Carrollton High baseball eyes repeat EBC, district title runs

After a standout 20-6 season that included an Eastern Buckeye Conference championship as well as a district title, Carrollton High enters the 2026 baseball season with both confidence and experience on its side.

Head coach Brian Connelly, now in his eighth season at the helm, returns one of his most seasoned groups yet. The Warriors bring back a deep senior class, including OF Branden Marshall, P/1B/DH Hunter Allison, OF Graden Cook, P/SS Isaac Husted, 1B/DH Jayven Johnson, P/3B Nevan Woods, P/UTL Cooper Haun, and P/3B Trenton Healey. There is also a smaller, yet strong junior group featuring P/3B Michael Mullen, P/SS/CF Brayden Swearingen, and OF/C Jaden Murphy that gained valuable experience last spring.

“This year’s team returns a lot of seniors with a lot of experience,” Connelly said. “This is probably one of the more experienced groups we have had here at Carrollton, and we will lean on that experience and senior leadership in order to be successful.”

That could be a scary thought for EBC rivals considering everything the Warriors accomplished in 2025. Carrollton will look to build on last season’s success despite the loss of four key contributors in Jacob Whitmore, Landon James, Landon McClelland, and Garrett Broadwater. Still, the Warriors appear well-positioned to reload rather than rebuild.

Offensively, Carrollton expects to be a major threat once again. Connelly emphasized the team’s focus at the plate during the offseason and believes the returning lineup can deliver.

“We have been getting our cuts in the offseason,” he said. “We hit the ball well last year and bring a lot of those experienced bats back. Carrollton baseball is all about playing a clean game defensively, throwing strikes, and being selfless in the batter’s box.”

The Warriors have also toughened their schedule in preparation for league play and the postseason, aiming to test themselves early against strong non-conference opponents.

However, early-season pitching depth remains a question mark. With some multi-sport players coming off the basketball team’s postseason run that ended in the district finals a scant two weeks ago and others working back into form, Carrollton is in the process of building up its arms.

“I hope our pitching is ready to go,” Connelly said. “We’re looking for someone—or a couple guys—to step up in the rotation. Guys like Brandon Lee, Caden Husted, and Trenton Healey are going to have to add length and depth.”

Despite those concerns, expectations remain high in the EBC, where teams continuously jostle for supremacy. As defending champions, Connelly and company are fully aware that the Warriors will be a target every time they take the field.

“The EBC is always competitive, and it can be anyone’s year,” Connelly said. “But with the experience we bring back, we have just as much of a shot as anyone. We want to win the league.”

With a veteran roster, proven leadership, and a strong foundation, Carrollton has all the pieces in place for another successful spring – and perhaps another championship.