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by
Lloyd
Combs
Sports
Reporter
Seven
wins
would
signal
an
off-year
at
established
baseball
programs
like
Honaker
or
John
Battle.
At
Twin
Valley,
which
won
six
games
in
its
first
four
years,
it
represents
the
first
signs
of
baseball
life.
After
going
7-10
overall
and
4-4
in
the
BDD
in
its
fifth
year
as
a
program,
the
Panthers
look
to
take
another
big
step
forward
this
season,
with
six
returning
starters
and
a
young
team
that
has
just
two
juniors
and
one
senior.
All-district
and
all-region
shortstop
Hunter
Simpson
heads
up
a
group
of
sophomores
who
made
significant
contributions
last
season.
Combined
with
senior
Josh
Crigger
and
juniors
Cory
Hicks
and
Jory
Rife,
the
Panthers
have
experience
and
youth
this
year,
with
all
six
sophomores
and
five
freshmen
battling
for
jobs.
“We
hope
to
build
on
our
successes
from
last
year,”
said
second-year
Twin
Valley
coach
Steve
Hamro
III.
“Before
last
year
(the
team
was)
beat
before
(it)
ever
stepped
on
the
field.
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Steve
Hamro
Panthers'
head
baseball
coach |
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“I
had
to
change
attitudes
of
the
players.
They
had
to
start
believing
they
could
compete
and
win.
We
set
goals
for
ourselves
last
year
and
we
accomplished
them
and
we
will
do
the
same
thing
this
year.
The
(players)
know
they
can
play
with
any
team
on
our
schedule.”
The
sophomores
include
catcher
Jacob
St.
Clair,
infielder
Ethan
Prater
and
two
reserves
from
last
season,
Bo
Hartmann,
and
Matthew
King.
Sophomore
outfielder
Eric
Burns
is
a
newcomer.
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“Ethan
is
going
to
handle
the
duties
at
shortstop
this
year
for
us,”
Hamro
said.
“He
hits
well
and
plays
great
defense.
Jacob
did
a
great
job
for
us
behind
the
plate.
“I
don’t
know
what
to
say
about
Hunter.
He’s
kind
of
a
big
deal.
He’s
our
team
captain
and
he’ll
have
to
carry
a
big
load
for
us
on
the
mound
this
year.
He
is
already
one
of
the
best
players
in
the
region
as
a
sophomore.”
Last
year,
Simpson
led
the
Panthers
with
a
.404
batting
average
and
he
also
led
the
team
in
hits
(17)
and
home
runs
(3),
as
well
as
doubles
and
triples.
On
the
mound,
the
hard-throwing
righthander
struck
out
48
batters
in
30
2/3
innings,
but,
as
a
number
one
starter,
he’ll
have
to
improve
his
control.
His
17
walks
contributed
to
a
6.62
earned
run
average.
Crigger
has
played
several
positions,
Hicks
moves
from
first
to
third
base
and
Rife
is
a
key
man
defensively
for
the
Panthers
in
center
field.
All
three
need
to
contribute
at
the
plate
if
Twin
Valley
is
to
move
up
in
the
BDD.
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