Before the start of last season, South Pike baseball coach Neal Smith simply wanted his team to play full seven-inning games.
Now that his young team has added a year of experience under its belt, Smith is ready for them to compete with some of the perennial powers in Class 4A.
Smith’s squad went 3-20 in 2011 and was 10-run ruled in nearly every game. The young group improved last year, even though they ultimately finished with a 5-17 record.
This season, South Pike returns eight starters, a group mostly filled with sophomores and juniors.
“We’re looking for a little more fire from our guys this year, being a year older and understanding the game a lot more and what we’re wanting to do,” Smith said. “That’s kind of our ultimate goal. Those teams at the top of our district each year, we want to be able to compete with them on a much higher level.”
South Pike begins the season Friday against Dexter in the Tylertown Classic. The Eagles will also play Salem on Saturday.
Region 7-4A is loaded as always and historically produces some of the top teams in the state. Columbia won the 4A title in 2011 and Purvis claimed the title last season.
Smith realizes the wins will be hard to come by, but he at least wants to go down with a fighting chance
Against North Pike, Columbia and Purvis, the top three teams in the district, South Pike was 0-6 and was outscored by a whopping 62-0.
“It’s a pride thing and a work ethic thing,” Smith said. “We are just trying to set ourselves up to compete with those guys.”
South Pike’s biggest obstacle in 2013 will be finding a stable pitching staff. The Eagles’ top pitcher from last year, Colby Bourn, has left the program. Bourn won all five of South Pike’s games last year, leaving a major void on the mound.
Sophomore Blake Lantrip is expected to be South Pike’s top option, with a committee filling in behind him.
Junior first baseman Ray Tapp and sophomore shortstop Kaderious Varnado are expected to help lead South Pike’s offense.
“(Kaderious) is pretty much a workhorse. He’s developed into a pretty good shortstop,” Smith said “... He’s a competitor and he wants to win and do whatever he can to win.”
Rounding out the infield is freshman Zach Morgan at second base and sophomore Jeffrey Pace at third base.
In the outfield, sophomore Robert Holmes is back in left field and sophomore LaPatrick Nimox is back in center fielder. Junior Jayshon Coleman will start in right field.
The lone newcomer to the lineup is first-year sophomore catcher Chris Lewis, who is new to the program.
South Pike will play 10 non-conference games before opening its district slate March 12 against Purvis.
