By Shelley Ebbrecht
The Lamar Tigers are ready to hit the baseball field and improve on their 9-12 record from last season. Veteran coach Thad Lundine returns for his 11th year at the helm for the Tigers and said the team has put in the hours during the offseason to make that happen.
“I believe this team has the potential to make great strides this season,” Lundine said. “They are working very hard in the offseason.”
He said in the offseason the team has focused on team chemistry and the process of improving as a baseball player.
“In the preseason, they have bonded very quickly,” Lundine said. “I would say their bond and work ethic will carry them well through the upcoming season.”
The team looks forward to the return of senior pitcher Tanner Phipps, who was out most of last season recovering from wrist surgery and didn’t resume pitching until late last summer. In the 11 games in which he did appear, Phipps batted .276 with 14 runs and a .500 on base percentage.
Fellow senior Hunter Gepner hit .280 with 13 runs for the Tigers last season. He went 2-2 on the mound and was recognized on the all-conference and all-district teams along with Phipps and junior Garrett Morey. Morey hit .200 and went 0-3 on the mound, but Lundine said Morey was pitching against some of Lamar’s biggest opponents as a sophomore.
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Rounding out the returning lettermen is junior Stuart McKarus. Last season, McKarus was the team’s second best bat, averaging .373 at the plate with 22 hits and 14 runs.
The Tigers graduated their lead offensive man in Jed Stahl who hit .435 last season with 27 hits, 27 runs and 5 homeruns. Lincoln Kaderly was last year’s ace pitcher, going 3-1 with 14 strikeouts and a 3.23 ERA. The team will also miss the leadership of Todd Morrow and Isaac Compton.
To fill their shoes, Lundine is calling up a group of players, including seniors Sam Buzzard and Dylan Whitehead; juniors Seth Fullerton, Andrew Hillman and Chase McKibben; and Duncan Gepner, a sophomore. The majority of the newcomers are expected to make it into the starting rotation on the mound.
“I expect to see good things out of several players making the jump from JV,” Lundine said.
The team will get their first look at the competition in the Big 8 Conference in the Lamar Classic on March 17-22 before their home opener against Butler March 28. The team begins an important Conference stretch in their schedule beginning April 11 when the next six out of seven teams they will face are conference opponents.
“My expectations are to improve throughout the season and to put our team in the best position to be playing our best baseball in May,” said Lundine.
