2-23-07 By: Brian Vaughn

GREENWOOD- The Greenwood Bulldog baseball team, the defending 5A State Champions will take to the field for the first pitch of the 2007 season Tuesday against Springdale.

The team will take the field without the graduated Daniel Stegall, who hit the state championship winning grand slam against Crossett. "of course your not going to replace Daniel," said Greenwood head coach Craig Jones.  Stegall was drafted in the 7th round of the major league draft.

They will field an experienced team as 7 players on the team have played more than 30 games and 8 played in more than half the games last season.

Tyler Wilson will be the Bulldog ace pitcher and will pitch in game one of the conference doubleheader games. Coach Jones says though, he's still looking for that number 2 guy. Nathan Staton, who was the number 3 pitcher last season in the rotation was expected to be that guy, but a football shoulder injury has opened that spot up. "We have 14 kids that can pitch," said Jones. "Last year we had a 1 and 1A. This year we might have a 1, 2A and 2B."

The Bulldogs will face one of their toughest schedules through this season. As they will face each of the 7A West teams again this season. They will also take part in several tournaments. One tournament in Tulsa will pit the Bulldogs against teams from Jenks and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. They will also face off against the USA Today #1 team in the country for most of last season in Owasso in the Bentonville tournament. "In the past we've always done it (scheduled bigger schools), said Jones. "Hopefully it'll pay off in the end and I think it does. I think it helps us see better pitching."

Jones expects the 5A conference race to be as tough as it's been in the past with Alma and Harrison being very solid and Greenbrier returning several lefty pitchers. Jones can see  his Bulldogs being right in the thick of the conference race at the top though. "It'll be a race for playoff spots," said Jones. "I can see us playing up there for the conference championship."

The Bulldogs will host Springdale, Tuesday afternoon at 4:00  and will play both Fort Smith schools on Saturday. Southside at 3:30 and Northside at 6:00 at Bulldog Field.