The ping of baseball bats has been signaling the return of a new season for the Indianola Academy Colonels.
Scheduled to have opened their 2026 campaign this past Wednesday at Washington School, a very young IA squad is bent on improving the 8-19 record earned last spring.
However, despite the team’s youth, IA Head Coach Watson Cook, who is beginning this third year at the helm of the baseball program, is greatly encouraged by his team.
“I am very excited to see this group compete. We return all starters except for our DH and are still fairly young with only one senior on our roster,” noted Coach Cook, who is very ably assisted by Pete Young.
“We are looking forward to the challenges of a difficult schedule,” he continued.
The Colonels’ upcoming schedule is comprised of 29 games, which includes nine District 1-2A matchups
Competing against the Colonels for the district crown this season will be Delta Academy of Marks, North Sunflower Academy of Ruleville, and Regents School of Oxford.
When discussing the Colonels’ district competition, Coach Cook observed, “We’re in a district for the first time with these schools so I don’t know a lot about them. However, Regents competed for a state championship last year and I believe they were pretty young.”
As for their recent and future play, the outcome of Wednesday’s season-opener with Washington School was unavailable at press time.
However, the Colonels will travel today to Deer Creek School in Arcola to take on the Warriors at 6 p.m.
While next Tuesday will take the Colonels back to Deer Creek School for another 6 p.m. clash, next Thursday brings IA back to their home field.
This home-field season opener will find the Colonels once again battling the Warriors from Deer Creek School at 6 p.m.
As for his projected strengths of his 2026 team, Coach Cook feels pitching and defense are high on the list.
Defensively, with every fielding position on the field filled by a returning starter, the infield features shortstop/second baseman Ty Killebrew.
The junior completed last season with a .408 batting average after leading the team in hits and runs scored.
Also spending time in the middle of the infield was Levi Williamson, while Easton Cook, Blayne Fleming and Easton Lloyd held down the corners at first and third base.
Behind the plate, sophomore Patrick Davis logged 87 innings receiving the ball when not pitching the ball himself. When that occurred, Lloyd filled in at the position during Davis’s 40.2 innings pitched.
In the outfield, Cook, sophomore Ethan Hayes, senior Graham Howard, and Cole Sepulvado were all efficient at tracking fly balls down.
On the all-important pitcher’s mound, Coach Cook has arms with quality innings earned at his disposal.
“We have five guys who have been logging varsity innings on the mound since they were in the eighth grade,” said Coach Cook.
With all but Hayes being right-handers, that five-man list includes Davis, Fleming, Killebrew and Lloyd.
When asked about concerns he has for the team, Coach Cook noted, “We have to be better offensively. I feel like last year we gave away too many at bats and just didn’t give ourselves a chance to string some things together.”
