The Westside baseball team is trying to keep looking ahead at what should be a strong 2009 season after a lot of successes in 2008. The Wolves vied with Bellaire and Lamar for the District 20-5A championship and advanced to the Region III finals. But district rival Bellaire won the final two games of the three-game series to send the Cardinals to state and the Wolves home for the summer.

That has the returning Westside players going into summer ball with a desire to not only improve their game, but comes with a desire to reach the state championship game.

“We’re thinking about getting better, take that next step forward and beat Bellaire,” junior Hunter Lane said.

Monday night, the Wolves’ bats were strong in an 8-4 five-inning win against Fort Bend Elkins at Stratford High School. Brett Zieren had five RBIs in the game, including a grand slam.

Zieren and Daniel Meagden also did a good job on the mound, holding the Knights to one hit in the first four innings. Lane went 1-for-3 in the game with a single.

“I’m just working on hitting the ball up the middle and on the left side,” Lane said.

With a load of talent returning to Westside, the Wolves look like an early favorite for earning a state berth. But the Wolves will have to do it with a new coach, as Emrick Jagneaux left for the head coaching job at Deer Park. The school is currently interviewing candidates and should name a new coach by the end of July.

Meanwhile, the players feel that their bond that they have made with each other could help the Wolves reach their goal.

“We have a lot of people that we have played with for six and seven years,” Lane said, “and we have a lot of chemistry on this team. We feel good about how we’re playing right now.”

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