By Dana Harding (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
If there’s one thing Lamar head coach Thad Lundine wants heading into the 2018 season, it’s simply a healthy roster.
The Tigers lost three starters prior to the season and finished with a 6-10 record, falling in the opening round of districts to El Dorado Springs.
“I hated it for the seniors but it was the hand we were dealt so we made the best of it,” Lundine said.” We struggled through a lot of growing pains but should be better for it this season.”
For Lamar to improve on last season’s record, it must first replace a couple of key elements in Tanner Phipps and Hunter Gepner.
Phipps, a four-year starter now playing shortstop at Crowder College, hit .511 last season and drove in 17 runs.
“Both were great baseball players that gave a lot to the team,” Lundine said. “As well as left a lasting legacy to the players that they left behind of how to put in the work to make themselves better daily.”
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Lamar returns a host of players with valuable varsity experience.
Senior Garrett Morey returns as the team’s most consistent pitcher from the last two seasons (2.52 ERA, 19 K). He’s joined by senior Chase McKibben (1B), senior Stuart McKarus, senior Andrew Hillman, junior Duncan Gepner and sophomores Donte Stahl, J.D. Bishop and Wyatt Hull.
McKarus, Hillman and Gepner all return from injuries last season.
Lamar also looks to get important contributions from sophomore Carter Young and freshman Case Tucker this season.
With a strong roster full of interchangeable parts, Lundine will look to field the best possible lineup throughout the season.
“We have a strong group that could fit into any number of positions of the batting lineup and on the field,” Lundine said. “We need to improve on our pitching and defense. Most of that I believe will come with having last year under our belts and some excellent preseason practices.”
Lamar will also seek to maximize its strengths early on in the season.
“I believe our strength will be our athleticism,” Lundine said. “Our starting lineup will be comprised of mainly skill players off the football team and some of our top basketball players. As with any team health will play a big part in our success. After that we have to build a chemistry that drives us to play at our highest level for each other. That can only be done by a consistently high level of effort in practice that carries over to game time.”
Lamar opens its season March 16 with its home tournament, the Lamar Tiger Classic.
