CHEYENNE — A pair of seniors have helped the Cheyenne Sixers develop an outfield that manager Brad Barker III describes as among the best in program history.

Brodin Robbins mans center more often than not, while Mason Maggard has locked down the left field role since early in the season. Senior Zach Hall has split his time almost evenly between center and right when he’s not pitching. College returner Braden Pearson has logged the most innings in right.

“We are all pretty fast and have a lot of range,” said Robbins, who graduated from Cheyenne East in May. “There aren’t many balls we can’t run down.”

This is Robbins’ second full season with the varsity Sixers. Barker describes him as an elite outfielder.

“I don’t say that loosely,” the second-year Sixers skipper said. “Defensively, he’s one of the best center fielders in the region. He does a great job out there. He can range with the best of them, and he also has a cannon.

“He’s hard to run on, and it’s hard to get a ball down with him out there.”

Robbins has six outfield assists this summer.

He was the Sixers’ fourth-leading hitter as a junior, batting .336 (44-for-131) with 14 doubles, three triples and 17 RBI. Robbins has uncharacteristically struggled at the plate this summer. He is hitting .161 (15-of-93) with three doubles, two triples, a home run and 11 RBI.

Robbins isn’t happy with how he’s struggled with the bat. He envisioned hitting far better during his senior campaign, but he hasn’t let it drag him down outwardly.

“He is a pure team guy,” Barker said. “He’s going to do whatever he can to put the team first. … If he’s not playing, he’s the first one out of the dugout when the guys come back in. He’s what you want to model every kid off.

“It would be easy for someone to get down with the struggles he’s had this year, but he doesn’t show it. He comes back every day with a great attitude and keeps grinding.”

Robbins has made a concerted effort to remain upbeat because he knows his attitude is infectious.

“Hitting a baseball is hard. It’s probably the hardest thing to do in sports,” Robbins said. “But I still have to be a good teammate and have to be a leader. Even though I’m not doing my best, I know other guys are doing their best, so I have to be there to encourage them and pick them up.

“If I see other guys down in the dugout, I’ll try to pick them up and encourage them and keep the energy up because that’s so important to the game.”

The left-handed Robbins has tossed 21 innings across 11 appearances this season. He’s made just two starts, including a six-inning outing against Laramie on July 5. Robbins struck out eight batters while walking two during that 3-1 loss.

“He’s primarily been a reliever for us, but I feel comfortable with him in any role, from relieving to starting,” Barker said. “As long as he goes out there and fills (the strike zone) up, he gives hitters trouble. He has a live arm and throws a heavy ball.”

Relievers often come into the game with runners on base and their teams desperately needing outs. The role isn’t for the faint of heart. Robbins has the right mentality for it.

“I’ve never gone to the mound scared or anything like that,” he said. “I’m always positive up there and know I can throw strikes. I know I can get guys out with what I throw.

“Even in that Laramie game, we didn’t come out on top, but I threw a good game, and that’s all I can do. I just go out there, throw strikes and see what happens.”

Maggard is in his first season with the varsity Sixers. He is glad he waited his turn.

“It’s been really fun being surrounded by a great group of guys that I’ve grown up playing with,” the Cheyenne Central graduate said. “It’s been a really comfortable situation with this team.

“We know we’re a really good team, so we don’t feel a ton of pressure, and we’re having fun all the time.”

A loaded outfield kept Maggard on the junior-varsity Hawks for another summer of seasoning. He batted .286 (40-of-140) with seven doubles, five triples, a home run and 32 RBI. Maggard drew 29 walks and struck out 20 times.

“He was right on the brink (of making varsity), so I wanted to make sure he got plenty of at-bats and was prepared for this year,” Barker said. “He’s always had the skill set.”

A big priority for Maggard during the offseason was becoming better at bunting. He wanted to utilize his speed to put pressure on defenses and steal some hits.

“I had to find my role, and I know I’m pretty fast, so I had to find ways to get on base,” said Maggard, who will play at Ottawa University in Arizona starting this fall. “I have gotten really good at laying down a bunt or working a walk. I just have to find ways to get on.

“I didn’t really bunt too much growing up, but I’ve always been pretty fast. This offseason, I really worked at bunting because it’s something I knew I could be good at and something I could use every day.”

Maggard’s .381 batting average (61-for-160) is second on the Sixers’ roster. His .381 on-base percentage ranks fourth. Maggard also has a double, two triples and 24 RBI.

“He is utilizing all of his tools,” Barker said. “He’s a smart player, and he knows the game well. He’s not an overpowering, physical guy, but he sees the field differently and is able to utilize all the different pieces.

“With his speed, he can bunt or bang it into gaps and get extra bases. He does a lot of things well, and I never feel uneasy with him at the plate.”