Tiger nine ready to play ball

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

The Mountain Home Tigers open their 2007 baseball season this week with games against Timberline and Emmett.

Tiger head baseball coach Travis DeVore indicated he is pleased with the turnout for baseball this year.

"Actually it was about the exact amount of kids you need to put a couple teams together. We're pretty thin in the senior class, and we have a really strong freshman class and a strong junior class, just in terms of numbers, but with one class being particularly small, it makes it seem like the turnout is a little smaller than in years past, but in terms of athletes, we're really happy with the kids that ended up coming out."

Coach DeVore lost a lot of seniors from last year's squad that went 9-17 overall, took second at district and qualified for state, but still has some good experience returning.

"Our infield is certainly the core of that experience, and Chris Rau got a lot of innings pitched last year for a sophomore on the varsity level. Jake Hiler got his share, but certainly could have used a few more. He picked up some of those during Legion ball.

"Probably the guys that should have got a few more innings during the summer are guys like Jordan Cisna and Alex Hoffman, because they're going to be probably key players in that pitching staff.

"Defensively, we have a returning core of guys, especially in the middle of the line-up, but we have a lot of inexperience, too, so we're going to have to work out the kinks early on."

DeVore expects Bishop Kelly to once more be the team to beat in the 4A Southern Idaho Conference, but after that, it could be wide open.

"It seems like every year we're saying Bishop Kelly up at the top, and I certainly would say that again this year, and I think that some of the other teams are going to be stronger because they weren't overly old last year.

"Skyview came out of nowhere last year and they did have a lot of older kids, but at the same time, that program went from a losing record to the second best record in the conference in one year, so it's tough to say where they are going to be at, but I think with the job Ryan Bobo does over there, they're going to be strong again, and I think Emmett has a returning core of kids that are seniors, so they're looking like they're going to be dangerous.

"Then you mix in two new schools to the conference (Middleton and Columbia), and you lose Caldwell and Vallivue, it kind of puts a lot of question marks out there. I really think Kuna is going to be a little bit young like us, but I look for them to be dangerous, and I think we'll be dangerous.

"It will just be one of those things where there will be some growing pains early on, just guys filling some big shoes. We had a lot of seniors last year, and I think by the middle of the season, we should be hitting our stride."

The Tigers opened their season yesterday (Tuesday) at Timberline in Boise. They open their conference season tomorrow (Thursday) at Emmett, then have the Huskies at home on Friday, as the league once again is set up to play teams home and home open Thursdays and Fridays.

Next week the Tigers host Bishop Kelly on March 22, and travel to Bishop Kelly on March 23.

"I think those first two conference doubleheaders, they're going to be some big games for us in terms of letting the conference know where we stand," said Coach DeVore. "But they are going to be big games as well just by the competition we're facing.

"Obviously, Bishop Kelly was far and away the strongest team last year, and we've got them the second week of the year, so we have our work cut out for us, but I really am enjoying this group of guys. Their attitudes have been great, and they're working hard,

"I think we're about at that point where we need to play a game so the guys know exactly where they're at, but at the same time, it's been a real treat getting to work with them."

The Tigers travel to Emmett tomorrow (Thursday) and host Emmett on Friday. Both games start at 5 p.m.

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