With the postseason right around the corner for TSSAA baseball, here are the top five pitching trios in the Chattanooga area who could help their teams make a deep run to next month’s Spring Fling state tournament in Murfreesboro.
1. Baylor: Tomas Valincius (Sr.), Wells Grisham (So.), Jax Bishop (Jr.).
Good luck trying to hit off the dominant southpaw duo of Valincius and Grisham, because the left-handers have combined for 95 strikeouts and allowed just 11 hits apiece this season. And then comes Bishop, a right-hander can touch 90 mph and has committed to Tennessee, one of the nation’s top college programs.
Valincius has double-digit strikeouts in all five of his starts in 2024, and the possible MLB draft early round pick has hit as many grand slams at the plate as he has allowed earned runs on the mound this season (three).
The nationally recognized Red Raiders (18-3 entering Friday) have a strong shot at gaining back their crown in Division II-AA. They won three state titles in a row before going 0-2 at the Spring Fling in 2022 and failing to advance to Murfreesboro last year.