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Last year's TCAC Co-Champions have reloaded their arsenal and are looking to have a promising season. This year's squad returns seven starters and four pitchers. The Bulldogs have improved their bats, but pitching will once again be the best asset of this 1996 team. TCAC Player of the Year, Brent Fronabarger, is returning for his senior year and is looking to improve on his 11-2 record and a 1.97 ERA. North Alabama transfer, Genus Miller, will give the pitching staff another hard-throwing right-hander. Sophomore Ed Grammer finished his freshman year like a champion with wins over UTM, Belmont, and Martin Methodist. He is bigger and stronger as a result of hard work during the off season. Mark Wood was the outstanding pitcher during fall workouts. He did not have a single bad outing. Jonathon Smart and J.C. Cook will see early action as freshmen. These pitchers will constitute the starting rotation in conference play. Included in the pitching staff will be Todd Potter and Jason Hall. Potter continues to improve with several quality outings in the fall. He will see more extensive action than in the past. Hall will be most effective in a relief situation as he proved last season and will man responsibilities at first base as well.

The Bulldogs hope to continue the offensive tear that carried them down the stretch last season. Filling the leadoff position will be Jason Tate and Brady Thompson, an outfielder from Shawnee Community College. In the middle of the lineup will be Jason Hall, T.J. Wilder, Chad Maricle, and Brandon Myhand who will be expected to provide the solid run production. All four have home run potential and hit respectably last season. The lineup will not lack talent in the five and six spots. Andy Kirk and Robert Gordon should both hit for good averages along with freshman Nathan Sawyer and a 1995 redshirt John Koffman. Steven Hall and Scott Gentleman, a transfer catcher from Moorpark Community College are very good offensive players but need somewhere to play. Both will be called on in pitch hitting situations.

The Bulldogs defense will prove to be solid after moving two of last year's starters to more familiar positions. Tate moves from second base to center field, this takes Gordon from shortstop to second. Thompson will start in left and Maricle will man the duties in right to give the Dogs a solid outfield. By having Jason Hall at first base and Andy Kirk at third, the Bulldogs have three seniors on the infield. The key to the defense lies in the ability of Koffman and/or Saywer to man shortstop. Two defensive specialists from last year will be taking familiar roles. Jason Sparkman will be making plays at third, and Todd Williamson can do the same at second which creates several lineup options. All-TCAC selection T.J. Wilder will take responsibility for duties behind the plate. He will occasionally be relieved by Myhand and Gentleman.

Last year's team achieved a good goal, but this year's squad plans to carry things a step further. With another challenging schedule the Dogs will be tested early with their opener in the Capital City Classic in Montgomery. This tournament will included NAIA powerhouses such as AUM, Huntingdon, and Faulkner. The Bulldogs will also play Division I opponents, the University of Memphis and UTM, not to mention Division II powers Delta State and UNA. The conference shapes up in a traditional fashion with Cumberland, Lipscomb, Lambuth, and Belmont as top contenders. These four teams will be joined by resurgent programs at Freed-Hardeman and Bethel. Every team will factor into the race for the conference championship.