On a beautiful 60 degree day, the sound of leather popping echoed across the Trenton High School practice football fields.
Monday was day one for team two.
The Trenton High School baseball team opened practice for the 2018 season, the second for a program that went 8-14 last year in its inaugural season. A total of 26 players were in attendance at the first practice.
“I really enjoy being able to get out on the first day,” Trenton Head Coach Andy Hight said. “We were able to get out on the first day last year and it is a lot nicer to be outside than it is to be in a gym. I think it gets the kids a little more excited for the season, also.”
The weather, however, was the only thing comparable when looking at last year’s first practice and this year’s. Trenton’s players worked through drills and workouts that Hight couldn’t even consider using last year when the program was in its infancy.
“It really isn’t comparable to last year just because everything was so basic last year,” Hight said. “Our starting point last year was such a fundamental and almost elementary level to the game for most of our players. This year is not that at all. We are much more advanced this year and we should be. After playing a 25-game high school schedule and putting in all the work that we did in the summer, we shouldn’t be in the same place and it’s good that we are not. We still have a lot of work to do with this team, but we are definitely starting at a different point.”
Trenton’s regulars were all back at it, including Colton Colston, who led Trenton at the plate last season with a .348 batting average, and Avery Cooksey, who posted a tea-high 17 RBIs.
In addition to those two, Hunter Dugan, Jaren Whitney, Sam Schilling and Jesse Farmer are all back as well. Dugan, Whitney, Colston and Cooksey played in all 22 games Trenton competed in last season.
“I think we have six or seven returning starters from our district game last year,” Hight said. “That should be a confidence booster for our program and for a lot of our kids. The biggest thing is that they just have a year of experience, they have a summer under their belt and having all of that experience that we didn’t have last year, I think, will be a big bonus for us.”
In addition to the returnees, Trenton also has swiped a pair of athletes from the track program in Cole Schilling and Carson Radcliff. Hight sees potential in the two athletes, but notes that baseball takes a little more than being athletically gifted.
“If you are big, strong and athletic, you have a pretty good chance to be a good baseball player,” Hight said. “But in baseball there is a skill factor that you have to have to be a good player. We are excited to have those guys out, though, and I hope they enjoy it. I hope that they can find a way to help our team. There are a lot of ways to help the team and hopefully we can find a way to use those guys to help us be successful.”
Trenton primarily worked through fielding and throwing drills, but also did some batting on the first day of practice. Today, Trenton will get a glimpse at what the pitching will look like as the arms will throw their first bullpen sessions of the year.
The Bulldogs are scheduled to kick off the 2018 season on Saturday, March 17, playing host to North Harrison and East Harrison at Burleigh Grimes Field. Trenton opens against North Harrison at 10 a.m. and will face East Harrison at 3 o’clock that afternoon with the two Harrison County schools playing one another between Trenton’s games.
The Bulldogs will also host the jamboree this season. That event is scheduled for Monday, March 12 at Burleigh Grimes Field and will begin at 5 p.m.