With the high school baseball season now in the rear view mirror, Troy Post 70’s 19U baseball team is ready to get started.

After a grueling three month schedule of high school baseball these athletes get to regroup and come together to have some fun playing the game of baseball.

“Summer is always the best time for baseball in my opinion,” said Post 70 head coach Rush Hixon. “In high school baseball you battle the weather. During the summer you can get into the full swing of things and it’s always a great time.”

Hixon will take over as head coach for American Legion team in 2016. The former Pike Lib Patriot and Current Central Alabama Trojan is ready to make his mark on Post 70.

“I am really excited for the opportunity to coach these guys this summer,” Hixon said. “It was an opportunity that I really couldn’t pass up. I have a good group coming in and I feel that we are going to be really successful this summer.”

Hixon who has played American Legion ball over the last few season is familiar with the organization.

“Legion baseball as a whole is a really good organization,” Hixon said. “I played in it the last few years and my older brother played in it. He will be my assistant coach so we are really familiar with American Legion baseball. Stepping on other side of the line is going to be an excellent adventure.”

Hixon and Post 70 will welcome in a good mix of players throughout Pike County as well as players from Enterprise, Dothan and Montgomery.

Those players will be able compete in games throughout the state of Alabama as well as Travel to Tennessee to play in a tournament.

“We will be playing pretty local for the most part,” Hixon said. “We will be going to Columbia, Tennessee, for a four-day tournament which will be really good exposure for the guys.”

The Trip to Tennessee will take place on June 30 until July 3. Post 70 will close out the season with the state tournament in Birmingham, which is a change in venue from the past few years when it was held in Troy.

“It was in Troy the last two years so we will step out of our home territory,” Hixon said. “It should be really exciting.”

Post 70 will kick off practice on Tuesday when they hit the field at 6:30 on the campus of Pike Lib.

The players who will participate will have the opportunity to keep their games fresh throughout the summer months as well as potentially impressing college scouts who frequent games throughout the season.

“Summer baseball has turned into a recruiting hot spot for college coaches,” Hixon said. “I am going to stress to my guys how important the summer is as far as getting to the next level … This is not just a vacation for these athletes. It’s a really a time to showcase their abilities.”

Post 70 will begin the season June 4 when they will play a round robin type tournament against Ozark and Tuscaloosa Post 34.