(photo by Jim Lindquist)
Last spring the Tigers got off to a miserable start, losing eight of their first nine games on the way to a 4-17 season that included a 3-11 mark and a seventh place finish in the Missota Conference.
Eight seniors from that squad were lost through graduation but veteran coach Mike Winters is optimistic the 2012 edition of Tiger baseball will be an improved product.
"We still have some experience and we have competitive depth at most positions," he said. "There is a of of young talent coming up to the varsity this year."
Nathan Graham All-conferene honorable mention last season
(photo by Jim Lindquist)
Among the key returnees is all-Missota Conference performer Jake Baskerville who hit a team-high .358 last spring. Nathan Graham, who received all-league honorable mention, is also back as is Top Gun Award (best pitcher) winner Jonathan Ellis.
Other veterans include last year's Rookie of the Year Spencer Merle, Ryan Schoening, Drew Hegseth, John Stibal, Nick Newman, Ty Vincent and Andy Morris.
Newcomers expected to make a run at varsity playing time include senior Marty Rivera; juniors Kevin Olund, Jordan Lugowski, Isaac Toenjes, Jared Lipinski, Zach Huber, Kyle Mayer, Michael LeTourneau, Turner Olson, Caleb Eiffert and Hunter Demo and sophomores Johnny Dittmann and Jordan DeCrook.
Winters said that as with most teams in most seasons, pitching will go a long way toward telling the tale of the upcoming campaign.
"We need to develop pitchers who want the ball and can throw strikes," he said. "We also need team players to accept and excel at the roles they are given."
The Tiger coach said Shakopee and Chanhassen should both be in the hunt for the Missota Conference title with the Rochester schools and Owatonna the pre-season favorites in Section 1AAA.
The team is not making its annual spring trip to Arkansas for warm-weather training this year but has a special opening day planned. The Tigers kick off the season on Wednesday, Apr. 4, with a non-conference game with Hastings at the Metrodome.
John Graff is back as Winters' top assistant this spring with Brent Grengs handling the junior varsity coaching duties. Jason Kohlbeck will coach the B-squad with Matt Grove and Andy Pierskalla sharing the ninth grade chores.
Matt Ellingrund and Brandon Chant team up to coach the eighth grade and Tom Auge and Nick Davis co-coach the seventh-graders.
