The Dupo High School baseball program will try to improve on a 4-17 campaign from a year ago. 

Five of those losses were of the one-run variety, so there’s some hope for a turnaround in 2024.

“My main goal this year is for our team to be .500 this year,” Dupo head coach Evan Lawrence said. “I would like for some of our close games that we had last year to go our way this year.”

The Tigers split their first two games of the new spring season with senior Ashton Stein standing out offensively and sophomore Deegan Prater looking impressive on the mound.

Prater posted a 3.92 ERA last season in 30-plus innings pitched and also hit .315.

Other key returning players for Dupo include seniors Trenton Robert, Kaleb McGlasson and Connor Ballard and juniors Teegan Hargrove and Carter McMannis.  

McGlasson hit .281 for the Tigers in 2023.

Some players being counted on to step into bigger roles for the Tigers in 2024 are freshmen Brady Portell and Caiden Crowder, sophomores Cole Hearty, Thinh Staggs and Jacob Stanek and senior Matt Hofer. 

“With a younger group, we are going to be lacking some experience but hope to make up for it with our offensive ability at the plate and defense behind our pitchers,” Lawrence said.  

Competing in the small-school Kaskaskia Division of the Cahokia Conference, Dupo will focus on competing against division foes such as Valmeyer, New Athens, Marissa, Steeleville and Lebanon. 

And as most baseball fans know, you can only go as far as your pitching will take you.

“Our pitching staff is going to have to step up big time this year and fill some key roles that we lost last year,” Lawrence said.

One key early game in Dupo’s schedule is at home on April 9 against Valmeyer.