Season Preview: Malvern High School
February 23, 2015
By: Zac Bottoms
Arkansas Scouting Director
Head Coach: Bryan Jones (1st Year)
High School: Malvern High School
Conference: 7-4A
Mascot: Leopards
Team Twitter Handle: @MalvernBaseball
PBR: What are your expectations for your team this spring?
Coach Jones: I expect our players to enter each game with an intent and purpose of competing hard on each pitch. We have placed priority on the process this preseason and the players have a done a great job of buying into that system.
PBR: Who is going to be your key contributors on the mound this spring?
Coach Jones: Senior Logan Wright and Sophomore Austin Wright look to return as guys we can count on to throw strikes and let our defense work. Seniors Colton Johnson and Cameron Cooper are guys who we will look to provide a lot of key innings as well.
PBR: For your offense to be effective who do you expect to set the table? Who do you expect to drive in runs?
Coach Jones: Devin Carpenter, Drew Williams, Trace Collie, and Ta’Shaun Williams-Hart are guys I expect to see on base a great deal. Austin Wright, Logan Wright, and Brady Fite are going to need to do their part in bringing those guys in.
PBR: Which Underclassmen do you need to step up and fill a void by last year’s seniors?
Coach Jones: Austin Wright should be a strong younger player for our program in the field and at the plate, along with a very large 9th grade group of guys that will all push our upperclassmen each day in practice.
PBR: Who is the team to beat in your conference/ your classification?
Coach Jones: Last year’s state finals paired Ashdown and Arkadelphia. With both of those teams from our conference, we will no doubt be tested each of the 4 weeks in conference play.
PBR: What is your biggest non-conference game and why?
Coach Jones: The first two weeks of the season we will play in two tournaments, our own and in Sheridan, both of those will really test our young men playing teams from 2A all the way up to 6A. Each of those contests will allow us to evaluate our team from all angles.
PBR: What tournaments is your team attending this spring?
Coach Jones: Malvern Invitational (March 2-7), Sheridan Tournament (March10-12