Raiders open season at Hillcrest
By By Jeff Byrd/staff writer
Feb. 26, 2002
Lamar School will take a young and inexperienced team to Jackson today to open its prep baseball season for 2002.
The Raiders are set to battle Hillcrest in a game that has been moved up from its original time of 6 p.m. to 4 because of expected cold weather.
Raider head coach Ronnie Key says his team has a lot of question marks heading into the season.
Lamar finished just a half-game out of making the AAA playoffs last season, finishing with a 15-10 record.
The bad news for Key and his staff is that he lost 23 of 25 starts from last year's pitching staff.
The Raiders will pin their pitching hopes behind 6-foot-4, 235-pound Monroe Mayfield. David Haggard is the No. 2 starter. Haggard had two starts last year.
When not pitching, Mayfield will be at first and Haggard at second base. Mayfield is the club's top returning hitter batting .400 with four home runs.
Key would like to play Moffett at last year's position of shortstop but will have to move him behind the plate. Kemp Mosley will also see time at catcher. Daniel Harrison will take over at short.
With Mayfield pitching, either Roland Terry or Josh Waters will be at first base. Haggard is at second and Daniel Harrison moves in when Haggard goes to the mound.
Third base will be shared by sophomores Blake Olmstead and Trey Whitehead.
The outfield returns starting right fielder Zach Moore. Nick Lisi is back in center. Left field will have either senior J.D. Henderson or freshmen Parker Payne.
Key said his defense will have to carry the Raiders early.
