Coming off one of the most difficult seasons in its history, the Dove Creek High School baseball team will look to look to return to its winning ways this year and regain the form that helped it capture the Class 1A State Championship in 2015.
Leading the way for the Bulldogs, who finished 0-19 last season, will be sophomore Ty Smith, who will look to continue the success that he had as a freshman when he batted .523, registered 23 total hits, and drove in 14 runs.
Also figuring to spark the Dove Creek offense will be senior catcher, outfielder and pitcher Derek Kibel, who batted .346 last year and scored a team-high 13 runs over the course of the season.
Other upperclassmen likely to contribute offensively for the Bulldogs include junior Ryan Delano-Martinez, junior Kieron Huskey, junior Austin Green, junior Tristen Jarmon, and junior JD Martinez.
Kibel will likely serve as Dove Creek’s ace pitcher this season after appearing on the mound in 10 games last season and registering a 9.61 ERA. Smith, Huskey, Jarmon, Dennison, Hamilton, and Delano-Martinez could also see time on the mound this season after all six players spent time on the mound last year.
Dove Creek will open its season at home against Monticello on March 10 before playing its first road game of the season in Dolores on March 13.