Baseball has just begun

Big Bend starts fall ball season with alumni game

The Big Bend alumni baseball game kicked off the fall season the way head coach Don Lindgren wanted it to.

His 2004/2005 recruits faced off against his first recruiting class in a showdown of the new versus the old. It was all in fun, but it also gave Lindgren a taste of the talent he brought to Big Bend baseball as they search for an Eastern region title.

"It was a good experience for our transition players to hit with a wood bat against some guys who could still bring it," Lindgren said.

The new class got challenged at the plate against division-I pitcher Kevin Wilborn, and former Viking pitcher (Dude in a mullet), who was sporting a mullet for the occasion.

It was a good time, Lindgren said and it gave him a chance to see what he needed as he starts trimming the current roster of 36 down to 28 players.

But, that is what the fall season has been designated for. Lindgren said he hopes to find the talent pool needed to compete with Spokane, Columbia Basin and Walla Walla. And, find holes to fill in for starting pitchers Daniel Valdez and Scott Parrish, and standout catcher Christian Romple who ended the season injured for the Vikings.

For now, Lindgren brought in Travis Pendleton from Selah High School, who never lost a game his senior year, and Brian Parker out of Eisenhower. Lindgren said Parker is similar to Valdez, but with more velocity. He also recruited Pat Lindgren, his nephew, out of San Diego City College for the catcher position.

"We are going to miss Daniel and Scott, but we have the potential," Lindgren added.

But the story that sidelined the Vikings last season was the offensive production. Big Bend struggled to maintain a .500 record for the first half of the season before pulling off an offensive push into the second half, but barely missed the playoffs.

"What we are really striving for is working on contact," Lindgren said. "With our team speed, we are going to be a little better offensively."

Returning back to the top of the Eastern region was last year's goal, and Lindgren brings in a group of players he believes are winners. Making a push for the title this year came under a new philosophy as Lindgren and the coaching staff were searching for answers to the slow start last year.

"About halfway through, we had a coaching meeting and I don't want to put the blame on anyone, but we needed to coach them harder than what we were doing," Lindgren said.

The road back to the Eastern region title will go through defending champions Columbia Basin College, Lindgren said his recruits understand the league and showed on Saturday at the alumni game they are ready to compete at the NWAACC level.

As for now, the Vikings hope to have their offensive and defensive game plans put together before heading to Green River and Edmonds Community College for the first fall ball scrimmage.

"We are going to be more prepared than last year because we are going to demand it," Lindgren said. "I like our group of guys and I like I chances every game."