Bonanza 2013 Baseball Capsule

Head coach: Derek Stafford, ninth season

2012 record: 14-16 (8-8 Southwest)

Returning lettermen (starters): 12 (seven)

Top players: OF Austin Taft (Sr.), DH/1B Travis Ming (Sr.), C/P Sean DeSoto (Sr.), 1B Jack Orozco (Sr.)

Outlook: The Bengals finished sixth in the Southwest last season, but were only two games behind third-place Sierra Vista.

Bonanza brings back its starting infield and two of its three outfielders, and offense should not be a problem.

Ming hit .368 last season, and DeSoto (.338), Taft (.327), Orozco (.316) all return potent bats.

Stafford said he his hoping for good things from pitchers Nick Risucci and Daniel Romero.

"We should compete for a playof spot, but it’s always tough," Stafford said. "If pitching develops, we’ll be OK and win some games."