Wood announces plan to step down as Oran baseball coach

~ The longtime coach has led the Eagles to nine final fours

ORAN, Mo. -- The members of the Oran baseball team won their final regular season game on Thursday afternoon with a 7-1 victory over Kennett.

After the game the players proceeded as usual with a short team meeting and field maintenance duties before coach Mitch Wood gathered them together to tell them that this season -- his 21st at the school and 24th overall -- would be his last.

"I was a little shocked," said junior infielder and pitcher Seth Ressel. "But I can understand because he did say he tried to throw BP one day and it just killed his arm, so I kind of saw it was coming."

Wood said it was simply time to walk away from the coach's box.

"I made the point a long time ago of saying when I was kind of ready to get out, I didn't want to stay around," he said. "It's been a struggle this year as far as staying out and different things, just for various reasons. But I didn't want to do anything early because I don't think that's something the kids need to be thinking about and what our program's about."

The struggle, he said, has been with his own motivation.

"I'm talking about just being in it so long," Wood said. "It's not really a struggle as much as I just said when I'm not just having a ton of fun every day getting up and wanting to come out here that I was going to not be one of those that stay around -- talent [or] no talent."

Wood plans to continue to serve as Oran's superintendant and as the director of the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament. He'll also continue to work with the Lids Missouri Bulls baseball program, but will not coach a team.

"I'll be out of coaching for a little while," Wood said. "It's been a good 24 years. It's been a good run."

Wood first made the announcement during a pregame radio appearance, which his players were not aware of.

"My biggest thing I wanted to, on the radio, thank all the people that's been supporting us and doing things for us," Wood said. "I just wanted to make sure I got that out to them because, as you know, after this it's one game at a time. You may play one and you may get beat."

Wood said the process of finding his replacement has not started.

"I've got two good assistants, and I'm not sure who's interested or not, but we've got some people in-house. I'll be shocked if it comes from outside."

Oran wrapped up the regular season with a 16-5 record and will begin its attempt to reach a third consecutive final four when it hosts a district semifinal Monday.

Wood has led nine Oran teams to the final four during his tenure, but none has returned with a state title. His players badly want to give him championship.

"This changes a lot," Ressel said after learning of Wood's decision. "We want him to go out with the title. He said he's [had 21] years he's been at it. He's gotten so close, and I just can't imagine having that situation happen to me. He deserves it."

Wood has taken some favored teams to the final four, but he also has taken more than one overachieving group, a category he likely would place this season's team into should it advance that far.

"We had a very good run," Wood said. "Honestly, some of my worst teams I've had stand out more than good teams because they've done some things. I think this year is a good testament to that. Not that we're bad, but we've got probably three or four kids hitting below .200. Pitching and defense, that's what we've done."

Wood is a demanding and sometimes critical coach, but the first word senior Alex Heuring picked to describe playing for him was "fun."

"It's fun because you've got to go out and he's going to expect you to compete or else you ain't going to play," Heuring said. "So, I mean, it keeps you on your toes and makes you want to play.

"He doesn't really care who you are or what you've done. He's just going to play who's doing their best right now. He plays to win. He'll give anybody a chance. He just makes it fun for everyone."

Heuring and fellow senior Kody Moore both homered in Thursday's win, their final regular-season game on their home field.

Moore also pitched the complete game to earn the win.

"Kody threw a heck of a game," Wood said. "We got some key hits, done some good things. We're firing on cylinders right now, and it's the time of the year to do that. Basketball made a great run [to the final four], and we kind of got behind a little bit. It was a good behind, but at the same time you're behind. I think that we're finally hitting stride a little bit."

There is perhaps nothing more telling about the kind of program Wood has built at Oran than the fact that a return trip to the final four this season, whatever the roster, is more of an expectation than a goal.

"Overall just going and making runs to the final four and putting the kids in a position to win a state championship," he said about what stands out most to him. "That's what it's all about. We're still going to do that. Hopefully our program continues doing that."