"Hopefully, we can get over that hump this spring", said Coach Vince David, heading into his 29th year coaching and third season as head coach of the Tornadoes.
A "small ball" type of team, the Tornadoes hope to guide their speed and athleticism to a ticket to the playoffs and a possible District Title.
"We're going to be very aggressive on the bases as well as utilizing the bunting game", David told me. "We need to improve our situational hitting, and our pitching needs to be a lot better than a year ago."
FSU signee, and starting shortstop, Sean O'Brien agrees.
"This year I think we will be a fast, small ball type of team. We don't have any big power hitters so a lot of base hits and small ball will be a key to our success," O'Brien told me. "Also our defense has been a struggle in the past along with lack of pitching. We got a couple of arms via transfers and we won't light up the scoreboard so our wins and losses will come down to our defense."
The Tornadoes boast a team with a mix of young and experienced players. According to David, the team will have two freshman, two sophomores, a junior and four seniors in the starting line-up. The pitching staff with be more experienced, with four seniors, one junior and a freshman.
Clearwater hopes to win in a district that is getting increasingly difficult, with the recent additions of Dunedin and Seminole. Dunedin won the 5A State Championship two seasons ago.
A key to Clearwater's hopes of winning a district title may rest on the play of their leaders, such as O'Brien, senior third baseman Andre Ortega, and junior catcher Andrew McCormick.
"It will definitely be a challenge to win the district" O'Brien told me. "But I think we are a more mature team this year. We have a good shot at it." |
