With a plethora of young talent, and eager players, Coach Eric Pinter and the rest of the IVCC baseball are very anxious to get out on the diamond for the 2013 season.

With 15 of their 22 players being freshmen, experience is not on the Eagles’ side, but Coach Pinter still expects a lot out of his group. “Last year we played against a lot of top teams in our region,” said Pinter. “This year I expect us to build on those experiences, continue to compete and win those close games,” he added.

The five returning starters including sophomore outfielder Mark Hernandez need to step up and be leaders. “Last year we didn’t finish how we wanted to, but now with a new season it’s going to be fun to play with all these different guys,” said Hernandez. Coach Pinter also mentioned that pitching depth might be a concern.

“Even though our pitching staff is small, I believe they have the ability to keep us in games,” said Pinter. “We are going to have to depend on solid defensive play and timely hitting in order to be successful this year.” Pinter said.

One of those pitchers on the staff is newcomer Michael Sexton, a freshman from Peru. “I expect us to be very good this year, we’re going to be underdogs and I like that role for us, teams are going to overlook us but that’s fine with us,” said Sexton.

Conference play is going to be a tough task for the Eagles this year, as the Arrowhead Conference always brings quality teams up and down the chart. “Like every year, the conference is competitive from top to bottom,” Pinter said.

“I look for Black Hawk C.C. to be the preseason favorite, but Sauk Valley, Carl Sandburg, and Kishwaukee can never be overlooked,” he said. Hernandez agreed that conference play is always tough, and should be a focal point of the season.

“Anytime to play a conference team, the games are always a lot more intense and make the games a lot more fun,” Hernandez said. He added after that, “We have to bring it, every game.”