Clovers working hard for big year

Senior Cody Carter has been impressive as a relief pitcher for the Clovers so far this season. (Banner Graphic/GRANT WIEMAN)

CLOVERDALE -- While a number of teams around the state began playing games late in the week, the Cloverdale baseball team already has four wins in the book.

The senior-laden squad is poised for a big year and they've worked hard to get to where they want to be.

"I have a good group of hard-workers with great work ethic," Cloverdale coach Brian Archer said. "They listen to the coaching staff and the upperclassmen. So far everyone has done his job."

Seniors Cody Carter, Justin Wilson, Austin Mannan and Will Andersen have been vocal leaders, Archer said, but everyone has stepped up.

"The seniors did a good job of letting the younger guys know what's expected and how we do things here," he said. "They came in a worked really hard."

That hard work has paid off already as the Clovers are now 4-1 early in the season.

CHS has been led by its pitching and defense so far. The team has given up just 13 runs in five games.

It's a stat made more impressive considering how tough it was to get out in the spring to practice.

Defense, in particular reading ground balls and taking fly balls, can only be done outside.

"We had a solid couple weeks of practice," Archer said. "We're ready to go. We're rolling."

The offense has been solid as well, led by Mannan's bat. While the team has several experienced players in the middle of the order, there is also a lot of youth.

Mixing that in has been a new challenge for the Clovers.

"We've got a lot of younger guys coming in that are going to have to contribute, where as last year they were just solely JV," Archer said. "This year a few of those guys are getting shots at the varsity level, and we have a good core group of seniors who are determined to lead those guys to where we need to be."

Where they need to be, he said, is improved in all areas.

The Clovers pride themselves on pitching and defense and though that's been solid, it's not yet the level Archer expects.

"We're not where we need to be by any means," he said. "Pitching has been great so far, but we've given up some walks that we shouldn't have. We've hit some batters with two strikes, which there is no excuse for.

"Defense has had a few errors. We're never happy and never satisfied at the defensive end or the pitching end."

The Clovers have set a high standard for themselves, and starting 4-1 is just the first step.