For the first time since 1992, Bayless High School’s baseball team has secured the title of co-conference champions. With a 17-4 winning record, Bayless tied Valley Park High School for the title within the South Central Athletic Association conference.

“We’re trying to explain to the guys that this is a big deal,” head coach Elliott Sterett said. “They should be proud of it.”

According to Sterett, one of the highlights of the team’s season was Bayless’s triumph over Valley Park on April 23. Earlier in April, the two teams went head-to-head in a match-up that ended with Bayless losing 2-6. But when it came time for the rematch, Bayless pulled through with a 2-1 victory.

“After we played Valley Park, we still had to play Brentwood (High School) and Maplewood (Richmond Heights High School) each one more time, but beating Valley Park kept us in the running for the co-conference title,” Sterett said.

Sterett highlighted pitcher Alec Schwartze and center fielder Bryce Bradford for being key players in Bayless’s win over Valley Park. Schwartze pitched “seven great innings” for the team and ended the game with a walk-off hit; Bradford had “two phenomenal catches.”

“It really gave us the chance to compete and get the job done,” Sterett said about Bradford’s catches.

Sterrett attributes much of his team’s success to the batch of seniors that play for Bayless — students like Andrew Bolden, Jonathan Bondurant and Henry Craig. Craig is one of the leading student baseball players in St. Louis for batting average, according to Sterett, and Bolden has done “a phenomenal job defensively.” Bolden hit his fifth home run of the season during the first round of the Class 4 District 4 tournament against Principia School.

“These guys have bought in since day one of their high school career about competing in the classroom, in the weight room and on the playing field,” Sterett said. “All those guys have set the standard. They help guide our team to receive All-State awards academically, and they’ve won their individual awards … They’re really good role models, and we’re really happy to see them have some success. Hopefully, the culture they’ve set and built over their four years of high school, we’ll be able to help carry on to next year.”

He added, “When their athletic career is done, they can still take this mentality and be successful in anything they do as they go through life.”

With the title of co-conference champions under their belt, Bayless headed into the district tournament on May 16 against Principia. They emerged with a 6-4 victory, sending them into round two against Westminster Christian Academy on May 20. Bayless’s season ended in a 2-6 loss to Westminster.

“(Westminster) is state-ranked,” Sterett said on May 20, ahead of Bayless’s match-up with the private school. “I think today is going to be a battle for us. They’re a solid team over there. But our guys will keep believing in themselves.”