A former Stanislaus State athlete is now heading the Hilmar High school baseball team as Jeff Brown took the helm this year. The Yellowjackets are off to a 2-2 start to the year after they beat Calaveras, 11-1, on Monday.

“Trying to change the culture this year and focus on doing the little things right but I fully expect for us to compete for the TVL title with the talent we have,” said Brown.

The Yellowjackets return key junior standouts in brothers Trent and Treven Crowley.

Treven Crowley was named the 2018 Turlock Journal Player of the Year after he had one of the more memorable seasons as a sophomore.

In league play he did so well he was named the Trans-Valley League Offensive Player of the Year with a league batting average of .644 and a slugging percentage of .684.

Treven Crowley nodded 32 runs scored in 24 games played and finished with an overall batting average of .566 after 76 at-bats as he broke the Hilmar and TVL batting records.

While on the mound he tossed 47 and ⅓ innings after he struck out 67.  He finished the year with three complete games, including two shutouts, a no-hitter and an ERA of 2.66.

Hilmar will rely on brother Trent Crowley and a herd of newcomers including Joseph Ollson, Matt Olvera, Lucas Cardoso, Jason Pimentel and Xander Gonsalves.

Hilmar is coming off a 12-12 season where they finished 4-8 in the Trans-Valley League and failed to make the postseason, but they return 11 from last year’s team.

In the last two games Hilmar has outscored their opponents 18-5.

“A successful year for us would be getting to the playoffs,” Brown added.

Hilmar will next take on Le Grand on the road at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.