By Chris Parker
Richie Jester takes over as head coach of the Liberty baseball program this season. Jester has previous head coaching experience at Cabool but has spent most of the past decade at Liberty starting the junior high program and assisting on the varsity level.
“I grew up in Mountain View and really enjoy it here,” Jester said. “There is a ton of athletic potential here, and I wanted to see if I could help make baseball a respectable sport here.”
He takes over a program that has not won double-digit games since 2010.
The Eagles return six starters and 10 lettermen from last year’s seven-win team.
Jester identified Gavin Reese (junior catcher/shortstop/pitcher), Eli Moore (senior centerfield/pitcher) and Parker Holden (junior shortstop/catcher/pitcher) as team leaders.
“They each have a lot of experience and ability to play baseball at a high level,” Jester said. “The other boys automatically look to them for leadership. As they go, we will go.”
Reese will be the primary catcher, but Holden will also see time behind the plate.
Overall, youth will be a theme for the team.
“We’ve got improvements happening across the board,” Jester said. “We have a young team this year, and a lot of boys putting in a ton of work to help their team. Yet still a lot of improvements to make.”
Liberty opens the regular season Mar. 15 at home against Naylor.
“I want to be a team that battles for every single pitch on both sides of the ball,” Jester said. “One pitch at a time, each at bat, of every inning.”
