AL HS Team Preview: New Hope Indians

High School: New Hope Indians

2019 Record: 14-16

Head Coach: Andrew Dennis

AHSAA Classification:  3A

AHSAA Area: Area 13

2019 Area Finish: 2nd

2019 Playoff Run: Lost in 1st round

RETURNING STARTERS: 

‘21 LHP/RHP/OF/1B Dominic Banas

‘20 OF Ethan Pinkerton

‘20 1B/RHP William Thomas

‘22 SS/2B/RHP Hudson Hill

‘20 SS/2B/RHP Caleb Lewis

UNDERCLASSMEN TO WATCH: 

‘22 UTIL/C/RHP Jaxon Stapler

‘23 3B/2B/RHP Eathan Sumner

TEAM STRENGTHS: 

Top of the rotation arms

OUTLOOK: 

The Indians return seven positional starters and four pitchers that saw time on the mound from a state playoff team a year ago. Andrew Dennis has taken over the New Hope program and will be entering his first season as their head coach. There are only four seniors on this year’s team as the Indians will be looking to those returners for leadership and will also count on some talented younger players. One of those returners is ‘21 LHP/RHP/OF/1B Dominic Banas. Yes you read that correctly, Banas toes the rubber and throws with both arms and keeps hitters from getting comfortable against him. He also is an aggressive hitter and covers a ton of ground in centerfield. Senior outfielder Ethan Pinkerton also returns and he is the straw that stirs the drink for the Indians and is a big time leader in the program. Another senior that has done a nice job of leading is ‘20 1B/RHP William Thomas. He is returning from a shoulder injury but should be back in time for the season and will provide a big bat in the middle of the order. ‘21 SS/2B/RHP Hudson Hill also returns and shows a mature understanding of the game. He is smooth on the dirt, shows a bat that should be a big run producer and will also see time on the mound.  Senior SS/2B/RHP Caleb Lewis is a big time athlete that will be another guy to lead the younger guys. He plays the game aggressively and is also the leader scorer on the New Hope basketball team as a point guard. Two young guys to keep an eye on are ‘22 UTIL/C/RHP Jaxon Stapler and ‘23 3B/RHP Eathan Sumner. Stapler can play just about anywhere on the field and will also toe the rubber this spring as well. He has gotten a lot stronger in the off-season and will be looked on to be a run producer in the middle of the order. Sumner is a strong freshman with a strong arm across the infield and on the diamond. He has also shown the ability to locate three different pitches down in the zone. The Indians enter the 2020 season with high hopes of an area championship.  

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