Central Spartans Catcher Hopes To Continue Career In College

Like thousands of high school athletes who just received their diplomas, local American Legion baseball catcher Erik Hodge has aspirations to continue his athletic career.

Hodge, a resident of St. Peters who is playing legion baseball with the Central Spartans this summer, will attend Northwest Missouri State University, a Division II school in Maryville. He plans on trying to make the baseball team as a walk on.

“I want to be the starting catcher and get some scholarship money,” Hodge said.

Hodge graduated from Francis Howell Central this year. He played baseball there in his freshman and sophomore years. The catcher was just one of three on the Spartans who had a hit against St. Charles Post 312’s Brett Conner. St Charles edged the Central Spartans 2-0. 

“He wasn’t overly powerful on his speed,” Hodge said on Conner. “He didn’t really throw a lot of off-speed pitches. It’s just putting the bat on the ball. That’s all it is.”

The Central Spartans dropped to 2-3 with the loss on Tuesday. Naturally, the catcher sees room for improvement.

“Today, we just didn’t have the hitting,” Hodge said. “The hitting is the missing piece for us this year.”

Hodge has played four seasons of legion baseball. He said his hitting is better this year than it’s been in the past.

“It’s about following the ball all of the way in,” Hodge said.

The Central Spartans’ defense shinned at times on Tuesday and prevented St. Charles from winning by a bigger margin, as St. Charles stranded eight runners in the contest. The Central Spartans turned a triple play in the seventh inning and a double play in the eighth. Hodge was a part of a triple play in the seventh inning. Post 312 had the bases loaded with no outs in the seventh and Mike Eimer smacked a fly ball into deep right field with the bases loaded. Central Spartan right fielder Jonny Langford caught the ball and threw it home to Hodge who tagged out Sam Chambers at home. Within seconds of the second out Hodge threw the ball back to pitcher Zach Carter. Post 312’s Mike Pundmann then tried to take home plate. Carter threw the ball back to Hodge who tagged out Pundmann.

“He’s a very strong guy,” Hodge said on Langford’s throwing ability. “If he makes contact when he’s at bat, it’s going to go far. It’s something similar with his arm.”

Hodge said he would like to end his last legion season with the highest batting average of his career.