Season Preview: Lakeside High School

February 25, 2015

By: Zac Bottoms
Arkansas Scouting Director

Head Coach: Jay Darr
High School: Lakeside
Conference: 5A South
Mascot: Rams
Team Twitter Handle: @LHSRamsBaseball

PBR: What are your expectations for your team this spring?

Coach Darr: I expect us to continue to play sound baseball, to be strong fundamentally; team oriented and to continue to build on the tradition that this program has. As far as wins and losses, I know that if we play to our potential that we will compete every game. The expectations for this program are high, the community is incredibly supportive and there is talent here now and talent continuing to come in the youth programs. It’s an exciting time to be a Lakeside Ram baseball player.

PBR: Who is going to be your key contributors on the mound this spring?

Coach Darr: Jon Youngblood is a returning conference starter and he will be our number 1 this season. There is some competition for the other conference starter as well as non-conference guy. Seniors Hayden Lindsey, Johnathon Barmore, and Marcus Fisher will compete for that spot. Others that will compete for innings are Senior Ryan Crumpton, Juniors Tanner Rice, Andrew Spakes, Kyle Lightsey and Sophomore Colton O’Keefe. The great thing about this group is that there are many that competing for those varsity innings. It is fun to watch.

PBR: For your offense to be effective who do you expect to set the table? Who do you expect to drive in runs?

Coach Darr: At the top of our lineup will be Seniors Hayden Lindsey and Marcus Fisher. These guys will be catalysts in our lineup and are poised to have a great senior year. Our lineup will be a fluid thing early in the season as we see who is going to step up. Like our pitching, we have many worthy pieces to input and be successful. Competition is good right now for those starting spots. The staples in the middle of our lineup will be Juniors Jon Youngblood, Brandon Hall and Sophomore Colton O’Keefe. New comer, Senior Jake Palmer has been impressive in preseason scrimmages and could be a large part of our offense as well.

PBR: Which Underclassmen do you need to step up and fill a void by last year’s seniors?

Coach Darr: We are returning 7 starters from last year’s team so there are not many holes to fill. However, Jon Youngblood will be leaned on as the number 1 starter now and I’m excited to see the progression to his game on the mound. Juniors Brandon Hall, Tanner Rice and Sophomore Colton O’Keefe will be asked to be bigger contributors in the line-up this season. Seniors Ryan Crumpton, Dylan Carpenter, Jake Palmer and Junior Reese Nickles have been impressive this preseason and could earn some playing time as well. Junior catcher Erick Aguirre gives us a smart, fundamentally sound field general that will keep the pitchers on track this year.

PBR: Who is the team to beat in your conference/ your classification?

Coach Darr: Our conference, as well as most 5a conferences, is very competitive. Any team, any day can beat you in our conference. The favorites in our conference have to be (2014 State Champs) White Hall, Watson Chapel (Conference Champs every year that I have been at Lakeside), and Magnolia (Traditionally strong and made a great run at the end of last year).

PBR: What is your biggest non-conference game and why?

Coach Darr: For us Lake Hamilton is a big game. They are a very well coached program and have traditionally been a strong team. Our kids always look forward to those games.

PBR: What tournaments is your team attending this spring?

Coach Darr: We will be in the Benton Invitational 1^st week of season and the Central Arkansas Invitational during spring break.

Season Preview: Lakeside High School

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