Liberal's baseball program has fallen on hard times the past couple of years.  After going 13-8, 13-9, 13-8, and 13-8 in Eric Olmstead's first four seasons as head coach, the Skins dipped the past two years to 9-12 in 2011 and bottomed out at 2-19 last year.  A program which has only one appearance at state and one WAC title (1993), Liberal has reason for modest optimism for the future of the program coming into the 2013 campaign. 

There are 32 Redskins out for baseball and 14 are freshman.  A good number of those kids won three straight state championships in summer ball and are a product of Liberal's burgeoning Cal Ripkin youth program. 

Olmstead returns just five starters from last year and none are seniors.  Juniors Diego Zavala (INF), Collin Ware (P, 1st, and OF), Brandyn Terrazas (3rd), Lorenzo Pando (INF and C), and sophomore Christian Hernandez (1st and P) return with significant varsity experience. But there are plenty of eager and green eared 14 and 15 year olds ready for varsity.  LHS started five freshmen in their opening 7-4 loss to Woodward Saturday.  Some of the key freshmen early on are :"Timoth Fitzgerald (CF), Stevie Lira (OF), Jared Hasik (P and Middle Infield), Albert Aldaz (P), and Law Griner (C).  Another key Redskin includes junior (INF and OF) Adrian Carrasco. 

Olmstead is quick to point out that his current 11 varsity players (13 for double headers) could and probably will change as the season goes along.  He says depth is a strenth and thinks he has about eight of the 11 guys who can play almost anywhere on the field. 

Liberal hosts Hugoton at 4 p.m. Tuesday for one seven inning game at the Liberal Baseball Complex.