Mustangs receive All-Big 8 West honors

Graham Thomas/McDonald County Press
McDonald County senior shortstop Cross Dowd received All-Big 8 West Conference first-team honors as an infielder and second-team accolades as a pitcher, along with being named to the All-Class 5 District 7 All-District team.
Graham Thomas/McDonald County Press McDonald County senior shortstop Cross Dowd received All-Big 8 West Conference first-team honors as an infielder and second-team accolades as a pitcher, along with being named to the All-Class 5 District 7 All-District team.

Five McDonald County baseball players and first-year coach Heath Alumbaugh received All-Big 8 West recognition for the 2023 season.

Alumbaugh was named the league's Coach of the Year after leading McDonald County to its third straight conference championship and second consecutive 6-0 run through the league.

The Mustangs finished 20-9 overall in 2023 under Alumbaugh, advancing to the Class 5 District 7 championship game where they lost 2-0 to Webb City.

Seniors Weston Gordon, Cross Dowd, Isaac Behm, Jack Parnell and junior Destyn Dowd were received All Big 8 West recognition.

Gordon earned first-team honors as a pitcher. The right-hander, who's signed with Arkansas State Three Rivers went 8-2 with a 0.76 ERA on the mound in 11 games. He threw 64 2/3 innings with 61 strikeouts and had a streak of 40 consecutive scoreless innings down the stretch.

Dowd was a first-team infielder as the Mustangs' primary shortstop and led the team with 68 assists and had a 97 percent fielding percentage.

Dowd, who signed with Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College also was a second-team pitcher going 7-2 overall with a 1.20 ERA in 64 1/3 innings of work with 73 strikeouts.

Behm, who also signed with Coffeyville Community College, was a first-team outfielder.

Behm led the Mustangs offensively with four home runs, 26 RBIs and a .389 batting average. His 37 hits also led the team.

Behm also was a second-team pitcher selection, going 5-1 with a 1.46 ERA in 38 1/3 innings with 26 strikeouts.

Junior Destyn Dowd was a second-team utility player selection. Destyn Dowd pitched and played in the outfield and infield for the Mustangs.

Destyn Dowd had a home run and 13 RBIs while batting leadoff most of the season.

Parnell started in center field for the Mustangs and was an honorable-mention outfield selection. He hit .289 with two home runs and 13 RBIs. Defensively, he had 60 outfield putouts and four assists and did not commit an error. Parnell also made several spectacular catches in the outfield, which don't show up in the stat sheet. Parnell signed to play football at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kan.

Left-hander Case Sanderson of Nevada, who is committed to Nebraska, was named the league's Player of the Year.

Gordon, Cross Dowd, Behm and Parnell also were selected to the Class 5 District 7 All-District Team.

  photo  Graham Thomas/McDonald County Press McDonald County junior Destyn Dowd earned All-Big 8 West Conference honors as a second team utility player for the 2023 season.
 
 
  photo  Graham Thomas/McDonald County Press First-year McDonald County baseball coach Heath Alumbaugh was named the Big 8 West Conference's Coach of the Year after leading the Mustangs to their third straight conference championship.
 
 
  photo  Graham Thomas/McDonald County Press McDonald County senior Isaac Behm earned All-Big 8 West Conference first-team recognition as an outfielder and second-team honors as a pitcher for the 2023 season. Behm also was named to the Class 5 District 7 All-District team.
 
 
  photo  Graham Thomas/McDonald County Press McDonald County senior Jack Parnell was an All-Big 8 West Conference honorable mention selection as an outfielder and was also named to the Class 5 District 7 team.
 
 
  photo  Graham Thomas/McDonald County Press McDonald County senior right-hander Weston Gordon earned All-Big 8 West Conference first-team honors as a pitcher, along with being named to the Class 5 District 7 All-District team.