There are a lot of Thunderbirds on the diamond this spring.

North Callaway baseball saw a big increase in its roster under first-year head coach Kirt Kleindienst, who played for the program in the early 2000s before eventually returning as an assistant coach the previous two years. The 32 that came out this year is the second-most kids on a North Callaway baseball roster.

“We have a lot of enthusiasm amongst younger kids all the way to the senior class,” Kleindienst said. “I’ve coached a lot of the players in the past when they were younger so there is a mix of enthusiasm of success for the program and familiarity with the new coach. All of that put together is so far so good.”

After playing junior college and then Division I baseball for Eastern Kentucky University, Kleindienst spent years coaching youth baseball, which he admitted involved him overseeing much less kids any given year. Still, it has been a fun new challenge for him as the head coach.

North Callaway has about 12 freshmen this season while the seniors make up the smallest portion of the roster. That contrasts from the seven seniors for the Thunderbirds a year ago that filled five starting spots, but Kleindienst has several boys with plenty of experience on which he can rely.

“Sam Pezold is workhorse on the mound and at third base,” Kleindienst said. “Carter Moore behind the plate is just taking a leadership role that every coach wants a catcher to take. Keaton Bell is a returning starter that has played everywhere over the last few years but is establishing himself at shortstop now.”

The all-conference Pezold returns a 3.27 ERA, and Bell owned a 2.36 ERA and were the two North Callaway relied on for good innings near the end of the season and into postseason. Among the others on North Callaway’s pitching staff this season is Moore, who had a 1.31 ERA in four appearances a year ago, first baseman AJ Haubner brings a left-handed arm, Sheets’ velocity is up from previous years.

“Our pitching depth will be deeper than last year,” Kleindienst said. “With Sam, Carter and Keaton leading the way off the bump, we’ll go from there.”

Kleindienst said Kyle Pennell is another dependable kid, especially at the plate, that returns a .343 average and 14 RBI from last season to the lineup. Pennell can catch and play the outfield and first base.

Caleb Sheets is a new starter that has shown “fantastic” hustle and tracking so far that will fit well in center field. Chance Green and Tucker Sheets are sophomores Kleindienst expects to be “impact players” for varsity.

Kleindienst said the hustle has been great across the board for varsity and junior varsity and would like to see flawless defense spread throughout the team. He said he was “a defensive-minded baseball player at heart” that loved taking hits away as much as getting hits, playing at every position except first base, pitcher and catcher in college following his time as the Thunderbirds’ shortstop.

“At the high school level, errors are key,” Kleindienst said. “If you can throw strikes and can catch the ball, you’re in most games. Errors have crept their way into the program in the past. When we’ve struggled, that’s why. All-around defensively, that’s where we’re making great strides and where we need to improve the most along with baserunning.”

North Callaway achieved its highest win total with last year’s 15-9 record since its 19-5 mark in 2012. Kleindienst wants his players to start with what he considers to be must-haves for any team.

“Coming out and playing hard and being ready for every pitch,” Kleindienst said. “If we do those two things, baseball takes care of itself. We have a great group of kids getting that started in the right direction.”