Southern Sports & Travel, By Darron Thomas
There are a handful of teams that stand a legitimate chance of winning a State AA Baseball Championship this season. The upcoming playoffs should produce some great series as both the north and south regions battle it out for the right to face each other during the week of May 10th. Which teams have the best pitching rotations and players that can produce clutch hitting will unfold in the upcoming weeks.
The tradition rich Hillcrest Cougars, coached by former Mississippi State standout Shane Kelly, are currently 16-7 and ranked 4th in the latest Southern Sports & Travel Top Ten and have nailed down the #2 seed from District 3AA with a 6-2 mark. The Cougars will take on top ranked Marshall in round one of the playoffs beginning next week.
Over the past 20 years, Hillcrest teams have appeared in the MPSA State Championship twelve times, including championships in 1989, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2006, 2007 & 2008.
Hillcrest possesses one of the better pitching rotations in MAIS baseball with three seasoned seniors in Austin Hartzog (Ole Miss), Josh Rogers (USM) and Caleb Baucum (Hinds CC). The trio not only help fuel one of the best baseball programs in the MAIS but they have also played on one of the premier summer travel teams. All three seniors have played for the Mississippi Worth Bandits since 2003. The Bandits have consistently been ranked near the top nationally and have compiled a remarkable 425-79 record since 2001.
Leading hitters for Hillcrest are Justin Smith and Josh Rogers. Smith, a junior, leads the team with a .446 average while Rogers, a senior, is hitting .421.
The tradition rich Hillcrest Cougars, coached by former Mississippi State standout Shane Kelly, are currently 16-7 and ranked 4th in the latest Southern Sports & Travel Top Ten and have nailed down the #2 seed from District 3AA with a 6-2 mark. The Cougars will take on top ranked Marshall in round one of the playoffs beginning next week.
Over the past 20 years, Hillcrest teams have appeared in the MPSA State Championship twelve times, including championships in 1989, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2006, 2007 & 2008.
Hillcrest possesses one of the better pitching rotations in MAIS baseball with three seasoned seniors in Austin Hartzog (Ole Miss), Josh Rogers (USM) and Caleb Baucum (Hinds CC). The trio not only help fuel one of the best baseball programs in the MAIS but they have also played on one of the premier summer travel teams. All three seniors have played for the Mississippi Worth Bandits since 2003. The Bandits have consistently been ranked near the top nationally and have compiled a remarkable 425-79 record since 2001.
Leading hitters for Hillcrest are Justin Smith and Josh Rogers. Smith, a junior, leads the team with a .446 average while Rogers, a senior, is hitting .421.
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From the dugout with Coach Shane Kelly:
*Is there any added pressure coaching at such a tradition rich baseball school as Hillcrest is?
“No not really. I go to the field every day and work my kids as hard as I can to prepare them for the game. There is only one way to do things and that is 100% whether you are at a tradition rich school or not.”
*What do you feel your guys need to do a better job at?
“I have a fairly young ball club. They are making some mistakes due to inexperience. They are getting better each game. The one thing we have gotten better at as the year has progressed is cutting down our strike outs.”
*What will it take to make a run at a state title?
“We have been a streaky hitting team. We need to be a little more consistent. Our pitching has been great and our defense has been pretty sound except one game this year. I have played or will play some tough public schools like Petal and St. Al along with some 3a private schools to try and prepare us for the playoffs.”
*Who do your guys look to for leadership on the team?
“Caleb Baucum and Josh Rogers have been the front runners for leadership. They have done a great job this year.”
*Will Austin Hartzog be 100% soon?
“Austin is fine. I don't know the rotation yet, but my 3 seniors have done great on the mound this year. We believe when Austin Hartzog, Josh Rogers, or Caleb Baucum are on the mound we feel we can win any game with a few runs scored.”
.From the dugout with Coach Shane Kelly:
*Is there any added pressure coaching at such a tradition rich baseball school as Hillcrest is?
“No not really. I go to the field every day and work my kids as hard as I can to prepare them for the game. There is only one way to do things and that is 100% whether you are at a tradition rich school or not.”
*What do you feel your guys need to do a better job at?
“I have a fairly young ball club. They are making some mistakes due to inexperience. They are getting better each game. The one thing we have gotten better at as the year has progressed is cutting down our strike outs.”
*What will it take to make a run at a state title?
“We have been a streaky hitting team. We need to be a little more consistent. Our pitching has been great and our defense has been pretty sound except one game this year. I have played or will play some tough public schools like Petal and St. Al along with some 3a private schools to try and prepare us for the playoffs.”
*Who do your guys look to for leadership on the team?
“Caleb Baucum and Josh Rogers have been the front runners for leadership. They have done a great job this year.”
*Will Austin Hartzog be 100% soon?
“Austin is fine. I don't know the rotation yet, but my 3 seniors have done great on the mound this year. We believe when Austin Hartzog, Josh Rogers, or Caleb Baucum are on the mound we feel we can win any game with a few runs scored.”
Remaining games:
Brookhaven today (15th) at Hillcrest
Copiah tomorrow (16th) in Gallman
Brookhaven today (15th) at Hillcrest
Copiah tomorrow (16th) in Gallman
