By Chris Parker
Liberty baseball returns seven starters from last season’s six-win team. The Eagles won four games in conference play.
“We were a young team last year and played a very tough schedule,” Liberty head coach Allen Hedden said. “We hope with that experience from last year it will help us win close games this year.”
The returning players include Kal Acklin (senior), Jaden Anderson (senior), Hoyt Layman (senior), Gavin Reese (sophomore), Eli Moore (junior), Wyatt Honeycutt (junior), Parker Foster (sophomore) and Parker Holder (sophomore).
Hedden on Acklin: “Kal has great leadership and comes to the ballpark every day ready to work. He played catcher for us last year and did a tremendous job for us behind the plate. We look for him to round out our pitching staff and continue to lead us on and off the field.”
Hedden on Anderson: “We look for Jaden to be one of our top pitchers. He has worked hard this past winter and we look for that hard work to pay off on the mound. He does a great job of mixing up his pitches and keeping hitters off balance. He has a solid stick at the plate, and we look for him to be our cleanup hitter for us.”
Hedden on Layman: “Hoyt is our lefty in the rotation. Hoyt has been working all winter to fine tune his control. We look for Hoyt to be a big part of our pitching staff and look forward to what he brings to our team.”
Hedden on Reese: “Gavin is an outstanding young player and had a solid year for us last year as a freshman. We look for him to be a good one-two punch with Jaden. Gavin has an arsenal of pitches that he can use in any count. He will be at the top of the lineup for us and has a solid stick with good power to all fields.”
Hedden on Moore: “Eli played centerfield for us last year. He has come a long way at the plate since his sophomore year. We look for him to continue that progress and have a good season for us. He has great range in the outfield with a solid arm.”
Hedden on Honeycutt: “Wyatt is a guy that has waited his turn for varsity action. He was a sub and pinch runner for us last year. Wyatt has a great attitude and had a good summer in the field and the plate. We look for Wyatt to play one of our outfield spots this year.”
Hedden on Foster: “Parker is a kid that can play the outfield and infield. He comes to work and is ready to do anything for the team. He is just one of those kids you root for because of how hard he works.”
Hedden on Holder: “Parker played second base last year as a freshman. I look for that experience he had will pay dividends for him this year and could be a breakout year for him. He has a solid glove and is a good contact hitter.”
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Noah Hendricks (senior), Quenton Reese (sophomore), Tytus Jester (freshman), Kyle Roberts (freshman) and Jaren Rutledge (freshman) will be newcomers to watch this year.
Hedden on Hendricks: “This is Noah’s first year playing baseball. I’ve coached Noah in football for the last six years and I know what kind of young man he is. He is going to bring a great work ethic every day and will push for a position on the field.”
Hedden on Reese: “This is Quenton’s first year playing baseball. He was a solid player in middle school, and we look for him to continue to get better as the year goes on.
Hedden on Jester: “Tytus is the son of our assistant coach and is very knowledgeable of the game of baseball. He has a good glove and is a good contact hitter.”
Hedden on Roberts: “Kyle is a good player that is easy to coach. You only have to tell him something once and he’s got it. He can play some second base and outfield.
Hedden on Rutledge: “Jaren is solid catcher and will be a great addition to our program. He is excited every day to be at the field and wants to be the best player he can be. He will be another player that will be fighting for some time on the varsity team.”
Pitching will be a strength for Liberty with a balanced offensive lineup to back them up.
“We have two top of the rotation guys on the team with Jaden and Reece. You throw in Kal and Hoyt and I feel that our pitchers will give us a chance every day to win games,” Hedden said. “We have a balanced lineup with some power and speed. We want to use our speed and put pressure on the defense. We look forward to the season and can’t wait to get started.”
