The Garden City Telegram

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Busters open baseball slateon Tuesday

Published 2/13/2012 in Sports

By ADAM HOLT

aholt@gctelegram.com

One year removed from a 41-23 season and a final-four appearance in the Region VI tournament, the Garden City Community College baseball team returns 19 sophomores as they gear up for the 2012 season. The Broncbusters begin play with a home matchup at 1 p.m. on Tuesday against McCook (Neb.) College.

Head coach Chris Finnegan returns a lot of experience, but the question for him is if the group can repeat last season's success — consistency will be the key.

"I think we definitely have a veteran core," he said. "We have 20-plus sophomores that are coming back after winning 41 games as freshmen. The good thing is, they've been there. They've been to the playoffs, they got through the playoffs. They know how to grind it out. But now they have to repeat it — and can you do that as sophomores?"

The Broncbuster lineup will look a bit different, with players like Blake Brisson, a first-team all-conference and NJCAA honorable mention All-American gone. Brisson led the Busters last season with a .422 batting average, 97 hits and 75 runs scored.

Pitching and defense will be the key again this year for Garden City.

"We're not going to be a team that's going to hit the ball out of the park. And it's not because of the bats, it's just not the type of team we are," Finnegan said. "We have to execute to win. We have to pitch and play defense, first and foremost, that's going to be the huge thing. If we're not pitching, we're not winning."

Finnegan said sophomore pitchers Todd Brazell, Brenton Higgens, John Houston, Kris Lalk, Jacob McFarland and Brandon Roberts are guys he's counting on to help anchor the team. Brazell and Houston both pitched more than 65 innings last season, and Brazell led the team with 56 strikeouts.

"These are the type of guys that are going to have to be very, very consistent throughout the year to give us a chance to win," Finnegan said.

Again, that's the theme Finnegan is preaching: consistency.

Second Baseman Zac Baldini is the lone returning Buster who was named to an all-conference team last season after hitting .302 with 16 doubles. The key to similar production this season, according to Finnegan? Consistency.

Still, Finnegan knows experience alone does not necessarily equate to steady performances.

"You expect a large sophomore class like we have to be consistent," he said. "But let's face it; we're in junior college for a reason ... so they have to be. For them to be consistent, it's going to have to be every single day."

As for the freshmen on the team, Finnegan praised some for their work in the fall and said there are a few guys who have been impressive since they've started up again earlier this year.

"It's all about getting your opportunity and taking advantage of it, for them," Finnegan said. "We'll see. I like them, I think they're going to help and contribute in a lot of ways. Our job is, we've got to find a role for them."

A final key for Garden City will be to stay healthy, especially with what the Busters' coach said is a difficult schedule.

"We're playing a very tough schedule, a tougher schedule than we've played in a while," Finnegan said. "But that's okay. We're not looking to go 65-0. We want to be playing our best baseball at the end and see what happens once we get in the playoffs.

"But we've got to get there; we haven't even played game one yet, so we'll see."

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