The Clackamas print., April 27, 2016, Page 7, Image 7

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COUGARS WORK TO BUILD PROGRAM
Cougar player Jake Dobecki gets ready for the pitch vs. Mt. Hood Community College on Sunday, April 24 at Sandy High School.
STORY AND PHOTOS BY TRAVIS DAVID V WHITTAKER
“ Here we go, Play Ball.”
W ith lots of new faces on his team, second-year head
baseball coach Jim Hoppel is looking for an identity for
the Clackamas baseball program for many years to come.
W ith o n ly four sophom ores, H oppel is asking his
players to provide the leadership for the freshm en.
Last season the Cougars won eight more games than
the prior season. Clackamas has an overall record of
5-20 and is 3-11 in league play. Hoppel likes the way
his team is com ing around this season.
“ The freshman are playing alright,” Hoppel said. “ I t ’ s
a learning process for them , but they are picking up the
pace and playing a lot better as of late. Our sophomores
are bringing a lot of leadership to the young team. We
are com peting and getting better every day.”
Before Hoppel was the head coach, he served as an
assistant, co-head coach, and associate head coach for
14 years before getting the head coaching job last season.
During his second full season as a head coach, Hoppel
feels that his season is as expected.
“ I w as told by other coaches that it would take some
time to build the program back up and get the recruits
that we w an t,” Hoppel said. “ In the next few years, we
should be able to build the team back up and compete
for a league title.”
Sophomore first basemen Taylor Tibbets likes the way
that things are going in practice.
“ The team is getting more intense, and a lot o f the
other guys are starting to realize that they can win some
gam es,” Tibbets said.
One of the most im portant positions that is needed
is the pitcher.
So far the Cougars’ best pitcher has been right hander
Drew M artin-Cohn.
In six games this season, he has thrown a total of 35
and 2/3 innings, striking out 15, earning an ERA (Earned
Run Average) o f 1.76 to go along w ith two com plete
games and an overall record of 2-2.
Sophomore left hander Chris Painter is one o f the
leaders for the pitching staff this season.
On game day, Painter likes to “ Keep to him self, listen
to m usic.”
W hile on the mound Painter likes to
stay out as long as possible.
So far this season in league play, Painter
has th row n 29 and 2/3 o f an in nin g,
striking out 21 batters, earning an ERA of
3.64 and thrown a complete game shutout
versus SW Oregon Community College.
Painter likes that he gets to work with
pitching coach Jeff Lahti, w ho w as the
set-up man for the St. Louis Cardinals in
the 1982 World Series when the Cardinals
defeated the Milwaukie Brewers in seven
games.
“ It’ s really nice to w ork w ith someone
who has a lot of knowledge on the game
of baseball,” said Painter.
The team has a lot o f league play left,
as they are just over the halfw ay point
of the season.
They still have a gam e w ith Mt. Hood Com m unity
College tentatively scheduled for Tuesday April 25. They
also still have gam es w ith Linn Benton C om m unity
College on April 29 and 30, Lane Community College May
6 and 7, and at Lower Columbia Community College May
10 before they w ill play in their crossover tournament
May 20 to 22 in Longview W ashington.
“ We want to finish on a positive note, keep our heads
held high, get better every day, stay together as a team
and compete to the end,” said Hoppel.
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