XENIA — The 2015 Xenia Scouts definitely left their mark this summer.

Not only did they break multiple team records like most victories in a season, most home runs, most walks, and most wins for a pitcher, but they grew close as a team to form a unit that will hopefully leave an impression for years to come.

Scouts manager Bubba Cates said this team’s fight is definitely something he won’t forget.

“We fought all year. We fought with a full lineup and we fought with a mismatched lineup. But our guys show up every day and they play hard and they get after the other team,” he said. “It doesn’t really matter what guys we’ve got out there, who’s hitting in the lineup, who is on the mound, they’ve all come to play. They’re sticking their nose in there and fighting just to do that. It’s been fun to be a part of.”

Cates said that he shared a story from Tom Seaver about the 1969 New York Mets.

“He was explaining the 1969 Miracle Mets. In the last paragraph, he says that he learned that it’s not about being the World Series Champ and all that stuff. He said it was about the journey. That was what it was all about. The last thing he said is because of that journey, he’ll always be a ‘69 Met,” Cates said.

Before he handed out printed copies of the story, however, he crossed out the last part about the 1969 Mets and replaced it with the 2015 Scouts.

“I’ll always be a 2015 Xenia Scout, as long as I live. This is the greatest group that we’ve had a chance to be a part of. They have served and played and taken care of each other like you couldn’t ask them to do. It’s just really special,” Cates said.

Many key pieces of the Scouts’ roster will return to their schools as seniors. They include Ben Aldridge (University of Arkansas Monticello), Dylan Donley (Pittsburg State University), Quentin McGrath (East Central University), David Gauntt (Washburn University), Lincoln Reed (Taylor University), Zach Wylie (Union University), Kyle Carnahan (Washburn University) and Cale Giddings (Lake Erie College).

Cates said he will be following not only the seniors, but all the players to see what they take back with them from this summer.

“I don’t know if we can put together another group like this, but we’re going to try. It’s going to be fun to watch these guys,” he said. “Part of our mission this summer was to equip them a little bit better to lead in their programs back home. The way they’ve fought here, if they take that back with them to their programs, wherever their programs were, they’re going to be better next season. That’s fun for me, because I get to follow them all year next spring.”

File photo Xenia Scouts manager Bubba Cates talks to the team before a playoff game against the Hamilton Joes. The Joes knocked the Scouts out of the playoffs, but Cates said this season gave him memories that will last forever.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/49/2015/08/web1_DSC_0006.jpgFile photo Xenia Scouts manager Bubba Cates talks to the team before a playoff game against the Hamilton Joes. The Joes knocked the Scouts out of the playoffs, but Cates said this season gave him memories that will last forever.

By Zach Gregory

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Reach Zach Gregory at (937) 372-4444, Ext. 2124.