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Senior Spotlight: Brandon Budds

MULBERRY GROVE – There’s a stark contrast between Brandon Budds the ballplayer and the Brandon Budds that rides the bus to and from games.

The Patoka senior is one of the leading players and jokesters on the teams, slinging Will Ferrell one-liners on the way to games, but slinging words of advice inside the fences.

“Usually our funniness stays on the bus,” he said. “We’ll joke on the ride here, but once we are on the field, there‘s no more joking.”

Coach Joey Eddy also sees that contrast, and that has led to a healthy respect between the player and the coach.

And as long as Budds’ approach doesn’t change, it’s unlikely Eddy will put the kibosh on the laughter.

“Every game, he comes ready to have good at-bats,” he said. “I still would like him to be more aggressive, but I could say that about everyone.”

But, “He’s a class clown,” Eddy later added. “You never know what he’s going to say, but it’s good, clean fun with him.”

It’s usually good, clean play with Budds, too, as the third baseman turned in a spotless defensive sheet after Monday’s 7-3 win at Mulberry Grove, and he went 2-for-4 with an RBI at the plate.

He has reached base in 8-of-10 games this season, and has nine hits, including a double.

But the home run has proven elusive, which Budds said likely is due to the new style of BBCOR bats being used this spring.

“I’m not able to pull the ball so much, because the sweet spot is more on the end of the bat,” he said. “I can’t turn my hip on the ball, so basically every ball goes to right or center for me.”

The lack of power hasn’t ruined Budds’ season, though, and he believes that despite an early-season record of just 3-7, the Warriors will be able to turn the season around and have a good time doing it.

In that case, Budds hopes to channel the leadership skills he witnessed two years ago while riding the bench as a group of seniors led the Warriors to the elite eight.

“I had a bunch of older friends who were good at (leading), especially the class from two years ago,” Budds said. “I really looked up to Nick Beard, because he was a scrawny kid, but he hit a lot of home runs.”

And because Budds is respected by his teammates, there is no reason they won’t support him on his goal of having a fun season, with wins thrown in, too.

“By the end of the year that will translate to wins, because they aren’t going to want to make a mistake for each other,” Eddy said. “Toward the end, they will be saying, ‘We have to make a play for the seniors.’”

Wins will give Budds a nice memory as he leaves to Patoka to join the Army for the next four years. When he returns to the area, he hopes to attend Greenville College and possibly play baseball.

Until then, Budds is going to keep on laughing, so long as the wins keep coming.

“I’m hoping to have a good, fun season,” he said. “We have a pretty funny team, and I like being around a lot of the guys.

“Funny things happen every day.”

And with a ringleader like Budds, that’s no surprise.

Patoka senior Brandon Budds watches his first-inning single against Mulberry Grove on Monday. He finished the day at the plate 2-for-4 and played solid defense to help the Warriors win, 7-3.

Patoka senior Brandon Budds hustles to first base on his second hit against Mulberry Grove on Monday.

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