Hawks pursuing success on the diamond

Pleasant Grove's varsity boys baseball team is looking to improve each day or order to make a long postseason run.

"Our main goal is to get better every day," Hawks head coach Riley Fincher said. "I want the players to get better every day whether it's in the classroom, or outside of school, or at the games. I feel like if we improve every day in some aspect, then we'll put ourselves in a position to play baseball for a long time.

"I think we had a great season last year. Ultimately, it didn't end the way we would have liked it to with our senior class. We won 26 of 31 games last season, and the team represented the school and the community well."

Pleasant Grove has 19 players on its roster and nine are seniors.

Senior Keaton Russo returns for his fourth year playing varsity, and is a three-year starter behind the plate. Fellow senior Seth Hopkins makes the move from right field to center for the Hawks.

Nick Voyles will be a key pitcher for Pleasant Grove and is another senior leader along with pitcher and first baseman Ryan Galvan.

"Nick and Ryan got a lot of innings last year as juniors," Fincher said. "They come into their senior years, and they want to leave their marks on the program. They have done a great job so far."

Senior pitcher Marshall Oubre will also get some starts on the hill as well as time as a reliever. Sophomore pitcher Tucker Anderson is expected to get some innings as well as junior David Singleton. Sophomore pitcher Coe Blain will also contribute.

Expected starters include Galvan or Anderson at first base, senior Parker Twisdale at second, returning starter and junior Jackson Cobb at shortstop and third baseman Ben Harmon.

The outfield will be Hopkins in center, junior Andrew LeGrand in left, and senior Ben Wilson or freshman Brock Bearden in right field. Marshall Cox is the designated hitter.

"These guys have grown up together and played together," Fincher said. "A lot of them played more than one sport in high school. The team kind of turns into a family. To see the way the guys interact at practice, on trips, in the weight room, in the classroom and outside of the schoolit grows the family atmosphere more. When that atmosphere happens, teams come together more and good teams will take off. They want to be successful and help their teammates out."

Hopkins had the highest batting average last season for Pleasant Grove. Cobb and Harmon are expected to set the offense at the top of the order. Russo is expected to get some quality at-bats and drive in some runs. Anderson and Cox are also expected to drive runners in.

"Everyone on our team understands that it's a team-first mentality, and they are going to do everything they can to help the team win," Fincher said. "Our whole goal is to get runners on base, move those runners around to get into scoring position and get them home. Each batter, 1-9 in our lineup, aren't afraid to get hit by a pitch, to lay a bunt down, or drive a ball into the gap. They know that it's a team mentality, and they will do what they need to to help us succeed."

The biggest challenge for the Hawks this year will be the weather, which sets the tone for the games. Bad weather can cause cancellations.

"We need to be able to get outside and play more," Fincher said. "The more we can play, the more we can be in game-like situations, and the more experience our team gets to play together. Our main focus each day is on ourselves. We can't control the weather or who we play. We can control what we do and how we prepare; that is our every day mentality here at Pleasant Grove."

The Hawks have an indoor facility that allows them to practice when the weather is inclement.

 

2019 Pleasant Grove Baseball Schedule

 

Date    Site-opponent    Time

Feb. 22-23    at Benton, La., tournament    TBA

Feb. 26    Arkadelphia    6 p.m.

Feb. 28-Mar. 1    at Marshall tournament    TBA

Mar. 5    x-at Pittsburg    6:30 p.m.

Mar. 7-9    at Ashdown tournament    TBA

Mar. 12    New Boston    6 p.m.

Mar. 15    x-Paris    7 p.m.

Mar. 19    x-North Lamar    7 p.m.

Mar. 22    x-at Liberty-Eylau    7 p.m.

Mar. 26    x-at Pittsburg    6:30 p.m.

Mar. 29    x-Pittsburg    7 p.m.

Apr. 2    Ashdown    6 p.m.

Apr. 9    x-Paris    7 p.m.

Apr. 12    x-at Paris    7 p.m.

Apr. 16    x-North Lamar    7 p.m.

Apr. 19    x-at North Lamar    7:30 p.m.

Apr. 23    x-at Liberty-Eylau    7 p.m.

Apr. 26    x-Liberty-Eylau    7 p.m.

x-District 15-4A game

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