Announcement
Chronicle picks Katy No. 1; Daab/M. Fuda 1st team all greater Houston; Atwood/Jurica 2nd Team
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL PREVIEW
Tigers' surge to title game gives team, fans reason to forget football
KATY - There's a different feeling around Katy these days. Baseball is no longer something to occupy the spring months while fans count the days until football kicks off.
The baseball team is carrying something into this season the football team normally does — high expectations.
"It's completely different around here," senior pitcher Aaron Daabsaid. "You walk down the halls or people see you on the road with a Katy baseball sticker on your car, and the fans are asking 'When does baseball start?' and 'Are you going to state this year?' "
The season starts today; the Tigers hope the answer to the second question is "yes."
After graduating just four players from last season's 37-9 team, the Tigers, the area's preseason No. 1 team, are setting their sights on the school's first baseball state championship.
Last season they came up a game short of that goal, losing in the Class 5A state final to The Woodlands, then ranked first in the nation.
Topping the lineup are seven players who started for the Tigers last season, in addition to a pair of top-of-the-rotation pitchers who played crucial roles in the 2006 postseason.
Most championship teams are built on great pitching; the Tigers clawed their way to state with consistency at the plate.
Adding pop to the batting order are three college signees — infielders Michael Fuda (Rice) and Carter Jurica (Kansas State) and outfielder Bret Atwood (Texas State) — and a sophomore catcher, Andrew Stumph, whom coach Tom MacPherson called one of the Tigers' best hitters.
Potent offense
The Tigers scored six or more runs seven times in 13 games in the Region III-5A playoffs last year, and they expect the offense to be a strength again this season.
"We've got guys all up and down the lineup that can get it done," Jurica said. "Last year, if the top of the order wasn't hitting good, guys on the bottom half would pick it up and vice versa."
Katy will not lack solid pitching, though. The ace will be lefthander Aaron Daab. The 6-3, 220-pound Texas A&M signee had a 10-3 record last season but burst onto the scene in the state semifinals against Corpus Christi Moody when he tossed a three-hit shutout.
"I definitely learned a lot last season," Daab said. "That game let me know that I can do it all and go out there in big games."
Behind him will be sophomore righthander Keifer Nuncio, who was stellar out of the bullpen late in the season.
Jurica will be in the No. 3 slot after leading the team in ERA last season (0.37) in 37 innings pitched.
With the championship pieces in place, the Tigers' biggest challenge might not be on the field but in their minds.
MacPherson has been working them out feverishly in hopes they won't get complacent, given the high preseason rankings (houston5Abaseball.com also has them No. 1 in the area).
"Coach MacPherson's saying is 'Defend the ranking,' " Daab said. "We have a bull's-eye on our backs, and we have to stay focused."
Plenty of support
In the meantime, the players enjoy their newfound popularity.
The increase in community and fan support is something that has the Tigers smiling and could make for a fun ride if they return to the state tournament.
"This is one of the loosest teams I've ever had," MacPherson said. "They have fun on the field, and they're talented players.
"But I always go back to the old cliché: Anybody can beat you on any given day."
