Needing to fill a coaching vacancy, ISU baseball coach Lyle Smith wanted someone to step in and give a spark to the Cyclone offense. Tim Evans was the man Smith wanted. Evans was hired as an assistant coach for the Cyclones who start fall practice Saturday. Evans joins Tony Trumm and Ryan McGuire as assistants under Smith and is looking forward to coaching Division I baseball. “It’s a great opportunity. I’m excited to be working the kind of talent we got. My work habits will be the same as before, hard work and a positive attitude towards baseball,” Evans said. “The thing I like most about coaching is that I can work all the time. I love to be around the kids and watch them obtain their goals,” he said. Evans comes to Iowa State from Kirkwood Community College. Evans was the hitting coach for the Eagles who were among the nation’s best hitting teams in his five-year coaching stint. The Eagles led the nation with a .367 team batting average in 1996 and advanced to the Junior College Division II World Series in 1998 and 1999. “To me, I’ve always had the knack for teaching the skills of hitting. The kids learn quickly by listening and believing in the system. You want a good powerful base in your swing and there’s ways to get there,” Evans said. The assistant coach spot opened up when hitting instructor Jim Murphy left to take a high school job in Florida. Smith needed a new hitting coach and contacted Evans to fill the void. “We struggled with our hitting the last couple of years so I was looking for an offensive coach that could take us to a new level offensively. Tim has an extensive background working with young hitters and came highly recommended,” Smith said. Evans isn’t concerned with the Cyclones hitting difficulties in previous seasons. “It’s going to be a challenge. In my eyes, everything in the past is done, scratched off. The kids need to have a positive experience, and I’m here to help them achieve that. If you come to practice everyday and want to get better, you’ll get better,” Evans said. As a player, Evans worked his way through baseball’s farm system up to the major leagues. Evans played for the Houston Astros in 1994 as a replacement player during the players strike. Some of the stops Evans made along the way in minor league ball was Osceola, Jackson, Tucson and the Quad Cities. Evans had several coaches and learned lessons from all of them that he hopes to pass on. “I was a free-agent and had to work for everything I did. I worked very hard to get better, and you don’t see too many free-agents come up through the system. I was proud that I could pass over guys that had big money invested in them,” Evans said. “I’ve had a lot of great coaches that have helped me. I’ve taken some of the stuff that I’ve learned and tried to include it in my coaching. First thing is I want to see these kids get an education and make responsible decisions.” Smith feels that the professional experience in Evans’ background is a big addition to his already solid resume. “Obviously having played pro, he’s had the chance to be around some of the top hitting minds and technicians. It’s a definite plus, no doubt about it,” Smith stated. Although Evans’ crack at professional baseball only lasted one year, he still has fond memories. One that stands out is the time when the Astros played the New York Yankees, Evans’ favorite team. “I’m a big Yankee fan and we played them [Yankees] in the 25th anniversary of the Astrodome. I remember standing on deck and seeing George Steinbrenner [Yankee owner] in the crowd and hoping there might be a possible trade coming up,” said Evans.