When we last saw the Laurel High baseball team this past May, the Spartans were trying to pick themselves up from a loss to Eleanor Roosevelt in the Class 4A South Region championship game.
That kind deep playoff run doesn't happen often for Laurel.
"We made mistakes," Laurel third-year coach Don Cleveland said. "I would say we lost the game. They didn't win it. I think everyone would agree to that. We just had a rough day."
The good news is Laurel has a legitimate shot at getting back to the regional final.
The Spartans return eight starters from a 12-8 team that appears on their way up.
And they are not lacking swagger.
"It gave us a lot of confidence going into this season," Cleveland said of the regional final appearance. "They expect to get back to the same game if not go further. I think the team is better than last year. I think on our best day we can beat (county standouts) Bowie and Roosevelt."
Senior right-hander Tyler Carmen heads the Spartans' talented group of returnees.
He's been the team's ace for four years.
Cleveland said Carmenis simply the best pitcher in the county.The coach said he has a shot to break the 44-year-old state record of Franklin High's Larry Meekins for strikeouts (385) in a career.
"I think he needs about 150 strikeouts to break the state record," Cleveland said.
Carmen went 5-3 last year and struck out 138 batters in 63 innings while yielding 43 hits and walking 18.
He fanned 82 batters in 56 innings as a junior and posted a 2.04 ERA as a freshman.
Cleveland said Carmen throws four effective pitches: two-seam and four-seam fastball, curveball and change-up.
"He is leaning toward the Division III level," Cleveland said of Carmen's future in college ball. "He is a leader on the field. He understands the game at a coach's level. He is intelligent, calm and controls the game."
Senior right-hander Nash Persaud and junior right-hander Jordan Abbott add depth to the promising starting pitching staff.
Persaud won playoff game over Northwestern and DuVal last year and could take another step forward in his development.
"Nash didn't pitch as all as a sophomore," Cleveland said. "Going into the season, I didn't really have many expectations for him as a pitcher. He kind of surprised me. He really came on last year and worked hard this offseason."
Junior right-hander Michael Young and senior right-hander Michael Bynoe round out the pitching staff.
Whoever stands on the mound should get solid run support since Laurel returns most of the lineup that batted .314 last year.
"We should be a more consistent hitting team this year," Cleveland said.
Carmen, who plays first base when he's not pitching, led the Spartans in batting average (.489) and doubles (11) and finished second in RBIs (20).
Young, a second baseman and leadoff hitter, hit .448 last year with a team-leading 25 RBIs, three doubles and two triples.
Abbott, who also plays in the outfield, batted .320 last year with 15 RBIs while Persaud, a third baseman, hit .314.
Cleveland expects improvement from rest of Laurel's hitters, including the shortstop Bynoe, senior center fielder Jarrett Livas, senior right fielder Kole Akinkuowo and junior catcher Jarrett Leishear.
"That is the one position I didn't have a starter coming back IN," Cleveland said.
The Spartans are strongest defensively in the outfield with Abbott, Livas and Cole.
"The outfield defense is very good," the coach said. "They are all athletes out there that can get to everything. I don't worry about them at all."
Cleveland said the regional championship appearance had an impact.
"It brought interest and attention to the program," he said. "Kids that play other sports that may not win as much now see the opportunity to so in baseball. There were kids in past years I wouldn't have cut that I had to cut this year."