Pintos get ready for new baseball season

The California Pintos team huddles up indoors. The 2019 season begins with the Pintos playing at Eugene March 18.
The California Pintos team huddles up indoors. The 2019 season begins with the Pintos playing at Eugene March 18.

Last year the California Pintos baseball team finished the season with a record of 13-10 and finished in second place at the Class 3 District 13 tournament after losing 11-3 to Knob Noster in the championship game.

Head coach Steven Stock said the team earned some experience and that they can hopefully use that experience to take the next step.

Stock said the team wants to improve and to win both conference and a district championship this year.

The team wants to cut down on its number of strikeouts this season and force opponents to make outs on defense. The team is also working on defense and trying to avoid giving teams extra outs.

"We want to make more contact when we swing the bat," Stock said. "Defensively, when outs present themselves to us, we get the outs and don't make mistakes that give extra outs. If a team hits a ball to us and it is an out situation, to get that out."

Early in the season the team is going to focus on the basics.

"Throw the ball, catch the ball, and put the ball in play," Stock said. "Generally speaking, the team that hits the best is going to win, the team that fields the best is going to win, and we have to do those things."

Stock said the team is excited for the new players that can step in for positions where the team lost players.

"The core of the guys we return; with that being said we did lose some innings on the mound and we lost some kids that can hit. We are excited we got a pretty good young group of kids that we think can step in and fill those positions and if they do that we think we will compete at a good level," Stock said.

2019 Pintos baseball schedule

March 18, at Eugene, 5 p.m.

March 19, vs. Cole Camp, 5 p.m.

March 23, vs. Mexico/ Eldon, 11 a.m.

March 28, at South Callaway, 5 p.m.

April 2, vs. Hallsville, 5 p.m.

April 4, vs. Crocker, 5 p.m.

April 5, at St. Elizabeth, 5 p.m.

April 8, at Russellville, 5 p.m.

April 11, at School of the Osage, 4:30 p.m.

April 12-April 13, at Calvary Lutheran Tournament, 12 p.m.

April 15, at Eldon, 5 p.m.

April 17, at Versailles, 5 p.m.

April 23, vs. Southern Boone, 5 p.m.

April 25, vs. Harrisburg, 5 p.m.

April 27, Baseball bonus game vs. Centralia and Tolton at Centralia, TBA

April 30, vs. Boonville, 5 p.m.

May 2, vs. Knob Noster, 4:30 p.m.

May 6, vs. Blair Oaks, 4:30 p.m.

May 13-18, Class 3 District 8 Tournament at California