Baseball team ready for season opener Friday on the road

The Eastern Florida State College baseball team will open the regular season on Friday afternoon at Lake Sumter State College.

The Titans had their season cut short last year due to Covid-19 and are excited to get back on the field for the 2021 season.

"It has been a long time coming, that is for sure. The guys and the staff are just chomping at the bit to get out there," Eastern Florida State College baseball coach Jason Arnold said. "We are just grateful to be able to go out there and play. With all that has been lost and all that we have been through, we are just grateful to get started."

The baseball program begins a 46-game regular season schedule with a home and home against Lake Sumter who have split with the Titans in each of the past two seasons.

"They can play with anybody, they are scrappy, play defense and throw strikes," Arnold said. "We have to make sure that we don't beat ourselves. I think if we do what this group is capable of doing, we should have success this weekend."

Friday's season opener is at Lake Sumter and then the Lakehawks come to Bruce Bochy Field on Saturday for a 1 p.m. first pitch. Due to Covid-19, fans are not allowed to attend games at Eastern Florida State College until February.

The Titans return six pitchers from last year's staff that were second in Region 8 with a team ERA of 2.72. Two of those returning starters will be on the mound this week as Darien Smith is scheduled to start on Friday and Chase Victor on Saturday.

"Our pitching staff and the depth of the pitching staff is what we will build around," Arnold said. "The defense will be better than it has since I have been here and offensively since we have been back from the break it has been better and guys are starting to step up and win jobs."