Transitioning from running into the end zone and running up and down the court to sliding into base and swinging bats is what the Indian baseball team will be working on to prepare for upcoming scrimmages and the season.
“The season is going to go great,” Coach Mike Browning said. “Everyone on the schedule is going to be really good.”
Senior Caleb Koedyker said the Indians will get back what they put into this season.
“The season outcome is just going to determine how hard we practice this year,” Koedyker said. “As long as we work hard, it will determine how far we go in the playoffs.”
The Indians lost five players to graduation from the 2011 squad.
“We did lose some starters, but the majority is coming back,” senior RayLee Suarez said. “I think the season will go pretty well.”
New faces will fill the empty slots.
“We have a couple underclassmen fill outfield,” Koedyker said. “A lot of them are working hard and getting their arm strengths higher. They are also getting a spot in the pitching rotation.”
According to Browning, older players will be an asset.
“Experience is our strength,” Browning said. “We have lots of returning players. We have five three-year starters and one four-year starter returning.”
Junior Jacob Tonini, a move-in from Houston, looks encouraging according to Suarez who said, “He is showing promise in third base and in batting.”
To get where the Indians want to go, they need to overcome Andrews in district.
“Andrews like always will be our biggest competition,” Koedyker said. “They have always been our rival in baseball.”
Last year, in the bi-district series against Pecos, the Indians won the first game, then dropped the next two.
“I think we will always have overlooking Pecos in the back of our minds,” Koedyker said. “We’ve told everyone [this season] that if we are going to lose, we won’t let it be because we beat ourselves. We’d rather lose because they beat us.”
Suarez said the Indians have a different mind set this season.
“I think we will do a lot better than last year,” Suarez said. “Last year we got stuck on how good we were, but we are going to try harder and go all the way.”
The team chemistry is one of hope and expectation.
“I am really excited to play with everyone,” Koedyker said. “I have been looking forward to [the season] since we lost to Pecos. I have been looking forward to playing with these guys; I couldn’t ask for anyone else better to play with.”