HCHS Tigers begin season

The Hardin County baseball team started their 2011 campaign this week. The Tigers will have a new head coach this season. Greg Wyatt was hired to lead the Tiger baseball program in the offseason. Hardin County finished last year with an overall record of 18-18.

Wyatt is excited about the strengths of this year’s team. He feels like two of those strengths will be team offense and also the depth in pitching that the Tigers will showcase this spring.

Hardin County played in three preseason games over the last few weeks and averaged 12 runs in those three contests. The Tigers also had eight home runs during the three-game stretch. They are hopeful of carrying that over into the regular season this week.

The pitching staff is anchored by several guys who have seen time on the mound in the past. Seniors Corey Jerrolds and Walker Vaughn will join juniors Jon Tyler Roach, Barker Burnham, and B.J. Shutt as the top five pitchers for the Tigers, according to Wyatt.

The Tigers were scheduled to open the season in the Tomahawk Classic in Jackson this week. They were supposed to play Jackson Southside, Bolivar, Gibson County, Ripley, and Liberty in the tournament.

Wyatt is optimistic that this year’s team will be able to put things together as the season progresses. “I feel confident that we’ll be able to compete this season,” added the Tiger head coach.