Coming off its first-ever Ohio Valley League Tournament Championship last season, the Henderson Flash hoped to build on their success. The team was unable to recapture that spark, however, and finished the regular season 17-18, with a loss in the first round of the OVL postseason.
Manager J.D. Arndt talked about the many variables that prevented his team from reaching its full potential. Among them were the loss of players who had to return to their respective colleges, injuries to the pitching staff and the weather—all which made things difficult for the Flash. A wet summer led to several games being rained out, including a couple already in action, which Arndt felt his team could have won.
“Disappointing. It didn’t go the way we wanted. It just wasn’t our season,” said Arndt. “I was proud of the organization just battling, trying to work through all that.”
Early on, it appeared as if the Flash were poised to make another run at the OVL Championship, starting the season 11-5. That stretch included a seven-game winning streak. Unfortunately, from that point on, the Flash would only manage to win six more games.
There were several bright spots throughout the season though, with Arndt calling his team “one of our best character teams,” based on how they represented themselves in the community and how they treated their host families.
Three players were named to the All-OVL Team, including catcher Milo Obradovich, pitcher Evan Bloomer and infielder Hayden Jones.
Obradovich hit .300 on the season and was second on the team in hits. Bloomer posted a 0.54 ERA, striking out 16 over 13 innings of work. Jones was arguably the best hitter on the team, batting .375 with 9 home runs and 41 RBI. He led the team in nearly every hitting statistic.
Arndt touched on the progress of some of the local products as well.
“Guys got better. Drew Isenberg really took off with the bat and started to drive the ball. Reed Reinhardt did well on the mound and then had some elbow issues, but really did an outstanding job for us. Losing him hurt us.”
Isenberg was a two-way player for the Flash. He tossed 17 innings with a 3.29 ERA, while posting a .347 OBP at the plate. Reinhardt was able to throw 10 innings with a 1.40 ERA, while striking out 19, amidst dealing with his injury.
Another homegrown player, Alec Satterfield struggled at the plate, but was second on the team with seven stolen bases and was called a “premier defensive shortstop” by Arndt. He committed just two errors on the season.
Arndt called wins and losses important of course, but said part of the summer league is about the kids getting better, calling it an “enjoyable” experience watching each player improve.
Other important aspects of the Flash’s ability to compete are the contributions of host families and support of the fans. Arndt called host families the “backbone” of the organization.
“We have a great owner in Clay Bolin. Our host families treat our kids exceptionally well. They’re one of the main reasons we’re successful,” said Arndt. “We appreciate the fan support. Our field is a great field to watch the game by the river. We have some real hardcore fans.”
