2018 Basic Baseball Capsule

Head coach: Scott Baker, seventh season

2017 record: 29-7 (16-4 4A Sunrise/second)

Returning lettermen (starters): Thirteen (nine)

Top players: 3B/P Garrett Giles (Sr.), 2B Christian Rivero (Sr.), LF/C/P Trace Evans (Jr.), 1B/OF/P John Howard Bobo (So.), P Shane Spencer (Jr.), P C.J. Dornak (Sr.), OF/P Nick Thompson (Sr.)

Outlook: Could it be anything but ideal?

The Wolves bring back nine starters after winning their second straight state title, then went on to win the American Legion World Series.

OK, so they have to replace first-team all-state honoree Jack Wold and his .460 batting average, 13 doubles, 10 home runs and 45 RBIs. But it’s not as though the Wolves are short artillery.

Giles (.448, 10 doubles, 30 RBIs; 2-0, 0.47 ERA, 15 innings) was a second-team all state pick. Rivero (.402, 10 doubles, 35 runs, 22 RBIs), Evans (.402, 10 doubles, 30 runs, 33 RBIs; 5-1, 2.62 ERA, 34.2 innings) and Bobo (.385, 16 doubles, 36 runs, 21 RBIs) also return on offense.

Spencer (5-3, 2.55 ERA, 46.2 innings, 42 strikeouts), Dornak (5-1, 1.06 ERA, 33 IP, 32 strikeouts) and Thompson (1-0, 1.94 ERA, 18 innings) join Giles and Evans as prominent arms.

If it can stay healthy, Basic has to be considered one of the favorites in the Sunrise Region.