Tiger nine opens against Hawks

The Mountain Home Tigers open their 2006 baseball season at Skyview tomorrow (Thursday) afternoon against the Hawks.

The Tigers are coming off a 9-17 season last year.

Tiger baseball coach Travis DeVore is pleased with the talent on this year's squad.

"We're excited, with a heavily loaded senior class, which means expectations are high for them and for us, certainly, and going into the season with all those kids back, certainly, we're optimistic, and I told the kids the first day after cuts that our biggest issue is not going to be talent, it's just going to be us coming together and making sure we're all going through the same sort of mentality to win.

"Hopefully we have some of that stuff and guys will come out here each day and work hard, because otherwise we're going to be competitive at the end of the season, and it takes a little luck to move on, but we're certainly going to have the talent to do it."

Coach DeVore thought a big plus for this year will be the fact they had an American Legion program last summer, which was a big plus for their pitching staff.

"We've got starting pitching returning. Guys played Legion ball and got a ton of innings in over the summer, so guys that didn't pitch as much as they normally would, like Chris Rau, they got to pick up some innings this sumner, as did Aaron Swartz, and they're both throwing well for us right now, and that's not to mention we've got other guys like Mike Anderson that threw a lot this summer and threw a lot in the high school season, and he's throwing well.

"And then, of course, Michael DesPres is back for us, and he threw well as a junior for us, and Bret Young was one of our top relievers, and he threw a ton this summer as well, so it's a very deep pitching staff, and with Coach (Albert) Longhurst back this year to run the pitchers for us, he's been really excited about how much pitching we have, and how we're putting that together, and he's already looking ahead to the next month in terms of how we just get those guys as many innings as they need, so that we can continue to develop those guys. Because that is what wins tournaments, to have guys you can go to that have gotten the innings.

"Pitching-wise, I'm very optimistic, and it is because guys like Chris Rau, DesPres, Young and Jeff Vogl and all those guys came out and threw a lot this summer and they're back for us."

Coach DeVore and his team remembers last year, when the Tigers went into the district tourney with high hopes, only to see their season end with two straight losses.

"I don't think there's any doubt, and that finish to our season still doesn't sit well for me. We knew going into district it was going to be a dogfight getting to state. We weren't disillusioned about that, but that was a pathetic showing for all of us at the district tournament, and that's not something you hang on the kids or the coaches or the coaches or anyone -- that was a group effort -- we all had to take our lumps there.

"I think that something we've really got to learn from that season is that you can be as competitive as you want to be, but when it comes to district, anyone has a chance to beat somebody, and the regular season is really just a warm-up to that, and we're going to take that attitude going into it, give everyone playing time and give guys a chance to contribute and feel like they've had a chance to win starting jobs, so when we get to district, we know where we're at and we're a little more focused and we've learned from last year, because I don't think there is anyone from the varsity team last year that's not disappointed by the way we finished and thought that we underachieved.

"I tell you, it was nine months ago, and it's still eating me up -- especially when you had the chance to host district and you bow out in two games. Hopefully, we'll take that and there will be a little bit more motivation this year."

The Tigers open their season tomorrow (Thursday) at 4:30 p.m. at Skyview, and host the Hawks at home on Friday at 4:30 p.m.