By Chad Hayworth (for OzarksSportsZone.com)
The Lamar Tigers have won three-straight district titles for as many coaches. Jacob LaSalle is hoping that number grows to four in 2026.
“I’m the fourth coach in four years for these seniors,” he said. “They have been through a lot of coaching changes, but the culture of winning has stayed the same. We’re a program built on the culture of good leadership from our upperclassmen, and that will drive our success this year.”
Lamar went 18-8 a season ago under Chase Kilgore, who now coaches at Joplin.
If the Tigers are to find the success that previous years’ teams have had, they will have to do it with new faces, having lost six starters from last year’s squad to graduation.
“We have a good core of guys returning and I expect there will be lots of competition for playing time in certain spots,” LaSalle said. “Our seniors are very talented guys, who I’m looking for to hit the ball well and pitch a lot of innings for us.”
Senior Trent Torbeck led the Tigers in innings pitched last season, amassing a 6-3 record with a 3.56 ERA. He hit .333 with five home runs and 27 RBI, while stealing 10 bases. He also plays short stop.
Senior first baseman Korbin Steinkamp hit .312 for the Tigers, with 22 RBI a season ago.
After a successful freshman campaign, Brayden Wolfe returns this spring, though he’s been battling injuries in both football and basketball this year. He hit .230 as a freshman, while also posting a 1-0 record and 6.00 ERA on the mound.
The Tigers will get two players back that missed all of last season due to injury.
Senior Brody Gardner was out in 2025 with a shoulder injury. He is likely to see action both on the mound and behind the plate, and could be asked to play in the infield as well.
Junior Brady Gire lost the 2025 season to an ankle injury. He’s expected to play in the infield and pitch this season.
Junior Toby Ansley found a role behind the plate late last season. But he can also play in other spots on the field, LaSalle said.
Senior Henry Ball will compete for a starting spot in the outfield, along with junior Troy Onstott, who can also pitch. In the infield, senior Benaiah Diggs, junior Aiden Keathley and sophomore Clayton Powell will be looking for a starting spot, while also competing for innings on the pitcher’s mound.
After five years at Bolivar, LaSalle said he was excited to come to a place like Lamar.
“There is a really good community surrounding these guys,” he said. “They support younger kids playing every sport. The coaching and effort put into them during football and basketball definitely shows up for baseball. This is a unique place where kids get a lot of opportunities that they might not get somewhere else.
The Tigers open the season at their own tournament, playing Butler, Jasper and Diamond on March 20-23.
They open Big 8 play April 7 at East Newton.
