Tyler Consolidated’s Silver Knight baseball team returns to the diamond this season with a new head coach and a new winning strategy. D.J. Cunningham takes the reins of the baseball program for the 2010 season with assistant Gene Rice.

“We’re really excited about the coming season,” Cunningham said. “We have some guys with real talent and we’re all anxious to get the season underway.”

The Knights lost two players from last years team, all-stater Zach Perkey and Michael Cochran to graduation, but return nine letter winners to the roster.

Three year lettermen, seniors Brody Northcraft (3rd base, 2nd base, shortstop), Zachary Minger (pitcher outfield), and Brandon Grimes (catcher, outfield) return along with two year lettermen, juniors Garrett Amos (1st base, catcher), Zachary Knowlton (2nd base, shortstop), and Blaise Rice (pitcher, outfield); and one year lettermen, sophomores Justin Carpenter (outfield, first base), Jared Lantz (catcher, utility), and Dalton Wells (2nd base, outfield, catcher).

Also on the Knight roster this season are seniors Nick Albers (utility) and Otto Sperling (utility); juniors Giovanni Santos (utility), Netdanai Swangpattaraphon (utility), Dakota Allen (outfield, 2nd base), and Nathan Bolin (outfield, 2nd base); and freshmen Dalton Parsons (2nd base, catcher) and Koty Martin (outfield, pitcher).

Though young, several members of the team are vying for starting positions and will continue to do so as the season continues.

Cunningham said his pitching staff will go about seven deep this season, with a possibility of a couple more added to the mix by years end.

“Our pitchers are looking pretty good,” he said. “Minger will be back on the mound, as will Rice and we’ll be utilizing Carpenter and Wells a good bit as well.”

Fans of the team can look for Cunningham to mix and match positions for the first several games before the Knight line-up is set.

“The potential is here,” coach Cunningham said. “These guys are going to surprise a lot of people I think. They have the ability to do very well this season.”

The Silver Knights will take the field on March 19 for their first game of the season. The team will host the St. Marys Blue Devils at 5 p.m.