Wildcats Baseball Pitcher and Slugger Jaxon Chaney Signs With Ouachita Baptist University
Wildcats senior baseball pitcher, infielder and slugger Jaxon Chaney, the son of Brent and Deann Chaney, signed a letter of intent to play college baseball at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Chaney says everything happened fast. He says he got a call from one of his baseball coaches in summer leagues who told him about Ouachita Baptist. Soon after Chaney took a visit to Arkadelphia. Chaney met Ouachita’s Head Baseball Coach Luke Howard. Chaney says he liked the things Howard talked about. After sleeping on it, Chaney called the next day and told Coach Howard he wanted to play for him for the next four years. Chaney also loved the Ouachita campus. He likes the fact it is a small school with only about 1500 students. He says it’s a close knit community and has a great hometown feeling. Chaney says Ouachita wants him to pitch and play in the infield. Chaney feels his best ticket to getting on the field quickly will be as a starting pitcher. Chaney sees several things he needs to improve on before getting to the next level. One is arm velocity. He says he knows he can’t get many batters out throwing 82 miles per hour. He says he needs a fourth pitch, perhaps a slider to go with his fast ball, curve ball and change up. Chaney says he wants more consistency in his swing so he can put the ball in play harder more often while striking out less and hitting more home runs. Chaney says he wants to major in sports management. Wildcats Baseball Coach Jerrod Hammack calls Chaney a phenomenal athlete and says Chaney is right up there with the best players Coach Hammack has had in his 14 years at Sulphur Springs. He calls Chaney a competitor with real power. Coach Hammack recalls Chaney hitting an opposite field home run in Rockwall against Prosper in the playoffs. He says the Wildcats season last year turned better when Chaney overcame an arm soreness and was able to pitch again. Coach Hammack says he would like to make it to Arkansas to see Chaney and Ouachita play former Wildcat teammate Kaden Argenbright and Henderson State. The schools are located across the street from each other in Arkadelphia and are huge rivals.
