On paper, you wouldn't exactly think much about a 6-19 record, but for the Central Bulldogs, those six wins last season were twice as many as they posted in the previous two years combined.
It's also worth noting the club has been improving in the win column since 2013 – which is a trend that the Bulldogs are primed to continue over the next couple of months.
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One major factor that Central will have to focus on is winning the tight games. Head coach Bill Shoemaker's team found itself ahead late in the game in several contests last spring – only to see things slip away due to the inability to command the strike zone.
“We are always challenged with throwing the ball in the strike zone,” Shoemaker said. “Many of our losses that came late in games when we had the lead were due to our inability to stay ahead in counts.”
The struggle with finding the strike zone has been a recurring theme for the Bulldogs in recent seasons, but Shoemaker hopes a veteran-laden roster will be the cure to his team's pitching woes.
Central returns all but one player, pitcher Corey Morrow, to the diamond this spring, further adding to the notion that it's the Bulldogs' time to have the turnaround year they've been looking for.
Catcher Pat Ponder will once again anchor the lineup for the team. A four-year starter, Ponder is the proverbial engine to the Central train – providing leadership with his bat, as well as his intensity on and off the field.
Also returning is Kishon Patel (RF), a converted cricket player who enrolled at the school after moving from India in July 2014. Shoemaker expects Patel to be aggressive at the plate and provide added production around Ponder.
Sam Bivens, another talented varsity player who brings an elevated level of intensity to the game, will likely bring a spark to this year's edition of Central baseball.
“Bivens is a high energy guy who loves to play and practice hard,” Shoemaker said.
The Bulldogs will be put to the test early – playing three games in two days in the Sparta Tournament to open the season on Mar 18-19.
The squad will follow the tourney up with six straight home games before a road contest at Ava on Apr. 5.
“We expect our skill level to grow and be competitive while finding a way to have fun doing it,” added Shoemaker.
