RINGGOLD, Ga. — As the Georgia high school baseball season gets in high gear this week, the Ringgold Tigers will be finding out about themselves in a hurry.
Expectations haven’t been this high for this traditionally strong program since Bill Womack patrolled the dugout. And while coach Brent Tucker admits his team should be competitive, he also believes there is much to improve.
Just how much? He’ll know after his team participates in the Wildcat Invitational this weekend in Valdosta, where the Tigers will face highly ranked Cook County and two other state playoff teams from a year ago.
“I do this to myself every year,” Tucker said of the tough early schedule that also features home-and-home dates with powerful Lumpkin County, Dalton and Northwest Whitfield. “I enjoy playing good competition. You play tough teams, I believe, and it will make you better.
TEAMS TO WATCH1. Calhoun. The perennial Class AA power returns most of its lineup, including area player of the year Mott Hyde and first baseman Jordan Poole. Also with pitchers Carter Harrison and Austin Norrel and .400-hitting third baseman Michael Johnson, the Yellow Jackets should contend for another title.2. Ringgold. The Tigers can shut any team down with the one-two pitching combo of Matthew Crownover and Colton Cross.3. LaFayette. Mike Dunfee’s team should be one of the top-hitting outfits in the area with veterans Brett Butler, Tripp White, Blake Davenport, Jesse Rape, Bowe Coffman and Josh Morgan in the lineup.PLAYERS TO WATCH1. Mott Hyde, Calhoun. The shortstop is headed to Georgia Tech after belting 20 homers and driving in 57 runs to go with a .550 average last year.2. Stryker Brown, Dalton. In addition to being one of the best second basemen in the state, the pesky Brown is a prototypical leadoff hitter with a good eye and speed.3. Jordan Poole, Calhoun. The slugging first baseman and Clemson commitment could give the Jackets two 20-homer, 50-RBI bats in the lineup this year.
“We have the chance to play some good competition and see how much we’ve matured. Not only that, but it will also give the kids some good exposure.”
Tucker said about 30 major league baseball scouts will be watching the Cook County game and Cook star pitcher Caleb Cowart. Tucker will counter with his own star, sophomore left-hander Matthew Crownover, who already has committed to play at Clemson University.
“This kind of atmosphere will test us, but I think it can only help us,” Tucker said. “We’ll know where we stand after Saturday.”
The Tigers return eight starters from last year’s 14-10 team, including a potentially dominating pitching staff led by Crownover and junior Colton Cross. Those two, shortstop Zach Lance and outfielder Reed Walden lead a group of solid returning hitters joined by Kell High School transfer Caleb Jones, a catcher.
The weak link for the Tigers a year ago, aside from youth, was a defense that often made errors in critical situations. Early practice has focused on making the routine plays.
“We made way too many errors last year,” said Lance, who took a visit to Georgia Southern University before the games in Valdosta. “I know I did, and we’ve been taking a lot of fungos. We’ve got great pitching and a strong lineup. If we can improve the defense, we can have a great team.
“I feel we have something to prove. We were awful last year, but we’ve matured and I think people will see a different team this year.”