The Houston High School baseball team begins a new season with back-to-back wood bat tournaments.
The Tigers play Friday and Saturday in the Eminence Wood Bat Classic. Houston faces Van Buren at 4:30 p.m. in the opener and the following day plays St. Paul at 6 p.m.
The following week, HHS hosts three teams in its annual Houston Tournament. Only this year – for the first time – the tournament will be played using only wood bats.
Sponsored by State Farm Insurance, the tournament begins Tuesday as the Tigers host Cuba at 4 p.m. Mountain Grove and Licking play in the other opening game.
Play continues March 22 with HHS facing Mountain Grove at 4 p.m. and Cuba playing Licking at 6 p.m.
On Friday, Houston concludes the tournament with a 4 p.m. matchup with Licking. Mountain Grove and Cuba play in the other matchup.
Cost is $3 for adults and $1.50 for students each night.
The Tigers were 5-18 in 2017 and lost in the opening round of districts. The team returns a pair of all-conference players – senior shortstop Gavin Alston, who batted a team-best .333 and led HHS with 19 runs as well as sophomore infielder Sterling Jackson, who hit .317 while leading HHS with 19 RBIs and five extra-base hits.