Coach Blake Leach enters his third season in charge of the Hopkinsville baseball team surrounded by lots of familiar faces in the Tiger dugout. Only one senior departed after 2018’s 9-22 campaign, that ended with an opening round loss to Trigg County in the 2nd Region tournament.
Dalton Bearns moved on to the next level at University of the Cumberlands, but all the other Tigers return to make a run at the program’s first 8th-District title since 2014. The Tigers last claimed the 2nd Region championship in 2015, after dropping the district-title game to Christian County.
Coach Leach feels the strength of the team will be depth in pitching and defense, with a number of players who will take their turn on the mound and can play multiple positions. Returning infield starters include freshman Preston Chaudoin (2B), sophomore Ryan Myers (SS), and sophomore Landon Snyder (3B), while the outfield returns intact with senior John Duvall in left, junior Caleb Bapp in center, and junior Michael Graham in right.
Seniors Robert Justus and Aaron Crosby, and junior Layne Jorgensen will be called on for much of the Tigers’ pitching duties, with Justus also catching and Crosby and Jorgensen helping out in the infield.
The Tigers open the season on Tuesday when they travel across town to face 8th-District rivals UHA. Hoptown won all three meetings with the Blazers last season, including a 9-4 win in the opening round of the district tournament.
