Head Coach: Bart Bickerton, 11th season

Assistant Coaches: Chris Brown, Jaime Perez, Junior Martinez, Robbie White, Osiel Flores 2009 Record: 34-6, District: 13-1

Career Record: 261-58

School’s District Titles: 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2009

Bi-District Champions: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009

Area Champions: 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009

The Rattlers were one inning away from the regional finals last season before falling to San Antonio Reagan. This season the Rattlers will have to replace several starters.

“We need to fill seven spots with last year’s subs and JV kids,” said Coach Bart Bickerton. The Rattlers have been a model of consistency so expect the same in 2010. Even though the Rattlers lost a good nucleus, they return several players have varsity experience.

Casey Klein (sr.), SS, hit a very solid .486 last season. Klein was an outfielder last year but will be move to short this season. Brian Valencia (sr.), P/C, also hit very well last year with a .464 batting average. The return of Mike Medrano(jr.), P, back after a 2008 season where he was named Rio Grande Valley’s Newcomer Of The Year. Medrano was 3-3 with a 4.51 ERA in 2009. Coach son, Baylr Bickerton (sr.) had a fine season on the mound going 9-1 with an ERA of 1.40. Bickerton and Medrano will both be counted on from the mound for the Rattlers this season.

Oscar Gonzalez (jr.), OF, hit .420 last year. Gonzalez is projected as the leadoff man this season. Eric Gutierrez (1B) has been projected into the clean-up spot in the batting order. Erik Garcia (jr.), C, is yet another .400 hitter hitting .447 last year. Garcia will bat in the 5 spot. Alex Luna (sr.) will bat in the sixth spot after hitting .250. Edmundo Crespo, OF, will bat in the seventh place the order. David Lugo (sr.), 2B, has the eighth place in the line-up heading into the season. Fernie Martinez (jr.), OF, will bat in the ninth spot.

Other squad members include; Roy Ortiz (jr.), P/SS; Hunter Guzman (soph.), P/OF; Mo Valdez (jr.), 2B; and Miguel Fuentes (jr.), P/OF.

The Sharyland program has produced many good baseball player they include Tucker Oakley (09) Weatherford JC, Adam Peña (09) San Jacinto JC, Angel Ibanez (09) UTPA, Marco Rodriguez (09), Midland College, Alex Brummel Schriener College, Ismael Tijerina NY Mets, and Jaime Garica St. Louis Cardinals.

“Our team will have a good amount of team speed and will be able to play small ball this year,” said the very successful Coach Bickerton.

Sharyland will once again battle McAllen and La Joya for the district title this season.

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