The Hopkinsville baseball team finished 16-20 and bowed out of the postseason in the first round of the 8th District tournament in 2017, the second-straight season the Tigers failed to win a postseason game. In 2018, the Tigers are looking for a longer postseason stay, having last advanced in 2015 when they lost the district championship to Christian County, before avenging the loss with a 4-0 2nd Region championship win over the Colonels. Hopkinsville would go on to lose 6-4 to North Bullitt in the first round of the state tournament.
Coach Blake Leach enters his second season with the Tigers, once again fielding an extremely young team. The Tigers only graduated three seniors last season, RHP/UTIL Andrew Entsminger, RHP/IF Kenneth Hyams, and RHP/IF Jonathan Beymer. In 2018, Hopkinsville only have one senior on the roster, starting first baseman Dalton Bearns, to go with four junior returning starters, OF John Duvall, RHP/1B Aaron Crosby, C/RHP Robert Justus, and LHP Shane Hunt. Rounding out the returning starters are two sophomores, IF Caleb Bapp and SS/RHP Layne Jorgensen.
In addition to his established players, Coach Leach is expecting contributions from a host of younger Tigers. Sophomores Michael Graham (OF) and Blake Sowell (C), and freshmen Landon Snyder (IF/RHP), Blake Balthrop (UTIL/RHP), Ryan Myers (IF), and Logan Durst (IF/RHP) will all be counted on to contribute.
The Tigers open regular-season play on March 19 when the Webster County Trojans come to Hopkinsville. The teams split a doubleheader last season in Dixon, with the Tigers dropping the first game 7-4, and winning the second 10-3. Hoptown will start 8th District play on March 22 with a trip across town to play UHA, before welcoming the Blazers to Tiger Field two days later.
