By By BRIAN HAINES, Sports Writer
For the last three seasons Southside baseball has fielded a young squad that was forced into on the job training due to its lack off upper classmen. This year, Seahawks’ coach Red Lewis is hoping to see all his team’s hard work payoff.
Southside enters the 2009 season having lost no players from last year, and is armed with six seniors that will look to improve on its 6-16 record.
Leading the way for the Seahawks will be seniors Jamie Blackard, Brad Boyd, Erik Boyd, Alarie Elks, Ryan McLawhorn and Kevin Sparks.
Though Southside only won six games last season, Lewis said that several of them were close. The Seahawks’ skipper is hoping that having a more experienced team will lead to more victories.
The key to building up the blossoming Seahawks’ self esteem will be to get a few wins under their belt early in the season.
Lewis said that his team features a good balance of hitting and pitching, and that this year he has a solid group of hurlers.
There are still a few positions battles at Southside as well, most notably at second base, depending on who is pitching, and in the outfield.
Lewis said he is also still tinkering with the lineup, and that, that process will go on all the way throughout the early portion of the season.
No matter what the lineup is, or who is standing on the mound, Lewis said that having senior leadership will be key to the season.
The Seahawks will throw out the first pitch of their season on Thursday, when they host Pamlico at 4:30 p.m.