The key to Diamond’s success this season after a five-win campaign a year ago will be decided by the development of young players.
“Our young guys will have to adapt quickly to the rigors of a high school baseball season,” Diamond coach Zachary Shockey said. “If they do that we will be a tough team to play against the second half of the season and will feel good about our chances moving forward.”
Diamond has graduated 16 seniors over the last two seasons, which has the Wildcats leaning on an 11-player freshman class this year.
“This season will be about rebuilding. We have an athletic young group that I believe will be strong enough defensively to give us a chance to compete every game. Our season, just like every team’s, will largely depend on how we pitch the baseball. We need a couple of our freshmen to contribute immediately on the varsity level,” Shockey said.
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There will be some senior leadership in the form of pitchers Leighton Bridgwater and Durham Mickey. Juniors Cameron Addington, Ben Moreland and Brodie Wilson will give the infield some upperclassmen lead. Moreland is the only returning player with double-digit RBI after knocking in 10 runs last year.
Past that group, Diamond will fill out the varsity roster with underclassmen that include freshmen Hunter Shallenberger, Landon Clement, Bryce Clevenger, Kyler Terry, Wesley Roughton and Tucker Macy along with sophomore Luke Lawson.
Defense will be a strength for Diamond, but the pitchers will need to stay in the zone to give the defenders a chance to shine.
“(We have) an athletic defense that has a desire to improve every day,” Shockey said. “We have to throw strikes and force the other team to put the ball in play. Too many walks put us in tough spots way too many times last year.”
Diamond will open the season on Mar. 28 at Marionville.
