LORMAN &045; Thrust into a new position in a new environment with a new team on a new level, Torry Bates tried to keep it simple.

Just hit the ball.

Playing as a freshman for Alcorn State last season while starting at first base should have been a season of adjustments, and to an extent it was. But with the production he supplied last year in an inconsistent lineup &045; .312 average, four homers, 22 RBI, eight doubles and three triples &045; he was a positive spark from an unexpected source.

Now Bates is a sophomore and can be on his way at becoming a fixture for the Braves as the season cranks up this weekend in a three-team series that started Friday with Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Stillman.

The Braves will play a doubleheader against UAPB at 11 a.m. today.

&uot;I just sat back, waited, relaxed and had fun last year,&uot; said Bates, a first-team Preseason All-SWAC selection. &uot;I want to do the same thing this year. Last year I didn’t feel any pressure because I was a freshman. I’m concentrating on this year.&uot;

The year was one of transition for the right-handed Bates, who played pitcher, catcher and designated hitter while in high school at Meridian. He was often hit in the No. 5 hole last year behind slugger Janone Watts, and the two finished as team leaders in runs batted in while Bates led the team in slugging percentage at .516.

Now coming into his sophomore season the ante may get raised. Bates and catcher Shane Phillips are the only two steady bats returning from last year’s 20-28 squad.

&uot;That’s who we’ve got to depend on &045; Bates and Shane &045; and anything coming behind them will be a plus,&uot; veteran ASU head coach Willie &uot;Rat&uot; McGowan said. &uot;Bates was a freshman (last year), and that team was a senior ball club. He was a freshman, and there wasn’t a lot of pressure on him. He’s going to have a lot of pressure on him this year because he’s a sophomore.&uot;

While the pressure may not be as big for Phillips, the senior catcher from Australia, but McGowan could have big plans for Bates this spring and in the seasons to come. Right now at least he may get the call to pitch at times after most of the team’s staff from last year did not return.

But at the plate he proved at times last year he can contribute in the clutch at times. One of Bates’ homers came at Valley in the top of the seventh to tie the game before the Braves rallied to win in the same inning.

The low, however, came against Valley but at Alcorn when with the game tied in the bottom of the seventh and runners at first and second with one out Bates struck out.

&uot;We’re just asking him to do what he does,&uot; Alcorn graduate assistant coach Marqus Johnson said. &uot;He’s got to work on some weaknesses in his game, which as ball players we all have them. He’s a gap-to-gap hitter, and he’s an intelligent hitter. That’s something we’re working on from a team aspect as well &045; put the ball in play and keep it on the ground. We’ve got a lot of guys who can get on base, and he’ll drive in some runs.&uot;

The biggest key for Bates will be his defense, and it’s something he’s been working on perhaps more than anything. He spent some games last year at DH with Watts playing first base.

The Braves finished last year with 100 errors to their opponents’ 77 and had four in Wednesday’s season opener against Belhaven, an 8-7 loss.

&uot;He’s got to work on his defense,&uot; McGowan said. &uot;He can play good defense. That’s what hurt us (Wednesday). We got 16 hits and lost that ball game. We made some mistakes at the wrong times. We’re going to push him on defense, and then he’s going to be a reliever. And we hope he can continue to hit the ball like he did last year.&uot;

Bates and Phillips are the two biggest holdovers from a season ago. Thursday’s lineup vaguely resembled last year’s with only those two and Sly McClain at shortstop as holdovers from last year.

&uot;We’ve only got two seniors this year,&uot; Phillips said. &uot;We’ve got a lot of young guys and newcomers. We’ve got a little more speed this year but lost a little power. Overall we lost some areas and gained in some areas. We lost experience and gained a lot of hungriness.&uot;