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Sports

Bengals Not Letting Barry's Chase Become a Distraction

Oak Forest slugger Tim Barry is a swing away from history, but the Bengals are staying focused and playing great baseball heading down the stretch.

It’s only a matter of time before Oak Forest slugger Tim Barry breaks two state career records.

As his performance on Wednesday showed, Barry is not just knocking on the door, he's about to knock it down. The slugger hit four home runs in the Bengals’ doubleheader at T.F. North on Wednesday, tying the state high school career home run mark and moving to within one of the state career RBI mark.

Barry had a chance Thursday to break those records, but he didn’t hit a home run or drive in a run during his (See the accompanying video for Barry’s plate appearances).

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One might think Barry would feel pressure heading to the plate with the records within his reach, but he said he doesn’t notice it.

“It’s just the same mindset,” he said. “I feel no pressure. It doesn’t bother me at all.”

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Barry has 49 home runs, which ties Curtis Parrish of Odin (2000 to 2003), and 192 RBIs, one off the mark set by Stefan Neece of Greenville (2002 to 2005).

Barry sees breaking the records simply as a milestone for him.

“It would achieve my goal,” he said. “That’s pretty much it. I’d be excited because it’s something that I wanted to do a year after I found out what it was.”

As a season goes on, individual records have the potential to be a distraction for a team poised to make a deep postseason run. Oak Forest coach Thaddeus Gatton made it clear that his group’s focus remains on improving and collecting victories.

“Our focus plain and simple is the team, and I think Timmy’s focus is the team, too,” Gatton said. “I think Timmy would like to get it over and done with, so we can more focus on the team, especially because we’re getting set up for the playoffs right now.”

Gatton acknowledged how special breaking the home run and RBI records would be, not only for Barry but also for Oak Forest’s entire team and staff. And he wouldn't mind at all if Barry broke the records today, when the Bengals host Bremen (4:30 p.m.).

“As soon as we can get it over, the better, because I think everyone will feel good about it, even Timmy,” Gatton said. “As much as he really doesn’t show it, I think it will be a little bit of a burden off his shoulders.”

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