Will Pitts and Kaleb Holliness aren’t surprised.
Even though they are the only seniors on the Victory Christian baseball team, the veterans can look past the fact that the Eagles aren’t the most experienced or the biggest team in the Alabama Christian Educators Association.
But what Victory Christian lacks in those areas it more than makes up for with an abundance of enthusiasm and a willingness to learn. The Eagles have capitalized on those traits and the emergence of Anthony Sharp and Pitts on the mound to get back to the Alabama Christian Educators Association State tournament.
At noon today, Victory Christian (13-6) will take on Tabernacle Christian in the semifinals at Orr Park in Montevallo, Ala.
“I believe if we just go out and do what we have to do and work hard like we do in practice, I believe we will come back what we want,” Pitts said.
At 10 a.m. today, the Victory Christian softball team was scheduled to play Brooklane, the No. 1 team from Region A, in its first game of the double-elimination tournament.
Victory Christian baseball coach Brent Harris said Sharp is scheduled to start on the mound, while Pitts will get the call in game two. He said the development of those two pitchers and the emergence of hitters like Shane Bradford has made this a special season marked by significant development.
Harris talked earlier this week about how his team needs to developing a finishing kick. He would have liked to have defeated Lindsay Lane by the mercy rule in five innings, but Victory Christian was forced to play all seven innings Monday. Sharp, a freshman who played quarterback on the football team this season, will have three days rest after getting the victory in the sub-state game.
Holliness, who plays center field and also was on the football team, said the Eagles need to eliminate the little mistakes, like baserunning errors, and have fun this weekend. If the team does, he and Pitts are confident Victory Christian can win a championship.
“If we get up there and know we can hit the ball, and I know we can, I think we will be pretty successful,” Pitts said.
Holliness said many of the team’s younger players were on the team last year and gained valuable experience. That taste, he said, helped them take on bigger roles and become leaders. He said the next step in that maturation will be developing a confidence to know the team can compete with any team it faces.
Harris said the team had good practices this week and is ready for the tournament. He said hitting, as it has been all season, and executing in clutch situations will help the team realize its goal.
“I feel good. I am ready,” Harris said. “If we can just come up with a key hit, I think we will be fine. I think they’re ready. Will and Kaleb have been pumping everybody up and telling them we can win this, and we can.”
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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