- April 16, 2024
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Coach Steve Poppe graduated his first crop of seniors last season, but he said this year’s team is ‘grittier’ than the team from a year ago. The first home game is Feb. 20.
Flagler Palm Coast baseball lost in the district quarterfinals last season to Seabreeze, finishing the season 13-13.
Because of redistricting by the Florida High School Athletic Association, FPC will be in District 1-8A, a three-team district with Mandarin and Sandalwood, both Jacksonville-based schools.
Coach Steve Poppe enters his second full season with the Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs lost two key players from last year’s team to graduation: Lorenzo Butler and Jordan Taylor.
However, seven starters are returning, including junior third baseman Josh Greiner, who hit .397 with 14 RBIs and 14 runs scored last season. Also, senior pitcher Nick Myers returns to the mound for the Bulldogs. Last season, Myers had 31 strikeouts and a 3.36 ERA in 33 1/3 innings pitched.
Most of the team’s power offense came off Taylor’s bat, and so Poppe has his team focusing more on small ball. The Bulldogs will need to execute the finer points of the game, such as bunting and intelligent base-running, to make up for the lack of power.
Another reason to focus on the technical parts of the game is the FHSAA’s decision to require teams use BBCOR bats. Teams previously used aluminum. There is expected to be much less pop with the new bats, Poppe said.
“Baseballs aren’t going to travel as far as they used to,” he said.
Pitching has also been a focus for the Bulldogs through preseason.
“We need to improve on working in and out of the strike zone,” he said. “We need to be able to throw inside.”
How the new district will be is an unknown, Poppe said.
“We don’t know much about the (other two teams), except both coaches said they were hit hard by graduation,” Poppe said, adding that he is taking it with a grain of salt.
Both teams have a rich baseball tradition and recent playoff experience, Poppe added.
With the teams being new to each other, “things should even out,” Poppe said.
Overall, he said this year’s team has a different attitude.
“I miss last year’s group because it was the first full class I saw through, so they’ll be special to me,” he said. “But this year’s team is gritty; they’re not afraid to put their noses in the dirt and get after it. They’re learning how to play as one and not as a bunch of individuals.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Josh Greiner, Jr., 3B: As a sophomore, Greiner hit .397 with 14 RBIs and 14 runs scored.
Nick Myers, Sr., P: As a junior, Myers touted a 3.36 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 33 1/3 innings pitched.
Dakota Wehde, Sr., P: In 17 1/3 innings pitched last season as a junior, Wehde had 21 strikeouts and a 2.83 ERA.
Bobby Lewis, Sr., RF: Batted .296 last season while driving in 16 runs and scoring 15 runs.
Quadre Butler, Sr., 1B: Butler had a .325 batting average last season.
Lorenza Williams, Jr., SS: Hit .415 last season with 13 RBIs and 15 runs scored.
SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE
7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 14@ Spruce Creek
6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16@ Sandalwood
7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17@ Matanzas
4 p.m. Monday, Feb. 20 Ponte Vedra
7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 22Deltona
7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28Seabreeze
4 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 29@ Mainland
6 p.m. Friday, March 2@ Mandarin
7 p.m. Tuesday, March 6Pine Ridge
7 p.m. Wednesday, March 7@ Seabreeze
7 p.m. Tuesday, March 13@ Deltona
6 p.m. Friday, March 16Mandarin
7 p.m. Monday, March 19@ DeLand (Conrad Park)
7 p.m. Tuesday, March 20@ St. Augustine
7 p.m. Friday, March 23@ Seminole
6 p.m. Tuesday, March 27University
6 p.m. Friday, March 30Sandalwood
April 2 to April 5@ Hall of Fame tournament
6 p.m. Wednesday, April 11@ New Smyrna Beach
7 p.m. Friday, April 13New Smyrna Beach
7 p.m. Tuesday, April 17Atlantic
7 p.m. Thursday, April 19St. Augustine (Senior Night)
