STARKVILLE — The final image members of the Starkville Academy baseball team will take from the 2012 season is another team celebrating on their home field.
After watching his team dog pile on the pitching mound, receive gold medallions, and hoist a championship trophy after a sweep in the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools AAA, Division II title series, Magnolia Heights coach Chris McMinn feels his team and the Volunteers could be in the same position next year.
“We had two seniors and I think they had three seniors,” McMinn said Wednesday after a 6-1 victory against Starkville Academy. “That tells you both teams have a really bright future. In the postseason, we were able to catch all breaks. Championship teams make breaks, but they also catch them, too.”
Neither team had a senior pitcher. The most important hitter in the series was Magnolia Heights’ Jamell Newson. The sophomore center fielder, who entered the series hitting .394 with 38 RBIs, had a three-run home run to give Magnolia Heights the cushion it needed to cruise to secure the title.
“If you are fundamentally sound in the field and your pitchers throw strikes, you have a great chance to win on any level,” McMinn said.
The Chiefs will return their top four runs producers and three of four pitchers who were among the team leaders in strikeouts.
Starkville Academy coach Neal Henry understands the immediate disappointment that follows a loss in a championship series, but he wants his players to live in the moment and not to worry about a possible rematch in 2013.
“I know this loss will take a long time to get over,” Henry said. “However, the players will eventually look back as a team and realize what they accomplished.”
The Volunteers (23-11) had only three seniors on their roster and expect to have plenty of experience to make another run next season. Pitcher Drew Pellum, who allowed five runs in the first two innings Wednesday, will return and should be a leader with Hunter Bolin, Doug Pettit, and Stephen Robertson. Catcher/infielder Colby Runnels and infielder Josh Holtcamp also will be expected to provide leadership.
Henry isn’t predicting another magical postseason run, but he wouldn’t rule out Starkville Academy’s chances to return to the title series next season.
“You don’t ever know what will come from year to year because to make a run like these kids did you have to make plays in crucial situations,” Henry said. “Do we have a good nucleus coming back next year? Absolutely, but I can’t say the three seniors we’re going to try to replace (Ryan McKell, Ryan Mann, and Alex Holtcamp) will be so difficult.”
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