The return of a pair of pitchers and some young talent has Fort Campbell baseball coach Richard Deardorff cautiously optimistic about the 2019 season.
The Falcons return seven players from last year’s 4-14 team that lost to Christian County in the first round of the Eighth District Tournament.
Outfielders Elijah Crockett and Tyler MacKay are the returning starters with Deardorff excited about the addition of Dylan Johnson, Matthew Middleton, and Grayson Meyer. MacKay and Ryan Sawyer also return on the mound for the Falcons.
“The players seem to be more in sync than last year at this time,” Deardorff said. “We have a good idea of who is playing where, and we have the potential to hang around the middle of the pack.”
Developing pitching depth will be the main key for the Falcons, with Johnson likely to see time behind Sawyer and MacKay on the mound.
Fort Campbell was 4-14 last year, and Deardorff thinks they can improve on that win total in 2019. The Falcons open their new season Monday at home against Eighth District opponent University Heights.