After a 4-20 campaign last season, the Todd County Central baseball team enters 2019 with a new coach along with some new faces, with the hope that the Rebels will develop into a team capable of making some noise in the postseason.
Troy Winders becomes the Rebels’ third coach in as many years, after previously working with Todd County’s middle school program. Four players graduated, including pitcher and infielder Nick Tutor, who led the team in average, hits, extra-base hits, RBI, and stolen bases, while also pitching a team-high 46 innings.
However, a combination of upcoming young players and some new faces have things looking up for the Rebels. Freshman Tanner Farmer, senior Pedro Gonzalez, junior Bryce Nolan, junior Dylan Hurt, and sophomore Ethan Bicksler all appeared in 20 or more games last season and will provide some much needed experience.
Coach Winders will look to Farmer and senior Clayte Weathers, who didn’t play last season, for much of the Rebels’ pitching duties, and says a couple of 8th graders could also help out. Hurt figures to find himself on the mound as well, after working 21.2 innings last season, second most on the team.
At the plate, Farmer’s .292 average is the highest returning, with Gonzalez batting .275 last year. Weathers has shown some pop in the preseason, and should bolster the Rebel attack. Junior Austin Rager is another new face, joining Weathers in moving over from the basketball team to the diamond.
The Rebels don’t play during the first week of the season, but will get things started with a visit from McLean County on March 25. The following day, they will hit the road for a meeting with 13th-District rival Logan County. The Rebels were shut out in two regular season losses to the Cougars last season.
Listen as first-year head coach Troy Winders previews the 2019 Rebels.
