Du Quoin Middle School Baseball Expecting Good Things

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ With a dozen returning letter winners on his 20-player roster, Du Quoin (Middle School) Baseball coach Tim Craft is optimistic about the approaching season.

The Warriors, 10-12 last fall, visit Benton Monday to start play.

"We have a lot of experience back from last year," Craft said. "We will go as our pitching goes. This group is very athletic and works very hard."

Travis Chapman (C), Nate Boss (SS-P), Brenden Fred (2B-P), Shayne Baxter (3B-P), seventh-grader Camden Youngman (CF-P), Austin Mansker (OF-3B-P) and Garrett Dorsey (1B) all saw significant playing time in 2007.

Dorsey, however, is injured and start's the season on the disabled list.

Jonah Spencer (OF-IF) and John Erwin (OF-IF) are also being counted on.

DMS reached the SIJHSAA Class L Regional finals last fall before falling to Columbia. Along the way, the Warriors won Anna's Invitational Tournament.

Pitching aces Sam Gossett and Keegan Robbins were lost to graduation, as were key players Jon Boss, Blayne Harris and Dylan Pyron.

2008 Baseball Warriors

#1 Shayne Baxter; #2 Dalton Bigham, #3 Nate Boss, #4 Travis Chapman, #5 Spencer Cook, #6 Dalton Donoghue, #7 Garrett Dorsey, #8 Dakota Dupuis. #9 John Erwin, #10 Brenden Fred, #11 Thomas Hamlin, #12 Kody Hess, #13 Landon Kern, #14 Austin Mansker, #15 Camdon Mercier, #16 Jacob O'Rourke, #17 Brendon Shepard, #18 Jonah Spencer, #19 Haeden Sweetin, #20 Camden Youngman.