Liberty-Eylau baseball seeing players step up early in the season

TEXARKANA, TX (KTAL/KMSS) — Just two weeks into the regular season of high school baseball and the Liberty-Eylau Leopards have been getting tested.

“I like the competitiveness of our team, I like the fact that we have won a lot of close games,” head coach Zach Fowler said.

But there’s still room to grow.

“We’ve had a lot of mistakes that led to big innings for other teams, that if we make them earn everything, usually you can keep those big innings, minimize some damage, and then keep yourself in the ballgame a lot longer,” Fowler said.

The Leopards are currently 7-3, with loses coming only from Longview, 4A no. 4 ranked Spring Hill and 4A no. 2 ranked Pleasant Grove. The Leopards themselves are ranked no. 1 in the 3A.

Liberty-Eylau has a lot of returning talent from the state championship team, many expected to continue their already impressive high school careers. Britain Pipes, Eli Jarvis, and Triston Haugh were all named to the 3A Preseason Players to Watch list. But they aren’t the only ones making an impact.

On offense, junior Cade McCleod has impressed.

“Cade McCleod has been on base about every game he’s hit in and he’s just been putting together good at bats, getting on base for us,” Fowler said.

On defense, senior Dylan Nabors is making his impact on the mound.

“And then, Dylan Nabors has just filled up the strike zone since he’s been on the mound,” Fowler said. “This year he’s really turned the page on his command and has focused on it and its showing on the field.”

The Leopards open district play on Tuesday, March 4, and will continue tournament play in Hallsville starting Thursday, March 6.