H.M. King High School’s varsity baseball team (15- 16 overall) literally dropped their playoff hopes in the final game of last season.

“We lost to Laredo Cigarroa in the late extra innings, we were up on them but they came back and tied us,” Head Coach Ricky Soliz said. “We dropped three fly balls, shooting ourselves in the foot. It was not a matter of victory being unreachable but that is how we lost it.”

In that game, Ryan Martinez batted in seven runs and smacked a couple of home-runs.

“It was a good game which tested our character and we just did not respond,” Soliz said. “Hopefully this year we understand that we have to seize situations like that and we can through hard work, dedication and not complaining.”

Seven of Soliz’s players from 2009 return for the upcoming season and their experience should be an asset to the Brahmas.

“That is valuable because I feel they (returners) have a lot of confidence going into this season; their experience is very beneficial,” Soliz said. “Our motto for this year is ‘It’s Our Turn’ and those are some of the things we are looking at.”

First on the Brahmas’ todo list, however, is filling in an anchor position.

“The one spot we have to replace is catcher, which is the position that dictates the outcomes of most games,” Soliz said. “We hope to be able to fill that gap, we have a few individuals who are trying out and it may be a young player who takes it but hopefully that is one thing we can get together, along with others, to hopefully make the playoffs.”

To make the upcoming postseason, the Brahmas will first have to run through District 31-4A.

“Calallen and Alice are always tough, Tuloso- Midway has a big kid they use in every game for five innings and they are usually in the driver’s seat by that time,” Soliz said. “Flour Bluff was supposed to make the playoffs last year and we still beat them twice. Cigarroa will again be tough as they have almost everyone back.”

Soliz is hopeful his trio of left-handed pitchers (Roman Garza, David Robles and Gus Hinojosa) will lead the way to an extended 2010 campaign.

“I am expecting a whole lot from these kids and they know plenty about the game which will help us tremendously,” Soliz said. “We are working hard, these kids are very coachable and ready to go in a lot of areas including conditioning.”