At this time last year, the Prairie Cardinals class AA American Legion baseball team was learning a new way to get the job done on the baseball field.

With 13 players back from last year's roster, the Cardinals have all the pieces in place for a deep run this summer.

Cody Vandever, Tyler Burnett, Bordyn Grieser, Darnell Metcalf and Tyler Shaffer are back around the infield, with Gil Givens and Joe Schwalbach up from the "A" team from last season.

"We're going to be an all-around good team," second-year Prairie coach Dustin Frank said. "We're really not dependent on any one player. Our bats will be strong and our defense will be stronger than last year."

Prairie faces Sandpoint, which returns to class AA this year for the first time since 2007, in the season opener for both teams tonight at 5 at Post Falls High.

Tony Davidson, Vandever, Tyler Shaffer, Zack Reeder and Tyler Burnett will be their top pitchers for the season.

Prairie, which draws primarily from Post Falls, Lakeland and Timberlake high schools, finished 15-27 last year and in third place at the Area A (district) tournament on its home field at Post Falls High.

Prairie also returns Derek Tymesen and Kurt South, who spent the past year playing at Grays Harbor Community College in Aberdeen, Wash.

"They've really matured in the past year," Frank said. "They've got a confidence and a certain swagger to them. Their presence brings everyone else up. Both are natural leaders. It's not that they played college ball, it's their work ethic."

Reeder will catch for Prairie, with South, newcomer Riley Denney and a mix of Tony Davidson, Givens and Schwalbach in the outfield.

"We've got some good team chemistry this year," Frank said. "I'm trying to be more positive than I was last year. We are continuing to work hard and make sure we're doing the right things as a coaching staff and team."

Frank added that with some offseason work, the team has came together.

"They've been putting in a lot of time in the offseason," Frank said. "We've been working on getting players out and getting the team chemistry up. It has improved a lot since last year."

Prairie had 40 players show up for tryouts and nearly had enough to form a third team to compete at the "A" level.

"Between the two programs, we had a lot of kids out," Frank said. "We were thinking about it, but hopefully that will become the focus for next year."

But with all those players back, Frank expects his team to compete right away.

"Last year, we only had a few returners," Frank said. "It was a new bunch of kids that had played maybe a half season together. This year, we've got 12-13 players that have been part of the program that had some good experience. That has gotten them all to work harder. These kids have already bought into the system and they knock what my expectations are."

Adding Sandpoint gives the North Idaho League seven teams. The Area A (district) tournament is July 21-24 at Trail, British Columbia. The top two teams advance to state July 26-31 at Twin Falls.