Whether the weather cooperates or not, the Yuma High School baseball team is about to open the 2023 season.
The team has been practicing for a couple of weeks, but finally was able to get outside this past Monday, followed by outdoor practices Tuesday and Wednesday. An expected winter storm today, March 16, likely forced the boys of spring back inside late this week.
“It felt like baseball started,” skipper Brady Nighswonger said of finally getting outdoors. “You could tell it with the kids too.”
The team had been practicing in the Yuma Middle School gym and assistant coach Kyle Sprouse’s The Barn facility in the early going, but finally got out in the open skies.
Nighswonger said the turnout has been good, with about 25 YHS student/athletes out for baseball this season.
The former Indians have a little more time to prepare for the season opener as it comes Saturday, March 25, at Highland in Ault.
“Usually we are a little pressed this week getting ready for a game on this week. It seems like we’re usually pretty rushed,” Nighswonger said. “It is kind of nice to have a whole other week to get ready.”
Yuma baseball had kind of a disappointing season in 2022, getting knocked out in the first round of regional by Lyons last spring. Several seniors graduated from that team, but the numbers and depth look good for YHS baseball in 2023.
“I’m pretty excited,” Nighswonger said. “We still need to solidify our pitching staff a bit, but we have some options there. We are using (the decent weather) to get some guys on the mound for some live pitching to see what we have…I am really excited about our defense. I think we’ll have a pretty athletic defense.”
The team will get in as much outdoor practice as possible before the May 25 opener at Highland, but high temperatures are supposed to stay in the 40s in the days leading up to then. “I guess I wouldn’t expect anything different,” said Nighswonger, a veteran of difficult spring sports weather conditions.
Look for more about the YHS baseball team leading up to its season opener in next week’s edition.
