Don’t blame Eupora baseball coach Clayton Dodd if he’s a little on the optimistic side heading into the baseball season.
Dodd returns seven starters off of last year’s squad that went 21-6 last year and lost in three games in the third round of the Class 2A playoffs to East Union.
“Expectations are going to be high,” Dodd said. “We know what we have to do to win games. What we have to do is put together a pitching staff after Tanner (Knight) that is going to be able to throw strikes. I think we are going to put the ball in play, I think the biggest thing for us is to throw strikes.”
The Eagles bring back two of the better players in the division in East Central Community College signees Tanner Knight and Al Dumas.
Dumas hit a whopping .512 last year and led the team with eight doubles while driving in 30 runs. He also stole 44 bases last year.
Knight was dominant on the mound as well, posting a 1.02 ERA in 62 innings pitching while striking out 92 batters.
“I’ve talked to both of them about this year,” Dodd said of Knight and Dumas. “They are going to have to work really hard to have back-to-back years like they did last year. It’s going to be hard to raise that bar. But I think those two kids may be hungry for a little bit more. They are going to work hard and compete every time you put them on the field.”
After Knight and Dumas, Dodd will look to senior Ash Dumas, Dustin Cabaniss, Ian Garrard, Brett May, Zach Cooper and Austin Green to lead the way.
On the mound, Dodd said. Al Dumas will also see some time pitching along with May while Jacob Collum, Cade Adkins and Carter May will also have to throw some innings.
“Pitching is going to be the key for us,” Dodd said. “We have kids that are going to put the bat on the ball and square it up. I feel like if we can do that again and throw strikes, we should be fine defensively.”
Eupora will compete in Division 2-2A with East Webster, Bruce, Calhoun City, Winona and Leflore County.
“It’s always been a tough district,” Dodd said. “I talk with other coaches who say how tough it would be to play in our district, It’s very competitive as far as baseball is concerned. Our kids know what other teams have coming back and what it’s going to take to win. Everybody has a chance in this division. We just have to work and beat them.”
