Stepping up to the plate

Baseball shows success despite some road bumps

Junior+Declan+Dunn+steps+forward+for+a+pitch+during+the+final+game+of+the+Panthers%E2%80%99+series+against+the+Fayette+County+Tigers+last+Thursday.+Starr%E2%80%99s+Mill+baseball+has+showed+great+promise+early+on+this+season+with+dominating+performances+and+a+6-3+record.+However%2C+there+have+been+a+few+struggles+that+have+plagued+the+team+early+on+this+season%2C+most+notably+losing+their+top+starting+pitcher%2C+junior+Eli+Jones.+

Annika Pepper

Junior Declan Dunn steps forward for a pitch during the final game of the Panthers’ series against the Fayette County Tigers last Thursday. Starr’s Mill baseball has showed great promise early on this season with dominating performances and a 6-3 record. However, there have been a few struggles that have plagued the team early on this season, most notably losing their top starting pitcher, junior Eli Jones.

Daniel Stackhouse, Staff Writer

As spring comes right around the corner, the baseball team has already begun their season, and the team looks promising so far. However, they have also seen their fair share of struggles early on this season.

Anytime we can get on the field we just have to try to get better each time.

— head coach Brent Moseley

Their final game in their series against the Fayette County Tigers, where they won 11-1, had its own share of ups and downs. While they played great, they did have the opportunity to put the game away sooner instead of having the game go to five innings.

“More than anything [this game] is just good practice for us. The weather’s been so bad, we haven’t been able to practice,” head coach Brent Moseley said. “Anytime we can get on the field we just have to try to get better each time.”

This year, the Panthers approach the season with only two seniors. Their roster is comprised of players like juniors Thad Ector, Chay Yeager and Sean White that have been around since their freshman year and have made great contributions on offense and defense. Against Fayette County, they showed their abilities with ten runs in two innings.

There have been some struggles along the way for the baseball team. Their top pitcher, junior Eli Jones, is injured and likely will not return for the rest of the season. The bullpen has been working things out in order to make the best work without Jones.

“[Losing Jones] makes us have to work harder,” junior Declan Dun said. “We gotta fill big shoes. Eli’s a great pitcher. We gotta try and step up.”

Annika Pepper
Junior Daniel Courtney lines up to bat. The team is comprised of mostly juniors that have been with the program since freshman year. Courtney batted in three runs for the Panthers against the Tigers last Thursday.

Against Fayette County, the Panthers brought out three different pitchers, including Dun. Each one of them performed solidly and racked up a few strikeouts. They were able to limit the Tigers to just one run the entire game.

However, the Panthers did not put the game away when they were able to. Starr’s Mill went dry for another two innings. Then in the bottom of the fifth, one hit from White was all that was needed to bring junior Ronan Arnold in for a score to take the game by mercy rule 11-1.

“We kinda played down to our competition, I think,” Ector said. “We’re a really good baseball team when we play focused and we play the way we know how we can play.”

Overall this season, Starr’s Mill baseball has already seen its fair share of ups and downs. They have wins of six runs or more in five games, but were dismantled by Redan 13-3. Given that they are out of practice, it is quite impressive how well this team has been able to step up to the plate and play well.

Starr’s Mill baseball stands at a 6-3 record with an undefeated 3-0 region record. They currently have a ton of optimism going forward this season. Despite that, going through the struggles they have now will be key to reaching their full potential.

“We’re hoping [our games] will help us in the state playoffs,” Moseley said. “That’s why we’re playing such a tough schedule early. That’s the plan is to play the really good teams early for the playoffs.

The Panthers played Parkview, Wayne County, and Marist last weekend in the Georgia Peach Classic, but only managed a win against Wayne County 12-1. Their next series against Riverdale begins at home this Tuesday at 5 p.m.