Indian baseball begins season with rain delay

Let it fly--Senior pitcher Eugenio Estepan pitches during a scrimmage against Snyder on Feb. 15. Estepan joined the team last year after moving from the Virgin Island.

Kree Ellison

Let it fly–Senior pitcher Eugenio Estepan pitches during a scrimmage against Snyder on Feb. 15. Estepan joined the team last year after moving from the Virgin Island.

The Indian baseball team is currently competing in the Shallowater tournament through Saturday.

The Indians finished the first game of the year with a 6-5 lead against the Levelland Loboes before it got rained out at the end of the third inning.

Junior Clayton Froese led the team with three runs batted in.

Senior pitcher Royce Snethen led the team with three strikes out.

The Indians come into the season with a handful of returning players from last year.

“It is going to be tough to match last year’s team,” senior pitcher Brandon Long said, “but I feel like we have players to match that team or be even better.”

The senior players hope to lead the Indians into postseason.

“I think our senior class is really special this year,” Snethen said. “I believe if we can be really good leaders on and off the field to the younger classmen that we can really have a special team this year.”

The Indians hope to advance after being knocked out by Bushland in the area round.

“Getting beat in the second round of playoffs really hurt,” senior outfielder Dustin Neufeld said. “The key to this year is to take one game at a time and encourage the younger classmen to stay in the present.”