By Jordan Jones, Reporter

After finishing 23-13 last year and second in the Western Sun Conference, the Knights baseball team hopes to improve on last season’s record. Last season was the first in Kaneland history with 20-plus wins, and the team is now in search of their first Regional Championship since the program started in 1996.

The Knights return with six seniors: pitchers Ty Hamer and Steve Colombe, catcher Aaron Hayman, shortstop Jake Tickle, first baseman David Dudzinkski and second basemen Jake Fiedler.  Junior Joe Camiliere is also returning.

According to coach Brian Aversa, the top newcomers are juniors Bobby Thorson, Kyle Davidson and Corey Landers.

Thorson, a pitcher, said he thinks chemistry is more important to work on than the fundementals.

“Chemistry is the biggest thing to work on. Everyone needs to work on being one big family,” Thorson said.

Losing last year’s seniors was a big loss to the team, but they have replaced them with some key juniors.

“We’re going to miss a couple of them a lot, but we’re still going to be really good this year,” Hayman said.

The biggest games of the year are against Batavia and Geneva, one of which typically wins the conference. Burlington Central is also a big game, even though they’re not in the Western Sun Conference, Hayman said.

The team plays an away game against Glenbard South tonight at 4:30, followed by a home game against Hampshire on Saturday at 10 a.m.