Empire ready for clean slate

Sports

March 9, 2010

Pierce ready to put imprint on team

Ben Whitehead The Duncan Banner Tue Mar 09, 2010, 11:50 PM CST

EMPIRE — Starting with a clean slate is sometimes the best way to forget about the past. Jeff Pierce hopes that is the case as he steps in for his first year as head coach of the Empire baseball team.

Pierce comes to Empire after a brief stint as head coach at Cache. Prior to that job, he was an assistant at Midwest City where he helped coach two Major League players, Matt Kemp and Brent Weaver.

Now, Pierce is eager to turn the Empire Bulldog program around. One of his first duties was cleaning up the locker room and the field.

“When I came here, I looked at the field and thought there was a lot of potential to make it look nice,” Pierce said. “I started with the locker room and painted the walls. Now we have a fieldhouse that the guys want to come hang out in.”

Pitching depth won’t be lacking for the Bulldogs. junior Tyler Smith and senior Clint Parks anchor the staff. Jake Dewey, Derick Foster, Jake Williams and Harrison Moore will also seeing time on the mound this year. Pierce also said he has been working with Tyler Carney on the mound and Carney will likely be a reliever for the Bulldogs.

“I’ve got a few guys who said they have thrown before,” Pierce said. “But we have a lot of guys that will see some time this year who haven’t pitched in the past.”

Senior Justin Goldsberry will be behind the plate. Goldsberry did not play last year, according to Pierce. Justin McCormick will also see time at catcher.

Around the infield, Williams can play at first or third, Dewey will play second, Smith will play shortstop and Parks will play third. When one of those guys is pitching Foster, Walker Hines and Jeremy McCormick can fill in at those positions.

Koby Williams, Aaron Key and Carney will be the three outfielders with Carney roaming center. Williams can play left or right and Parks can move from third to left if needed.

“The good things is we will be able to move guys around when someone is pitching,” said Pierce. “We have some pretty good athletes that are basically utility players and can play anywhere in the field.”

Pierce hopes to instill pride in his players this season and said it begins with the little things.

“We’re getting them out here and talking baseball,” Pierce said. “They are starting to take a little bit of pride in what they do and hopefully that turns into success for us.”

— Ben Whitehead is a sports writer for The Duncan Banner. He can be reached at 255-5354, Ext. 165, or via e-mail at ben.whitehead@duncanbanner.com.

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