NATCHEZ — When Trinity Athletic Director David King found out baseball coach Matt Mason would not be returning due to budget reasons, he wanted to go find the best coach possible to lead the Saints program.

And by hiring a coach who has experience winning a state championship, King said he has done just that.

The new coach is former Huntington baseball coach Mitch Ashmore.

“Matt is like a brother to me, and he did an outstanding job with the Trinity baseball program,” King said. “But we’re very happy to have Mitch join our athletic program.”

King said that Ashmore would be a volunteer coach, and would not draw a salary from the school.

Ashmore spent 18 years as coach at Huntington, and led the Hounds to six state championship game appearances, winning the title in 1994.

Ashmore resigned from Huntington after the 2008 season and didn’t coach last year.

“I never thought I would coach again,” Ashmore said. “I had put in 18 years at Huntington and felt like I had coached enough. But when David called and I felt the commitment of what they wanted to do, it convinced me (to come to Trinity).”

Ashmore said the challenge of trying to win a state championship at Trinity was too much of an opportunity to pass up.

“It was enticing to look at something new,” Ashmore said. “I felt like it would be something different and a new challenge. I want to win a state championship at Trinity. That’s the goal or I wouldn’t be here.”

Ashmore met with the Trinity baseball players for the first time Friday afternoon, and said the meeting went well.

“I told them I am a very detailed coach and there were going to be changes in what we did,” Ashmore said. “The response was very good. We will have players who want to play and will buy into what we do.”

And while Ashmore is now at Trinity, he said he won’t forget the 18 great years he had at Huntington.

“I enjoyed my years at Huntington,” he said. “We had some very good clubs, due to the good players we had. My kids all went there and I still have a daughter there. But it’s my job now to coach at Trinity.”