Lakeside more experienced in 2018

Third-year head coach Leighton Hardin makes it a point to center his Hot Springs Lakeside baseball team around the pitching staff. “That’s our goal,” Hardin said. “No one is going to have more pitching depth than us. “We aren’t going to get beat because we don’t have anyone after No. 1.” Hardin said he builds his program around one pitcher. “We are going to find out who that is and go from there,” he said. Two of those pitchers include left-handers Gage Holden and Ryan Robinson. Golden pitched in 30 innings last year, tallying a 1.87 ERA with 28 strikeouts and 16 walks and an opponent batting average of .178. Robinson pitched just 7 innings last year, but tallied 7 strikeouts. “They understand what we are trying to do,” Hardin said. “They run the ball away from the hitter and get the ball into the outfield.” Hardin said sophomore Ethan Bates has gained about 20 pounds in the offseason, allowing his velocity on his fastball to increase about 10 mph. “He will probably work as our closer,” Hardin said. “I think he will fill that role for us.” Bates was one of two freshmen to start last year. He played in 28 games, tallying a .393 batting average with 24 runs scored, 21 hits and 12 RBIs. Brady Prince, the other freshman, played in 28 games with a .321 batting average with 26 runs, 17 hits and 12 RBIs. “They are pretty tough kids,” Hardin said. “We put them in tough spots in the weight room, and they work hard and do what is asked. “They execute the way we plan things.” Lakeside finished 17-10 overall last year but was eliminated in the first round of the state tournament by Sylvan Hills. “We were really young last year, but now we can take that experience into this year,” Hardin said. “We are looking to our underclassmen to be leaders of what we are doing. “They are in the infield and set the tone defensively for us, also.” Other contributors this year include senior Zac Melugin and junior Justin Scott. Melugin played in 21 games last year. He batted .429 with 6 runs scored and 23 RBIs. Scott batted .393 in 28 games with 32 runs scored and 21 RBIs. “Our goal this year is to win a conference championship and a state championship,” Hardin said. “That is the benchmark of what we are trying to accomplish.”