Experienced Panthers eyeing return to postseason
Even a structure with good bones is due for a facelift every now and then.
The baseball stadium at Ridgeland High School has been undergoing a transformation this offseason. For the last couple of months, head coach Scott Harden and others have been hard at work sprucing the place up. New safety nets and a new coat of paint are just two of the things fans will notice when attending Panther games this year. Even the concession stand is reportedly getting a modern upgrade with digital menu screens.
However, the stadium is not the only thing to have a bit of a new look to it this year.
Ridgeland lost some key players due to graduation this past spring and, although the Panthers will be senior and junior-heavy this season, there are still some major gaps to be filled as the Black-and-white looks to make a return to the Class 4A state playoffs for a second consecutive season.
“It’s going to be tough to replace the seniors we lost last year, especially at the top of our rotation,” Harden said. “But with that being said, we’ve got a lot of young guys stepping up and falling into some roles that we probably didn’t expect for them to fall into this early. We’re probably going to have to count on three or four different guys to replace what we’re losing on the staff, but they are three or four kids that we feel like can step up and give us some significant innings.”
Among the veterans is a senior class that goes 10 deep.
Utility player Tanner Hill and shortstop Riley Harrison were both All-region first team selections in 6-AAAA a year ago. Hill made AllRegion as a catcher, but played at every single position in 2018. Both players will also see time on the mound in 2019, while fastballs that have been clocked in the low 90’s have them both on the radar of college scouts, including some SEC programs.