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Vanderbilt, Memphis signees drive Pope John Paul II's baseball title dreams

Chris Brooks
USA TODAY NETWORK – Tennessee
Pope John Paul II's Ben Brooks (2) and Mason Hickman (9)

It was somewhat fitting that the final out of this week's series opener between Pope John Paul II and visiting Father Ryan included both starting pitcher Mason Hickman and shortstop Ben Brooks.

The Knights’ senior duo has been helping lock down wins for the past three years.

What the pair lacks is a deep run at the state tournament, but they have their sights set on changing that this year.

Under first-year coach Chris Parker, the Knights are 18-4, 8-1 DII-AA East/Middle and have a pair of eight-game winning streaks.

“We started off the season insanely hot and I think we’re just playing really well," said Hickman, a Vanderbilt signee. "We’ve matured together and I think we’ve really fed off of each other’s energy.”

Pope John Paul II senior Ben Brooks is hitting .519 and has scored 25 runs in the Knights' first 20 games this season.

Hickman is 5-0 in his five starts this season. In 30 innings, Hickman has struck out 45 hitters and allowed just one earned run for a 0.23 ERA. He’s also generated runs at the plate, driving in 14 runs and homering once this season.

“Mason’s the same,” said Brooks, a Memphis signee. “He’s going to give us seven innings of shutdown ball and we know that we have a really good chance to win when he’s on the mound.”

Brooks is the Knights’ lead-off hitter and has played the role as expected, hitting .519 overall (28-54) with 25 runs scored. In seven region games, he’s hitting .500 (11-22) with 10 runs scored. Brooks has also recorded saves in two of Hickman’s wins.

The Knights have six other seniors, who all play big roles — Jack Shuttleworth, Nate Pianto, Pace Dempsey, Jordan Weems and C.J. Laws and Cody Moyer.

“It’s not only Ben and Mason, it’s the whole senior class,” Parker said. “I’ve been at this for over 20 years and I’ve never really had a class of seniors take ownership of things like they do.”

Both Hickman and Brooks have played for Parker in previous years for Team Tennessee, consisting of 20 of the state’s top rising sophomores and juniors who play against other states’ top players in the Sunbelt Classic in Oklahoma.

Pope John Paul II senior Mason Hickman - a Vanderbilt University signee - is 5-0 with 45 strikeouts in 30 innings pitched this season, allowing one earned run in those starts.

“He coaches hard,” Brooks said of Parker. “He coaches like we play. He’s getting down and getting after it. He’s definitely a player’s coach and we all enjoy that.”

Hickman added, “He’s honestly just one of us. He relates to us well, he’s just a phenomenal coach. He knows the game in and out.”

Reach Chris Brooks at cbrooks@tennessean.com or 615-575-7118 and on Twitter @CBrooksTN.