The Hopkins Royals baseball team has high expectations coming into the 2016 season. The Royals were .500 last year in the regular season with a 10-10 record.

The Royals lost a lot of key players from last year’s team, a couple of these players being Tommy Gleason and Robbie Palkert. Palkert is attending the University of Nebraska on a scholarship for pitching. Juniors from last years team look to step up and lead their team to a successful season.

With only three juniors on this year’s initial Varsity roster, the Royals’ 2016 senior class looks to make one last push for the state tournament.

One of the Juniors on the roster who looks up to the senior class is Matt Shaw, junior.

“We have a lot of senior leadership on the team, who are willing to put the team first and are a great influence on myself and the other juniors,” Shaw said.

The Royals have a tough schedule this year, as they play four teams who were ranked in the Class 3A Top Ten at the end of last season. These teams include Minnetonka, Eden Prairie, St. Michael-Albertville and Chanhassen. Last season, Chanhassen won the 3A state title for the first time in school history.

With many games this year against teams that had winning records last year, the Royals look feast on teams like Benilde-St.Margaret’s, Minneapolis South and White Bear Lake, all teams with losing records last year.

The Royals start their season next week on Thursday, April 7th, against the Red Knights from Benilde-St.Margaret’s.