FAIRMOUNT — Like Highland High School’s latest hire, Matt Bair, the Madison-Grant baseball team’s newest head coach brings an Anderson University and Madison County connection to the 2008 baseball season.

As a senior shortstop for former coach Monte Sprague during Alexandria’s 1998 Class 2A state title run, Scott Rowland embarks on his first head coaching position in 2008 motivated to succeed.

“The kids are starting to get used to my philosophy and expectations,” said Rowland, a 1998 Alexandria graduate and former player under AU baseball coach Don Brandon. “It’s just about working hard and approaching each practice how you would play the game. I’m on my seniors a lot about how they approach practice. I tell them, if they’re not practicing how they should, then the younger kids aren’t getting what they need.”

While actively working toward a bachelor’s degree in education at AU, Rowland has employed the use of a three-person coaching staff to help ease the transition from former Argylls’ baseball coach Steve Shugart.

Former AU baseball standout Brandon Dillon, Madison-Grant head football coach Randy Sehy and Jerry Young will work with Rowland this season.

“There’s just so much that you really don’t know that takes place in coaching,” Rowland said. “There’s a lot of extras, and I’m getting used to it.”

With five returning starters from last year’s 20-5 team, the first-year coach will rely on a core of experience to build upon the Argylls’ runner-up finish in the final 2007 Central Indiana Conference standings.

Amassing a 74-29 record the last four years, the program is coming off back-to-back 20-plus win seasons and four straight winning seasons.

Ranked eighth in the Class 2A polls late last year, Madison-Grant welcomes back five of the team’s top hitters, but also will turn to some inexperience on the mound with the graduation of staff ace Ryne Brown.

“I think we can hit,” Rowland said. “I’m not worried about scoring runs. It’s keeping them from scoring runs; that’s the biggest thing. We have to stay away from the big inning.”

(2ND MADISON-GRANT BREAKOUT WITHIN A BREAKOUT)

Projected Starters

C Jacob Morrical (Sr.)

C/3B David Little (Jr.)