No tapered expectations for Erath baseball in 2015

The Erath baseball team enters the season with higher expectations, despite losing a handful of starters from last year’s team.
Jace Harrington, Brett Delcambre and Chad Broussard are just a few of the key names gone from a team that won 17 games and made it to the second round of the playoffs, but head coach David Jordan said he is excited about his 2015 squad.
“I like this team more,” he said. “I think this is a much more hard-working group. I love their work ethic and they’re very unselfish.”
The Bobcats have a younger squad with only three returning full-time starters: senior Ross Granger at pitcher/outfielder, junior Layne Faulk at catcher and Jesse Jordan at shortstop.
Two freshman are starting for the Bobcats and have aided in the team’s 3-1 start to the year with their lone loss coming against Oak Grove High School.
“The two freshman have done well so far,” Jordan said. “It’s a tough transition even for the kids who play travel ball over the summer. There’s nothing like high school baseball.”
First baseman Bryson Suire, third baseman Ben LeBlanc, outfielder Erik Belanger, infielder Bren Faulk and Mason Granger will be integral in the team’s success this year, according to Jordan.
He said he has made most of his players play in different spots because that would be the only way the best possible nine players would be on the field at one time.
Erath defeated Catholic High of New Iberia, Vermilion Catholic and Westminster for its first three wins of the year, and Jordan said the team’s strong suit is the arms on the mound.
“Right now it’s pitching,” Jordan admitted. “The cold weather is kind of hampering people at the plate. I think offensively we are going to be a good team, but we’re not showing it right now.”
Last year’s team earned a No. 11 seed in the Class 3A playoffs before losing 4-3 on the road against Brusly in the second round.
Jordan said the team have set goals for the year and they intend to pass the success of the 2014 team.
“We’ve already set our goals and talked about expectations; they’re extremely high,” said Jordan. “I’m a little cautious because of our schedule. We don’t back away schedule wise.
“Anything less than a district championship and a trip to the third round is not a good year because that’s what we did last year. We’re trying to raise the bar, and that’s what makes it tough.”
The Bobcats will take the field at home against Delcambre Tuesday.