LAST YEAR: 16-16, sixth place in O-K Blue conference, lost pre-district game to Coopersville.

RETURNING STARTERS: Ryan Bosch (pitcher, first base), Trevor Rusnak (pitcher, first base, third base), Braxton Ward (shortstop), Avery Lambers (catcher, pitcher), Thomas Anderson (outfield), Jax Flynn (outfield), Hudson Hazekamp (pitcher, outfield).

ABOUT THOSE RETURNING STARTERS: Bosch, a senior who has accepted a baseball scholarship to Wake Forest University, was All-Conference and All-District last year and is a .390 hitter over three seasons of varsity. Rusnak improved significantly last year as a pitcher and hitter. Lambers, a junior, is already one of the top catchers in the area. Ward was Fruitport’s best defensive player last season. Hazekamp, Anderson and Flynn gained good experience last season and have shown great improvement.

PROMISING NEWCOMERS: Junior Satchel Norwood is expected to play an important role as a pitcher and infielder while freshman Dexter Lillmards is also expected to contribute right away.

ROSTER BREAKDOWN BY CLASS: Four seniors, eight juniors, one sophomore, one freshman.

NEW CONFERENCE: Like all Fruitport teams, the Trojans struggled in the O-K Blue conference against a lot of great teams. They are now in the O-K Silver, where they are bound to be more competitive. Fruitport Coach Nick Reed expects Hopkins to be a tough conference foe and noted that that Comstock Park, NorthPointe Christian and Calvin Christian were all good last year.

FIRST GAMES: Friday at Wyoming, Monday home against Kelloggsville.

SEASON OUTLOOK: The Trojans have a lot of talented, experienced players back from last year. They had one of the deepest pitching staffs in the area last season, and that should be the case again this year, with at least five pitchers slated to share innings. The problem last year was offense, as the 1-0 pre-district loss to Coopersville illustrated. If the Trojans can hit better, they should contend for a conference championship and perhaps some postseason trophies.

COACH QUOTE: “We have a talented and experienced roster, but in past seasons, we’ve relied too much on raw ability, which has cost us in close games. This year, improving the mental side of the game and focusing on attention to detail will be critical to our success. The team is motivated and has been working hard to ensure past struggles don’t repeat. Returning to our core fundamentals has been a refreshing change, and we believe it will set us up for a strong season.” – Nick Reed