The Pagosa Springs High School Pirate baseball team will return to action today, Thursday, April 4, at the Roaring Fork Tournament.
The Pirates last played an official game on March 16, before spring break, when they defeated the North Fork Miners 3-1.
The Pirates are 4-1 on the season and are the No. 9 team in the 3A Selection and Seeding Index, which helps determine postseason seeding.
The 3A Pirates have five games scheduled against 4A teams over the next week, including three at the Roaring Fork Tournament.
“It’ll be a good weekend because we play some pretty decent teams,” coach Ben Garcia said, adding, “That’ll give us a good indication of where we’re at and get us ready for league.”
League, he noted, is what the team is building up for — winning the league or doing as well as possible to go into the playoffs with a good seed.
He added he’d like the team to go out and surprise some people, which he believes it’s capable of.
The Pirates had limited practice opportunities over spring break, but Garcia noted that a good portion of the team’s athletes were at practice, though kids were in and out all week.
That, he indicated, allowed for more individual work on mechanics and other facets of the game.
The team also got to take part in an alumni/parent game on Saturday, (which the Pirates won).
“It turned out really nice,” he said. “It was a beautiful day.”
The team returned to normal practices Monday.
“[Monday’s] practice was really good, so I think we’ll be OK,” Garcia said, adding, “The only thing is lack of playing, lack of pitching, those kinds of things, against an opponent. ... We just really need to play good defense, is what I told them, and let the other stuff come together.”
He added the team will be looking to not make mistakes, hustle, make routine plays and have Pirate pitchers throw strikes to give the team an opportunity.
Garcia noted he’s also excited that the team has Kyler Henderson back, calling Henderson a “huge asset from the standpoint of hitting” who will help plug gaps in the lineup.
He added Henderson is also a good catcher.
Garcia also highlighted that Ty Richey and Dylan Dempster are really coming on and working hard, with the coach adding he’s excited for the trio’s progress.
The Pirates will kick off tournament play against the Glenwood Springs Demons at 4:30 p.m. today.
The Demons are 2-2 going into the tournament and are the No. 48 team in the 4A index.
Tournament play will continue tomorrow, April 5, at 9 a.m. against the Canon City Tigers.
The Tigers hold a 1-4 record entering the tournament and are the No. 37 team in the 4A index.
On Saturday, the Pirates will play another game, with the opponent and time of that game being determined through play at the tournament.
On Tuesday, April 9, the Pirates will be back on the road, this time for a doubleheader against the 5-3 Durango Demons.
The Demons are the No. 33 team in the 4A index.
Play will begin at 2 p.m.
randi@pagosasun.com
