Scoop27
02-18-2016, 10:12 PM
Brazosport Facts Baseball Season Preview
COLUMBIA
COACH: Jeff Shank (15th year)
LAST YEAR’S RECORD: District 28-4A 5-5, 11-12-1 overall
RETURNING LETTERMEN: Josh Jimenez, Joe Salazar, Richard Hooper, Saylaion Dunlap, Anthony Herrera, Payton Judd, Edward Wachtel, Jeff Park, Hunter Grayson, Wade Hill, Trentyn Nettles, Tristin Reeves, Colbey Blackstock
RETURNING STARTERS: Jimenez, Dunlap, Wachtel, Grayson, Hill
OVERVIEW: It isn’t like the Roughnecks are starting from scratch, but there will be some new players in different places all over the field. If there is someone who can mold them into a playoff contender with time, it is the 15-year skipper for the ‘Necks, Shank.
One of the areas he is looking for some help in is on the mound. A couple of youngsters who could fill that void are sophomores Tyler Russell and Matthew Hagen, who also will be expected to play some key defensive positions.
NOTABLE: The Roughnecks have made the playoffs in nine of Shank’s 14 seasons.
QUOTABLE: “We will need to rely on our senior class to lead the way in all areas encompassing this team,” Shank said. “The 2016 is a tight knit group. This camaraderie will hopefully work in our favor of reaching the postseason and winning in the postseason.”
SWEENY
COACH: David Luster (Third year)
LAST YEAR’S RECORD: District 28-4A 8-2, 24-8-1 overall
RETURNING LETTERMEN: Hayden Fails, Jonathan Svoboda, Shawn Kelley, Jacob Mathis, Cody Erikson, Dax McCleary, Kolby Stewart
RETURNING STARTERS: Fails, Svoboda, Kelley, Mathis, Erikson, McCleary
OVERVIEW: Six players who were key to the Bulldogs’ success last season return, including Fails (.379 batting, 13 doubles, three triples, 18 RBIs, 30 RUNS; 70.1 innings, 8-2, 38 hits, 19 runs, eight earned runs, 22 walks, 77 strikeouts, 0.796 ERA), Kelley (.360 batting, 32 hits, eight doubles, 21 RBIs, 15 runs, 20 walks, .470 on base, .472 slugging), Svoboda (.328 batting, 22 hits, seven doubles, 17 RBIs, 12 runs; 51.1 innings, 5-2, 36 hits, 49 strikeouts, 10 earned runs, 16 walks, 1.364 ERA), Mathis (.323 batting, 30 hits, five doubles, 23 RBIs, 31 runs) and Erikson (.318 batting, 27 hits, four triples, two home runs, 18 RBIs, 29 runs, 27 walks).
NOTABLE: Sweeny is ranked preseason No. 5 in Class 4A and No. 1 in Region IV according to txhighschoolbaseball.com.
QUOTABLE: “We have some huge holes to fill with the three seniors we had last year,” Luster said. “It will be tough to replace them but we have some young kids who I think will be up to the task. We will have a bullseye on our back all year and so far the kids seem to have accepted the challenge.”
BRAZOSPORT
COACH: Ken Schulte (Second year)
LAST YEAR’S RECORD: District 28-4A 6-3, 20-12 overall
RETURNING LETTERMEN: Anthony Brege, senior, P; Jacob Lerma, junior, 2B; Joshua Luna, sophomore, CF; Jeremiah Credit, senior, OF
RETURNING STARTERS: Lerma, Luna, Brege
OVERVIEW: After making a strong run to the Region IV semifinals last year, the Exporters will be reloading this season. There are going to be a lot of new faces on the field including, Rylee McGee, senior, C/P/INF; Ricky Nino, senior, OF; Cruz Cabrera, junior, P; Chris Serna, junior, C/P/INF; Julian Valdez, junior, P/INF; Angel Amador, sophomore, P/INF; Jermaine Ellis, freshman, OF; Christian Guevara, freshman, INF. {span}Lerma batted .333 in district last season as a sophomore.
NOTABLE: The 1966 Brazosport Exporter team celebrates the 50th anniversary of their state championship this season.
QUOTABLE: “Last year this program won its first playoff game since 2000 and had a remarkable run through the playoffs,” Schulte said. “We have raised our expectations for individual and team success. We are athletic and have a great work ethic, but we will have to mature quickly. A host of talented, but untested young players will take the field for the Exporters this year.”
COLUMBIA
COACH: Jeff Shank (15th year)
LAST YEAR’S RECORD: District 28-4A 5-5, 11-12-1 overall
RETURNING LETTERMEN: Josh Jimenez, Joe Salazar, Richard Hooper, Saylaion Dunlap, Anthony Herrera, Payton Judd, Edward Wachtel, Jeff Park, Hunter Grayson, Wade Hill, Trentyn Nettles, Tristin Reeves, Colbey Blackstock
RETURNING STARTERS: Jimenez, Dunlap, Wachtel, Grayson, Hill
OVERVIEW: It isn’t like the Roughnecks are starting from scratch, but there will be some new players in different places all over the field. If there is someone who can mold them into a playoff contender with time, it is the 15-year skipper for the ‘Necks, Shank.
One of the areas he is looking for some help in is on the mound. A couple of youngsters who could fill that void are sophomores Tyler Russell and Matthew Hagen, who also will be expected to play some key defensive positions.
NOTABLE: The Roughnecks have made the playoffs in nine of Shank’s 14 seasons.
QUOTABLE: “We will need to rely on our senior class to lead the way in all areas encompassing this team,” Shank said. “The 2016 is a tight knit group. This camaraderie will hopefully work in our favor of reaching the postseason and winning in the postseason.”
SWEENY
COACH: David Luster (Third year)
LAST YEAR’S RECORD: District 28-4A 8-2, 24-8-1 overall
RETURNING LETTERMEN: Hayden Fails, Jonathan Svoboda, Shawn Kelley, Jacob Mathis, Cody Erikson, Dax McCleary, Kolby Stewart
RETURNING STARTERS: Fails, Svoboda, Kelley, Mathis, Erikson, McCleary
OVERVIEW: Six players who were key to the Bulldogs’ success last season return, including Fails (.379 batting, 13 doubles, three triples, 18 RBIs, 30 RUNS; 70.1 innings, 8-2, 38 hits, 19 runs, eight earned runs, 22 walks, 77 strikeouts, 0.796 ERA), Kelley (.360 batting, 32 hits, eight doubles, 21 RBIs, 15 runs, 20 walks, .470 on base, .472 slugging), Svoboda (.328 batting, 22 hits, seven doubles, 17 RBIs, 12 runs; 51.1 innings, 5-2, 36 hits, 49 strikeouts, 10 earned runs, 16 walks, 1.364 ERA), Mathis (.323 batting, 30 hits, five doubles, 23 RBIs, 31 runs) and Erikson (.318 batting, 27 hits, four triples, two home runs, 18 RBIs, 29 runs, 27 walks).
NOTABLE: Sweeny is ranked preseason No. 5 in Class 4A and No. 1 in Region IV according to txhighschoolbaseball.com.
QUOTABLE: “We have some huge holes to fill with the three seniors we had last year,” Luster said. “It will be tough to replace them but we have some young kids who I think will be up to the task. We will have a bullseye on our back all year and so far the kids seem to have accepted the challenge.”
BRAZOSPORT
COACH: Ken Schulte (Second year)
LAST YEAR’S RECORD: District 28-4A 6-3, 20-12 overall
RETURNING LETTERMEN: Anthony Brege, senior, P; Jacob Lerma, junior, 2B; Joshua Luna, sophomore, CF; Jeremiah Credit, senior, OF
RETURNING STARTERS: Lerma, Luna, Brege
OVERVIEW: After making a strong run to the Region IV semifinals last year, the Exporters will be reloading this season. There are going to be a lot of new faces on the field including, Rylee McGee, senior, C/P/INF; Ricky Nino, senior, OF; Cruz Cabrera, junior, P; Chris Serna, junior, C/P/INF; Julian Valdez, junior, P/INF; Angel Amador, sophomore, P/INF; Jermaine Ellis, freshman, OF; Christian Guevara, freshman, INF. {span}Lerma batted .333 in district last season as a sophomore.
NOTABLE: The 1966 Brazosport Exporter team celebrates the 50th anniversary of their state championship this season.
QUOTABLE: “Last year this program won its first playoff game since 2000 and had a remarkable run through the playoffs,” Schulte said. “We have raised our expectations for individual and team success. We are athletic and have a great work ethic, but we will have to mature quickly. A host of talented, but untested young players will take the field for the Exporters this year.”