Pearson Cobden’s new head baseball coach

Dana Pearson will take over the baseball coaching duties at Cobden High School this fall.

Pearson, who was hired at last Monday’s Cobden School Board meeting, takes over for Jared Clutts, who resigned at the end of last season to work on furthering his education.

“I thought it was either time to quit or take the head coaching job,” Pearson said.

Pearson has been an assistant coach at Cobden for the last 10 years. He has been involved in coaching baseball for the last 30 years.

A former standout pitcher at Cobden, he played collegiate baseball at Murray State University and was drafted in professional baseball by the St. Louis Cardinals.

Pearson sees a competitive Cobden squad this upcoming season.

“We only lost two seniors,” Pearson said. “We’ve got a good blend of juniors and seniors.”

Cobden finished 13-9 overall last season.

Pearson is looking at two sophomores, as well as five to six incoming freshmen, to add to the squad this season.

“We took the summer off to give them a break,” Pearson said. “We’ve got a talented group and we will need a lot of work to get better.”

Pearson is also the Cobden American Legion baseball coach during the summer. The team did not play this summer so players could have a break from the game.

Pearson said he will stress the importance of three facets of the game in developing a winning program: pitching, defense and situational/timely hitting.

“Our fall season is going to be like spring training,” Pearson said. “They have a chance to be as good as our 2015 team.”

Pearson said not all the South Egyptian Conference teams play a fall baseball schedule and some teams can’t play because players are competing in football. 

But he looks for three teams playing this fall to be competitive.

“I look for Century and Egyptian to be top competitors in the conference,” Pearson said. “We should be in there among the top three, too.”

Pearson said conference member Shawnee was hurt by graduation of its starters and will be in a rebuilding mode this season.

Cobden will have a 12-game schedule this fall.

“I’m excited about the season,” Pearson said. “It looks like they’re eager to go, too.”

The assistant Cobden coach this season will be Adam Reynolds.

The Gazette-Democrat

112 Lafayette St.
Anna, Illinois 62906
Office Number: (618) 833-2158
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