Sam Kitchens has been a part of Troy recreation baseball for nearly 20 years, and has seen it all.

The 2013 edition of Dixie Boys baseball, while small in numbers, is high in work ethic.

“Our numbers are down, and we have had a ton of distractions, but this group is working hard everyday to get better,” Kitchens said. “They show up every practice wanting to get better and learn.”

A tournament team usually fields a roster of 12 players, but due to circumstances beyond his control, Kitchens’ has just 10 players on his team.

But Kitchens feels that his fleet of pitchers can keep his team in games, and snag a few wins along the way.

“We have been working on developing some pitching depth behind Bryson Gandy,” Kitchens said. “Cason Muphree, Cade Calhoun and Nick Lewis are all good arms, and will see some time on the hill.”

Troy opens the District Tournament on July 5 against Wicksburg in Dothan.

Along the way, Kitchens has been working on building chemistry between his players.

The team is comprised of players who spent the recreation and high school seasons playing on different teams, and now find themselves playing as a unit.

“They have been developing chemistry almost every time out,” Kitchens said. “They like being around each other and playing the game. We have just been working with them and trying to get them to enjoy the summer and ready to play.”