LEWISBURG — Tri-County North graduated eight baseball players from a season ago. Five of them were regular contributors for the Panthers.

But they, as always, bring in a lot of promise as well.

The team keeps Zach Edgin – who will move to shortstop – Jordan Overcash, Chandler Sproles, Tanner Booth, and Logan Elmore – who moves back to center field.

“Do you miss a guy like (first team All-CCC pitcher) Nick Gray on the mound? Yes, but everybody graduates somebody. We have to move on and find somebody else to step up,” said head coach Justin Tucker.

They bring in a big freshman class and three – Liam Downing, Ryan Stinson, and Collin Whipp – will all start the season in the big leagues. Downing is expected to compete with Booth to be the ace on the mound as well.

North comes in to every season with the goal of winning 20 games and winning the Cross County Conference.

“That’s just a standard of our program. That’s where we always want to be,” said Tucker. “I really think we just have to focus on the process of doing things right. The wins and losses – they come by doing things right.”

Another change for the program is a move into Division IV. And while there are still several unknowns for the program, the sky is the limit for this roster, added Tucker.

“I want them to take it one pitch at a time. That’s what we preach every day. You have to win this pitch,” he said. If you keep winning pitches, the game takes care of itself. It’s not about wins and losses, it’s about winning one pitch at a time and that gets us to where we need to be.

The Panthers opened their season in a double-header with Dixie on Saturday, March 26. They also hosted Bradford on Tuesday, March 29 and are scheduled to host Franklin Monroe on Thursday, March 31 at 5 p.m. North will close out their busy first week with another double-header, hosting Versailles with the first game beginning at 11 a.m.