The American Legion Post 70 17U baseball team will have a lot of familiar faces when they hit the field this summer.

The Pike Liberal Arts Patriots are coming off a state championship. Many of those players will have a chance to play for another state title with Post 70. Eight Patriot players will be joined with three players from Charles Henderson and the Dothan area this summer.

“We have quite a bit from Pike,” Hixon said. “That will be the bulk of the team. We got a few from Charles Henderson, Rehobeth, Dothan and Northview. This is my second year coaching the 17U team and I had a lot of Pike kids on it last year. I think it’s good for them to continue to play with one another. It’s a great group of kids from that age group.”

Players from Pike Liberal Arts are Drew Nelson, Trevor Barron, Max Copeland, Jade Sikes, Cody Hollis, Davis Allen, Holt Steed, Clay Barron and Cole McWhorter. They will be joined by Charles Henderson players Will Reeves, Chance Pollard and Lawson Scarbrough.

Post 70 has been together for a little over a week, but due to poor weather mixed with graduations, they have only been on the field for one practice. Due to his players’ ability, coach Hixon doesn’t foresee it being an issue.

“In two or three weeks when everyone is on the same page things will pick up,” Hixon said. “Like I told them, nobody is rusty because you just finished the high school season. It’s more about getting to know your teammates and hearing things different from a different coach. Things like that will take a little bit (of time) to adjust. That is just how summer ball is.”

Post 70 has a good number of players returning from last year’s team that lost in the state championship game. Hixon believes the Patriots’ success during the regular season could go a long way towards success this summer.

“The Patriot players lost the state championship last year and in the summer,” Hixon said. “It’s sweet to be able to get it done this year in high school. I’m hoping to repeat that in summer ball and get a little redemption for something we felt like we should have won last year.”

Post 70 will play nearly 30 games this summer and will host a number of tournaments in Troy. They will also take part in a tournament in Auburn as well as making an annual trek to Columbus Tennessee for the Fourth of July holiday. The season will come to a close in the state tournament in Pelham.

The first scheduled game for Post 70 is Tuesday in Ozark.