The Lampasas baseball program could be set up for success in 2025, as the vast majority of starters return from last season and look to get back into the playoffs after missing the postseason the past couple of years.
On the pitching side, Jonas Andersen, JT Posten, Calvin Phelps and Calum Mitchell all threw innings for the Badgers last season, and they are back and ready to go again.
There should be consistency on the bump for Lampasas in 2025.
In the field, the Badgers return Dylan Peak at first, Timber Gholson at second, Eli Calderon at shortstop and Benny Rodriguez at third base. In the outfield, Jackson Wright and Peyton Sisson return, as well as Connor Kozma. Pitchers such as Mitchell, Posten and Andersen will work into the field when they aren’t on the mound.
“We’ve got 12 seniors on the varsity, we’ve got five juniors that return with varsity experience …,” head coach Chance Evans said. “This is the mostexperienced team that I’ve had since I’ve been here, and I look forward to some good things.”
Not only are these players experienced at the varsity level, but there is a group of about 12 who have been competing together since they were 5 years old. With that experience should come some confidence and swagger that the Badgers can play with each time they step across the white line.
Evans said that attitude has been a focus early on with his team.
“Swagger has been a big thing,” he said. “These guys, they have the experience so they should have the confidence because they’ve been doing this. We’ve got really good team chemistry. They are feeling the swagger this year and they should. We’re a well-rounded team.”
As of Monday morning, the Badgers have a 2-1 record with a seasonopening loss to Gatesville and then wins over Hawley and Clyde at their first tournament last weekend.
Lampasas beat Hawley 7-3 and beat Clyde 2-1. In the win over Clyde, Phelps pitched the full seven innings, giving up only four hits. The Badgers trailed 1-0 going into the top of the seventh inning, then scored two runs to take the lead and the victory.
When it comes to goals and expectations, this team has set the bar high. The Badgers want to accomplish big things in 2025.
“Last year we won 10 games, which was double from the year before, and the kids this year want to go for 20 -- that’s their goal,” Evans said. “Twenty wins is going to put us to where our other goals need to be, which is get in the playoffs, get the one seed for the big school, have a good firstround matchup and then make a playoff run.
“I think it was 2017 the last time we won a bidistrict championship,” the coach said. “I’d love to put us in a position to play for gold gloves.”
When it comes to the district competition this season, Lampasas has lost Lago Vista and added Taylor and Salado, two well-regarded baseball programs in Central Texas.
“With the experience that we have, those matchups don’t seem as tough as they once were,” Evans said. “We’re definitely not going to look past them. We’re definitely not going to roll in there thinking that the games are won, but we have a lot more confidence going up against teams like that, and our pre-district schedule is set up to help us see some of that before we get into district.”
On top of the new teams in the district, Lampasas also will face Burnet, Jarrell, Gateway and Marble Falls. All of these will present unique challenges for the Badgers in 2025.
Lampasas played Copperas Cove on Monday, and they will play in a tournament in Llano this weekend. Then the district schedule will get underway March 11 with a home game against Taylor at 1 p.m.
