Lyon County may be young, but the Lyons appear poised to make some noise in both the 5th District and the 2nd Region this season.
New head coach Ricky Baker has five seniors to build around. But no juniors on the roster means a lot of youngsters will be called upon to fill key roles this season for the Lyons.
The top returner for Lyon is senior shortstop Gabe Board. Besides anchoring the defense, Board also is the top offensive threat back from a year ago when he belted five home runs and drove in 18 — both tops on the squad. Board’s .356 batting average was second on the team to Max Wadlington, who hit .359 as a senior last season.
Board will be joined on the infield this season by sophomore second baseman Christian O’Daniel and sophomore Travis Yancy, who will move to the infield at one of the corners. Yancy hit .258 as a freshman with two homers and 16 runs batted in. Newcomer Jackson Shoulders, a freshman, could also see action on the infield. Senior Keaton Bridges will also add depth on the infield.
Behind the plate, freshman Brody Williams looks to take over for Brody Bridges, who hit .300 with two homers and 12 RBIs last year after signing with Brescia University.
In the outfield, senior Jake Klueppel and freshman Gunnar Bingham return and will likely be joined by sophomore Austin Long. Sophomores Cory Cissell and Brady Darnell could also figure into the mix in the outfield.
Sophomore Aidan Rush will fill in as a utility man, with Baker saying defense will be one of the team’s strong points this season.
The Lyons also have the makings of a deep pitching staff, although inexperience could be a factor with some of the younger players. Baker, who was an assistant coach at Trigg County last year, says Lyon has as many as 10 arms to throw out there.
Board and Yancy were key pitching cogs last summer as the Lyon County American Legion Post 68 baseball squad won the state championship and played in the national tournament. They will be counted on to lead the Lyon staff, at least early in the season, along with senior Dylan Capello.
Rush, Long, Bridges, Bingham and Shoulders also figure to see time on the mound this year for the Lyons.
Baker said his team has talent, but may need some time to gain some varsity experience for some of its younger players. If things come together, the Lyons could be a threat for the 5th District championship and could be a scary draw in the 2nd Region tournament.
Lyon fans will have plenty of chances to check out the team early in the season. The Lyons will open at home on Monday against Dawson Springs, then have home dates against Marshall County and Trigg County on Tuesday and Thursday.
