It’s been cold on the baseball diamond this season for Hinds Community College, but second year coach Sam Temple likes where his Eagles are headed.

Temple picked up a big recruit Tuesday when he signed Vicksburg High outfielder Vernon Wolfe to a letter of intent. Now, Temple can turn his attention back on his current team which is off to a 2-2 start after splitting doubleheaders with Gulf Coast and Bishop State out of Mobile.

&#8220It’s early and I’m tired of the cold,” Temple said after Wolfe signed Tuesday with the Eagles. &#8220We have a team that is about 95 percent freshmen, but they are very good freshmen. We’re basically doing what we need to at this stage which is to learn some lessons and then hopefully catch fire at the end of the season.”

Five of Temple’s freshman class hail from Warren County and all have seen extensive playing time. Shortstop Josh Gordon, who played at Warren Central, is off to a hot start. He had a home run against Gulf Coast and then on Saturday against Bishop State had three doubles and two triples.

&#8220All in one day,” Temple quipped.

Nick Carson, another WC product, is rotating between center and left field and on Saturday, picked up his first collegiate save as an Eagle relief pitcher.

&#8220We also have Eric Douglas (WC) playing at third base, Jonathan Ettinger (WC) at second base and Steven Price (Vicksburg) in left field and pitching.

&#8220Right now, we’re just trying to play everybody and pitch everyone we can,” Temple said.

On March 8 and 11, local baseball fans can watch the Eagles play in the second annual junior college baseball classic at Bazinsky Field in Vicksburg.

&#8220We’re going to play on two of the four dates. On the 8th we’ll play Wabash and Bossier Parish and on the 11th we’ll play Kishwaukee out of Illinois and Baton Rouge,” Temple said.

Mississippi Delta and Southwest CC will round out the field, playing on the March 9-10 dates.

There was talk early in the year that the renovation on Hinds’ Baseball Field might force more games to Bazinsky but Temple said enough progress was made for the team to enjoy its home opener last Saturday against Bishop State in Raymond.

Hinds is scheduled to play Copiah-Lincoln today and then will host Southeast Iowa on Saturday in Raymond.

On Monday, they will play a senior college in the Belhaven Blazers before hosting Co-Lin on the 28th. On March 3, the Eagles get a treat when they play Northwest at Auto Zone Park in Memphis. Auto Zone Park is the home of the Memphis Redbirds, the AAA affliate of the reigning World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals.