ROGERS — Rogers Heritage’s Steven Undernehr started to become a more disciplined hitter at the end of last season, and he’s picked up right where he left off for the War Eagles this year.
“He was a bit of a free swinger last year,” Heritage baseball coach Keith Kilgore said. “There was a lot of time spent helping him to understand and develop a better approach at the plate.
“Steven is a kid who always give you all he has. As a coach that’s the type of work ethic you like to see, and that’s helped him become a better player.”
Profile
Steven Undernehr
School: Rogers Heritage
Height: 5-11
Weight: 170
Class: Senior
Notable: Currently second on the team in batting average at .350 with an on-base percentage of .450 with eight RBIs in 19 games. ... Hit just .203 in 30 games as a starting outfielder last season with an on-base percentage of .348.
Undernehr has seen dramatically better results this season, after hitting just .203 a year ago. He currently ranks second on the team with a .350 batting average.
The senior credits War Eagles assistant coach Lance Downing with helping him alter his approach at the plate.
“I always used to pull out and pull off the ball,” Undernehr said. “I worked on staying more through the middle, and he’s really helped me a lot.
“He told us to pick a spot on the pitcher and almost try to drive it right through him.”
Kilgore said Undernehr’s improvement has allowed him to become almost like a second leadoff hitter in the nine-hole in the batting order.
“He’s helped us set the table for the top of the order,” Kilgore said. “He’s finding a way to get on base. His on-base percentage is well over .400.”
Downing pointed to Thursday’s doubleheader against Siloam Springs as a great example of Undernehr’s maturity as a hitter.
“He took a jam shot up the middle with the infield in to drive in a run,” Downing said. “He didn’t pull off and concentrated on staying with it up the middle. That’s something he probably wouldn’t have done last year.”
Downing also said Undernehr has become more selective at the plate.
“He’s not chasing the breaking ball in the dirt or the high fastball as much,” Downing said. “I think it’s big especially in high school, laying off that one high pitch and getting on the next one that’s over the plate. It can make a big difference in your average.”
Undernehr’s defense has been a constant the past two seasons for the War Eagles (11-8, 2-4 7A/6A-West). He’s played each of the outfield spots at different times, but that doesn’t bother Undernehr.
But that versatility has also been big for Heritage.
“We feel like he’s one of our best outfielders,” Kilgore said. “He has good speed and covers a lot of ground out there. He reads the ball real well off the bat.
“We’ve got confidence in him in all three spots. We’re fortunate to have a kid like him.”