baseball Coaches Association Class 4 All-State Team.“To be selected along with some of the other top players in the state is a great honor,” said Stephens, who has signed to play at Meramec Community College. “I wasn’t sure if I would get it because there are so many other great players around.”The four-year varsity starter concluded his final campaign with the Warriors in dominant fashion with a 7-2 record as a starter and led the GAC North in innings pitched (75.2), strikeouts (90), and earned run average (0.93).“Every once in a while it pops into your mind that maybe you could earn some recognition for your play after the season,” Stephens said. “But you don’t want to think about it much. There’s a lot of things that are more important than personal accolades.”Through his career Stephens solidified himself as an ace for Warrenton with 19 career victories and 220 strikeouts.“It was a privilege to be able to coach a player of Ben’s caliber these past four years,” Warrenton High School Head Coach Eric Burle said. “This past season Ben led the team both on and off the field. He was a practice player first and I know that will leave a lasting impression on the guys that are coming back.”After looking back at his success, Stephens believes there were two major factors that played into his success.“In the years past I played for the Prospects, a select team from St. Louis that I learned a lot from,” Stephens said. “My mentality on the mound helped me a lot. I wouldn’t let a few hits phase me. My dad taught me to be strong mentally on the mound and to pitch with a lot of confidence.”While Stephens wasn’t sure what awards would flow into his trophy case at the end of the season, he knew that his final season at Warrenton would be special.“Pretty early on I realized it was going to be a memorable season,” he said. “We won a conference championship and everything fell into place. We had a good mix of veteran players and it was a fun season.”For those around him, the postseason awards for Stephens came as no shock.“I absolutely knew he had the ability to be an all-state pitcher,” Burle said. “The previous two seasons he put up great numbers and was recognized with conference honors. He took it to another level this season.”
Ben Stephens pitched the Warriors to success this season and was recognized for his unique talent on the mound with an all-state selection. Stephens led many categories around the state in pitching.
File photo.
