PREP BASEBALL: E'town freshmen duo filling big shoes (05/26)

By CHUCK JONES cjones@thenewsenterprise.com ELIZABETHTOWN — Freshmen Beau Bouthilette and Carter Elmore have had plenty of expectations placed on them, and some of it has nothing to do with the immense talents each of them has. It has more to do with their last names. Bouthilette is the younger brother of Sean Bouthilette, the standout senior pitcher who signed a national letter of intent to pitch for the University of Kentucky next season. Elmore is the son of Thad Elmore, who starred at Elizabethtown High School and went on to play for the Wildcats before coming back to his alma mater to coach. “I would say if you looked at the last name you would expect greatness,” Elizabethtown coach Don Pitts said. “We’ve been realistic with our expectations as a coaching staff. They been with us for three years now and they’ve gotten a lot better. What they’ve been able to do, though, justify those high expectations.” Bouthilette and Elmore try not to pay attention to what is expected of them, preferring to go out each and every game with the intent of trying to help the team anyway they can. “I try to block it out,” Elmore said. “I don’t focus on it. I guess I get caught up in the moment. Dad talks to me about setting my goals and I try to go out and reach them.” Bouthilette realizes the comparisons are going to come because of what Sean has been able to accomplish at Elizabethtown. “I don’t see into that,” Bouthilette said. “People assume that I’m a pitcher because he is. I remember playing freshman ball, and between games I’d go get something to eat, someone would come up to me and ask if I was pitching the next game.” Although he’s not a pitcher, Bouthilette has had an impact this season. After seeing some time in the outfield and pinch running as an eighth-grader, Bouthilette has played all three outfield spots this season depending on who is pitching. He has made only one error in 214 innings this season. “He has great instincts,” Pitts said. “He gets a good jump on balls and he has an above-average arm. We had some questions marks entering the season, but he wasn’t one of them. We knew what we had in Beau, and that’s a solid outfielder.” At the plate, Bouthilette is hitting .411 – second-best on the team. He has six doubles to go along with 22 runs scored and 20 runs batted in. He has also stolen a team-high 29 bases. “A lot of it goes back to hitting off a tee,” Bouthilette said. “We have great coaches and they’ve been able to tell me what I’m doing wrong so I can make adjustments. I love running the bases and stealing. That’s my favorite part of the game. All I want to do is bat better than him (Sean) so I can tease him when we’re older.” While Bouthilette isn’t a pitcher like his brother, Elmore is following in the footsteps of his father. The crafty left-hander has tossed 27 1/3 innings this season. He has a record of 2-0 with four saves and 2.56 earned run average. “I was and I wasn’t,” Elmore said when asked if he expected to pitch this much as a freshman. “I thought I might throw 15 to 20 innings. I knew I had to focus in at practice, running extra and keeping my arm in shape. I didn’t play basketball this year, so I could focus on baseball.” Like Bouthilette, Elmore has found a home in the outfield. He has played left and right field as well as seeing a little time at first base. He has made only one error in 158 innings. “He’s always been fundamentally sound in the outfield,” Pitts said. “Against Grayson County, he made a great running catch, and later in the game, he threw someone out at the plate. We were kind of searching at that time for another outfielder and he took the position.” Early in the season, Pitts would use a designated hitter for Elmore, but lately he has inserted him into the batting order. Elmore is hitting just .172, but Pitts said he gives the team plenty of options. “He makes contact and he can bunt,” Pitts said. “He does a lot of the little things. He doesn’t strike out much. He puts the ball in play and that’s big. The hits will come.” Bouthilette and Elmore have grown up playing with one another. The two played on EABC All-Star teams growing up as well as on the freshman and JV teams at Elizabethtown. “We have a lot of chemistry,” Elmore said. “We both played the outfield when we weren’t pitching. I think we challenge each other a lot.” Being the only two freshmen in the starting lineup, Bouthilette said it’s comforting to have a player on the team to share the process with. “Carter and I have played together even since I can remember,” Bouthilette said. “It’s good to have another kid going through the same things as you are. He’s doing a great job. It’s helped a lot. It’s a big difference playing varsity. There’s a lot more pressure. But it’s good.” Much like Bouthilette and Elmore, who are successfully carrying on a family tradition. Chuck Jones can be reached at 505-1759