After Sterling ‘91, El Dorado’s DowDell Figures Best Is Yet to Come : Empire League: This season, standout hitter and pitcher wants to help Golden Hawks win a Southern Section title.

Tyson DowDell, who had a baseball season to kill for in 1991, can only fidget and wait impatiently for ’92 to begin.

DowDell, a senior at El Dorado High School, was the Empire League co-most valuable player, hitting .400 with five home runs and 25 runs batted in last season. He also had an 8-1 record and a 2.10 earned-run average as a pitcher for the Golden Hawks, who were 20-7.

In the summer, DowDell played first base for the West team during the Olympic Festival in Los Angeles. He hit .330 during the festival and was two for three in a 15-1 gold-medal victory over the East team. The medal is proudly displayed in DowDell’s bedroom.

Later, he was a third baseman and outfielder for the Orange County Cardinals, a Connie Mack all-star team that reached the Western Regional in Seattle. Then he played third for the 714 all-star team in a series of games at Fresno State.

So much accomplished.

So much more to be done.

And that’s why DowDell can’t wait for opening day March 6.

Don’t get the wrong idea. DowDell recalls 1991 as “incredible” and “a lot of fun,” but he is determined to better his statistics and take El Dorado to the Southern Section 5-A championship.

“You always see yourself doing better,” said DowDell, 6 feet 4 and 205 pounds. “I wanted to do better last year. I felt good about my performance, but I’ll always be looking forward to the next year.”

You could almost forgive DowDell for coasting through his senior season. After all, what more does he have to prove? A college scholarship or a high-paying professional contract surely have been wrapped up by now.

There’s too much at stake, however.

Like almost everyone else, DowDell notices the pack of scouts aiming their speed guns at his fastball each time he steps on the mound. He knows he’ll be a highly sought-after college recruit and that major league teams will be waving contracts under his nose, but he’s determined to wait until the end of the season to decide which way to go--college or pro.

If he takes the college route, USC might have the inside track, thanks to his experience playing at Dedeaux Field and staying at Pardee Hall during the Olympic Festival.

“It’s almost for sure that I’m going to college, but we’ll wait and see,” he said.

All of that is in the future. For now, the Golden Hawks’ upcoming season dominates DowDell’s life.

There is the motivation of knocking off league champion Esperanza and the pressure of a No. 2 national ranking by Baseball America. More high rankings are sure to follow and DowDell wants to make sure the Golden Hawks live up to the billing.

“You can’t fall asleep at all,” DowDell said. “Esperanza was ranked No. 1 in the nation for most of the year. That competition is good. You have to be consistent. You can’t go up and down. We don’t have any easy teams (in the Empire League) and that’s the way it should be.”

DowDell has been a pitcher since he was in Little League and he’s not sure he wants to give up on the position. Nor does he want to give up playing in the field. When it comes time to make a decision, he’ll make one. But until then, he’s content to do it all.

“I’ve always been a pitcher,” he said. “I’ve always enjoyed it.”

He said he’s not an overpowering pitcher (his fastball has been timed in the low 80s), but he has a good mix with a fastball, curve and changeup. Usually, that’s enough to keep the batters guessing.

“For some guys, the heat works,” DowDell said. “I don’t throw that hard to just throw fastballs by people.”

He’s not willing to give up on a blazing fastball, however. It wouldn’t be his style.

“It’s something I’ve worked on,” DowDell said. “I’ve tried to develop more arm speed and increase the speed on my fastball. As I get older it (the speed) will pop up higher.”

Just something else for DowDell to look forward to.