Tuesday marks the beginning of another season on the diamond. The Pam Pack wastes no time when it hosts a stout Rose ball club. It will be the first of many lofty non-conference challenges for Washington, which is feeling confident about what it can accomplish this season.

As baseball goes so often, the Pam Pack came a bit unraveled for just an inning in its first-round playoff game last season. However, it only graduated two players from that team, and returns its entire pitching staff.

A key to the non-conference stretch will be quickly finding a serviceable batting order. Once that is settled, Washington should have a strong team to put on the field.

Here’s what coach Kevin Leggett had to say about the upcoming season.

 

How confident he and the Pam Pack feel:

“We’re pretty confident. The guys have been working hard, and it’s nice to have so many guys back. They’ll go as far as they want to go this year. As long as they put in the work, and they have been so far, then I’m looking to go far this year.”

 

How the experienced pitching staff looks:

“We’ve got our main guys. You’ve got Tripp (Barfield) and Cody (Godley). We’ve got four more guys, five more guys, that are right there with him. We’re going to have to see how this pitching count goes this year and how that changes the coaching of it. Do you want to pitch a guy for a whole game or give him a few innings left for the next game? We’re going to have to play it by ear for the first few weeks during the non-conference schedule.

“Conference schedule will be a bit easier because you only have two games a week most weeks. You can kind of set things up — you’ve got two or three (innings) this game, and two or three for the next game. Pitching rotation, I expect that to be really good this year.”

 

What he thinks of the team’s bats in the preseason:

“You really can’t tell until you see live pitches, so hopefully we’ll find out a little more (in scrimmages). But, the guys have been working on it and we’ve changed a few things in what we do with hitting. I’m hoping that will make a big jump. Plus, another year of varsity pitching. That makes a big difference, too.”

 

What else he wants to find out in the preseason:

“We did lose an outfielder. He decided not to play this year, so we’re trying to figure out whose going to shore up our left field spot. Other than that, it’s the batting order. Who are going to be our nine guys that can get in there and get the hits we need, or bunts or whatever we need?”

 

What he’s looking to find out about future conference foes:

“We just want to get a feel for the park and let them see the stadium and things like that. I think that’s a big thing. … We want to see what they will have for next year. It’ll be good for us. The reason I added South Lenoir is to see what they have for next year and prepare a little bit.”

 

Who he’s looking lead the team this year:

“We’ve got Matt (Black), Logan Little, Cody and Tripp. They’ve all been four-year starters, so we’re looking for them to be big leaders. Also, a couple of the juniors that played last year, so they’ve got a year under their belt already. It’s kind of the whole team. I think they should all pitch in and be leaders.”