WARDSVILLE, Mo. - The Blair Oaks baseball team was young last season. Very young.
"We defintely have a better outlook than last year, in the sense that we kind of know what we have," Blair Oaks coach Mike DeMilia said as the Falcons open the season at 10 a.m. today with a doubleheader at Camdenton. "There's still a lot of question marks, but with all the experience that we have coming back, it feels easier going into the season."
Blair Oaks lost only two players to graduation last spring after posting a 14-18 record and will return seven starters this season. But the Falcons will have plenty of others eager to make their varsity debuts in 2019.
"We have a lot of young guys who are going to get a shot right away," DeMilia said. "The good thing is they push those older guys, and the older guys have pushed them. I believe we're way more prepared this year than last year."
When district assignments were announced March 8, Blair Oaks learned it would drop a classification to Class 3. Still, DeMilia is pleased with the team's strength of schedule, especially as the Falcons open with two games against a Class 5 opponent.
"We play a lot of bigger schools, and the smaller schools we play (are strong teams)," DeMilia said. " Our schedule prepares us for big games.
"We're going to get beat sometimes, but I feel like it will make us better."
Leading the Blair Oaks pitching staff this season are senior Parker Bax, sophomore Cade Stockman and junior David Dell.
But 12 of the 20 players on the varsity roster have pitcher listed as one of their positions. Pitching depth won't be a concern this season for the Falcons.
"You want to stay in some sort of rotation, especially with the pitch-count limits," DeMilia said. "It's good for the kids to get their adequate rest. I like being on the schedule where the guys are going to pitch once a week, or maybe shorten them up to once every five days every once in a while."
Bax didn't pitch during a portion of last season due to a shoulder injury, but DeMilia said he's at full strength this season.
"Pitching-wise, he's our most consistent guy right now," DeMilia said. "He's got a lot of ability He's going to throw strikes, he's going to change speeds."
When he isn't pitching, DeMilia said Bax will either be the designated hitter or play first base to keep his bat in the lineup. He batted in the No. 4 spot last year.
"The last week of the season and into the postseason, he went off," DeMilia said. "He showed what kind of hitter he is."
Sophomore Ian Nolph and junior Jacob Rademan could work their way into the rotation, or find themselves coming out of a packed bullpen. Junior Carson Wiebe and freshman Reid Dudenhoeffer will also pitch this season.
"Those are probably going to be the guys we lean one," DeMilia said. "There will be some other guys in there, of course, but those seven are our best right now."
Senior Nolan Hair is the Falcons' lone returning all-conference player in the Tri-County Conference from last season. He will continue to start in center field and bat leadoff this year.
"He shows up in big games, he doesn't get rattled," DeMilia said. "No moment's too big for him. We're going to put him in a situation where we're going to rely on him to lead our team, and hopefully the other guys follow."
Maclaine McCarter, one of the six seniors on the roster, will start at catcher. Junior Kamron Morriss could also get some work behind the plate, along with sophomore Levi Haney.
Senior Jacob Stegemann, who played shortstop last season, will begin this year at first base.
"Jacob Stegemann had surgery in the offseason and he's not ready to play shortstop," DeMilia said. " Shortstop's the place where we're going to have to find a replacement."
Dell and sophomore Lane Libbert will work in at shortstop, while Ian Nolph returns to second base. Dudenhoeffer and Haney will compete for a starting spot at third base.
"Unfortunately, Dudenhoeffer was sick the other night, so we didn't get a chance to see him in the Jamboree," DeMilia said of the lone freshman on the varsity roster. "We're still up in the air on where he is, but he's pretty good."
Morriss and senior Seth DeWesplore return to their starting positions in left and right field, respectively. DeMilia said Dell, junior Riley Lentz and sophomore Hayden Salmons could also spend some time in the outfield.
The only spot in the batting order DeMilia will have to replace is the hole left by Bryce Kempker at the No. 2 spot. Morriss will bat No. 3, while Salmons and Dell could also be featured in the top-half of the order.
"I feel like one through nine, we're not going to have any easy outs," DeMilia said. "That's the key. We're going to keep pressure on other teams' pitchers."
Blair Oaks finished in a three-way tie for first in the Tri-County last season with Southern Boone and Hallsville. But a new team to the conference will make for a tougher battle for first this season.
"We lost Warsaw, but we picked up Boonville, who was in the Final Four last year," DeMilia said. "Our conference is real tough between Boonville, Hallsville and Southern Boone. There are no easy games."
On the other hand, dropping to Class 3 could make for an easier postseason run for the Falcons, who received votes earlier this season in the Missouri High School Baseball Coaches Association state rankings.
Blair Oaks will be in District 14 with California, Cole Camp, Knob Noster, Versailles and Warsaw. California will host the district tournament.
"On paper, it looks like it's easier," DeMilia said. "But in districts, all it takes is facing one good arm and your season's over.
"At the end of the day, we have to take care of us."
Blair Oaks plays Monday at New Bloomfield and plays next Saturday at Vienna against the Eagles and Linn. The Falcons' home opener is also their conference opener, March 28 against Versailles.