The Pagosa Spring High School Pirate baseball team hasn’t played since March 19, but coach Jon Wells has the boys prepared for their first doubleheader back.
The Pirates will be back on their home diamond on Tuesday, April 7, for a doubleheader against Sanford.
The games will begin at 3 p.m.
The team’s last action came against Dolores almost two weeks ago, but the boys continued to work over spring break, according to the coach.
Through a combination of voluntary practices, workouts and at-home fitness, the boys didn’t fall behind while on break, he indicated.
The Pirates resumed their regular practices on Monday, March 30, and will look to be back in mid-season form by the time Sanford comes to town, the coach noted.
This week the Pirates will work on their control of the strike zone and getting their timing back at the plate specifically, along with a host of other things, he added.
“I expect our boys to be at least 60 percent in throwing strikes,” Wells said. “And as a team right now, we’re in the 50s. So, concentration on strike throwing is No. 1, you know, in order to eliminate those free base runners.”
The boys will also be working on their plate approach, with Wells wanting the team to be smart batters.
“If we’re ahead in the count, you know, we’re looking for that one pitch that we can drive,” he said. “If we’re behind in the count, you know, we’re protecting the plate, making sure that we’re staying alive, fouling off pitches if needed.”
Sanford currently sits at 4-3 on the season and has three more games before they travel to Pagosa Springs on April 7.
The Pirates own a 6-3 record on the season.
Last year, Pagosa Springs beat Sanford in both games of their doubleheader.
“I’m expecting two good games and assuming we go out there and do our job in the three areas that I described earlier, then we should come out with two wins, but [the] boys need to do the job,” Wells said.
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