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Show ; Braves' baseballers young, but possess a lot of desire II w , ...-3 I I N . - v- - rr J v - " ''r' - 1 ' ' k' I V r - - 18 ' L - - s t i t" , f I "- 4 lllTni- . - By GARY BLODGETT Sports Editor BOUNTIFUL - Label the Bountiful Boun-tiful High Braves' baseball team as being "young, inexperienced, but having a lot of potential." "We definitely have not reached our potential, but we'll improve with each game we play," said Braves' Coach Phil Olsen. The Braves opened preseason play with a 10-0 win over Clearfield. Clear-field. In their two Region Six league games played through last Thursday, Bountiful lost a 3-2 contest con-test to Granite and were then whitewashed 13-0 by Murray. Of Bountiful' s nine starters, three are seniors. Senior Jeff Parrish will direct the team from behind the plate, Jim Ivestor will start at first base and Mark Miller will play left field. Senior Matt Walton, all-state basketball star and the Class 3-A Most Valuable Player as named by the Clipper, will be one of five "rotating" pitchers. "We're going to rotate our pitching pit-ching staff in hopes of keeping the pitchers fresh and perhaps keeping our opponents off stride," said Olsen. "Four of the five hurlers all righthanders are juniors. ' ' In addition to senior Matt Walton, the junior hurlers are Jon Harmer, Blake Dawson, Tony Jones and Kirt Erickson. Senior Tyler Burningham and Brandon Kuehne, a junior, will share back-up honors at first base. Junior Aaron Roderick will be at second base, sophomore Brad Beck will play short stop, and Mark Shaffer is the starting third baseman. The outfield will be comprised of juniors Troy Hutchinson in left, Jeff Casper in center and Scott Erickson (when he's not on the mound) in right. Casper is probably the team's leading hitter. He was chosen as Utah's outstanding amateur baseball player last year with a batting bat-ting average above .400. Other top hitters are Beck, Erickson, Parrish and Shaffer, according to Olsen. Parrish is the only two-year returning letterman, while juniors Roderick, Shaffer and Casper played on last year's team which finished the regular season with a 16 wins and four losses and was winner of Region Four. The Braves lost in the state playoffs last year after winning the state championship in the Class 4-A division in 1988. "Everything is new this year," said Olsen. "The players are new, and we are playing in a new league. It's just going to be a game of wait and see." Centerfielder Jeff Casper, one of the Braves' leading hitters, lays down a perfect bunt in spring practice. Bountiful High's team is young and not yet reached their potential. nr.-- . i) 1 r Veteran Aaron Roderick, second baseman, tags out runner attempting to steal. Braves are winless in two starts (through last Thursday) in Region Six baseball action. I Sit , TV-' WH - 1 ' I . f ' " ' ' - 2 "I r I - V ' v v ' " ; i t ' ' j v A f I f V . i s - " ,3 -. -r . V -. . . - : v4 J First-baseman Jim Ivester stretches for throw at first base. He will share duties with Tyler Burningham and Brandon Kuehne. Senior Jeff Parrish will call the plays from behind the plate. He is the only player returning from the 1988 state championship team . t -fa |