Halie Wetherington
reporter@greenepublishing.com
Two Cowboys with the Next Level Baseball (NLB) organization are playing their way through the summer, and being successful at doing so. Mitch Rutherford, an upcoming senior at Madison County High School, plays for NLB 17u and is coming back from playing in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Parker Copeland, an upcoming junior, plays for NLB 16u and is also coming back from south Florida. Both teams have had a spectacular season, with the 17u holding a record of 19-5-1 and the 16u with a record of 21-2
Both boys are bringing home big wins from the tournament, with Rutherford and Copeland coming in first place in 17u and 16u.
Mitch Rutherford pitches and plays middle infield for Next Level. In 22 innings pitched, Rutherford has 29 strikeouts and a record of 5-1, along with an earned run average (ERA) of 1.9. He is also batting .239 for the season. “Mitch is a great ball player,” said Madison County High School baseball coach Jason Fletcher, “he is also a great teammate and works every single day to be the best player he can be.”
Parker Copeland pitches and is a utility player for his NLB team. In 6.2 innings pitched this season, he has racked up 13 strikeouts while having his own batting average of .250. Coach Fletcher's take on Copeland, “Parker understands the game and understands what it takes to play at a high level. He has a great attitude and shows up in big situations.”
“Mitch and Parker both embody what a Cowboy should be,” Fletcher continued, “They are team guys that show up every day ready to work and get better. They will do whatever it takes to help their team win and never shy away from the moment.” Both Cowboys are putting in the work this summer, and are preparing to do the same on Boothill come spring.