As trees unthaw and spring rolls around, it’s time to get back to the diamond.

Baseball has been practicing and preparing for spring. 

“We are excited about the upcoming season and our practices are off to a great start,”  head baseball coach Chad Koehl said. 

With the move to 5A classification, the new season means new teams and players.

“The move from 6A to 5A is something we are not putting much thought into,” Koehl said. “Region IV has some very good baseball teams regardless of classifications, and we will need to be at our best when we get to district play.” 

The team had tryouts a couple of weeks ago and has been practicing and preparing for the season.

“I’m very excited to play with my teammates again,” junior varsity player MJ Espinoza said. “I feel like this season we will go farther than the past years with our pitching staff and our hitters.”

The team has several new players coming to varsity. 

“The coaching staff feels great about the team we have,” Koehl said. “We have six to seven starters returning from last year’s team, and several guys who have been in our line up over the past two seasons and have been part of two very successful seasons. That experience will be big in leading our guys who are new on varsity.” 

Joining the baseball community this year is the group Dugout Darlings. It was started by sophomore Chandler Fuller in memory of her dad and Smithson Valley alum, Cody Fuller, who was diagnosed with cancer and passed away this past year. 

“We are excited that others in our community want to carry on his legacy,” Koehl said. 

The first baseball game is today at San Marcos at noon against Alamo Heights.