Like the spring weather the Tigers were slow out of the gate and they never could quite recover in a season that ended with an overall record of 4-17 and a seventh place finish (3-11) in the Missota Conference.
"Hopefully the experience we gained this year will lead to more success in 2012," coach Mike Winters said. "We got off to a slow start (1-8) this year and then mental errors and four one-run losses hurt us the rest of the way."
Nineteen Tigers received varsity letters at the team's post-season banquet: Sebren Baer, Jake Baskerville, Steven Barber, Quinn Eden, Dayne Eich, Jonathan Ellis, Nathan Graham, Drew Hegseth, Tommy Korbein, Cole Luskey, Spencer Merle, Andy Morris, Nick Newman, Zak Payne, Ryan Schoening, Andy Sharratt, John Stibal, Ty Vincent and Zach Wallace.
Participation certificates went to 13 others, including Johnny Dittman, Jared Lipinski, Zach Huber, Marty Rivera, Simon Lindstrom, Jordan Decrook, Michael Letourneau, Turner Olson, Athen Ashton, Tyler Knutson, Bret Hoffman, Kayle Meyer and Jordan Lugowski.
Baskerville, who led the team in hitting with a .358 batting average, landed a berth on the all-Missota Conference team while Graham and Payne each received all-league honorable mention.
Baskerville won the team's batting award while Ellis took home the Top Gun Award for being the top pitcher. Korbein won defensive honors and Baer was tabbed as the team's most improved player.
"Statistically we improved throughout the season," Winters said, "and the players stayed positive considering all of the emotional ups and down we had."
The veteran Tiger coach added that the future looks brighter for the program with a large number of experienced players as well as a promising crop of newcomers slated to return next spring.
"We'll be offering skill camps this summer and have some new things for this winter that should help us prepare for the 2012 season."
