Keith Leaves Lincoln

Lincoln will have a new baseball coach next season.

The Si lo am Springs School District hired J. Keith to be its new baseball coach at Thursday’s school board meeting.

Keith, who’s been head coach at Lincoln the last two seasons, said he’s ready to get started.

“I’m excited to come to Siloam,” Keith said. “It’s a community that really wants baseball. … I’ve always enjoyed watching Siloam kids. They seem like good kids. … I’m excited to jump in the dugout with them and try and build something with them that hasn’t been done in a long time.”

Keith replaces Alan Hardcastle, who resigned last month to take a teaching and coaching job in Fayetteville. Keith also will be on the Panthers’ football staff, according to athletics director Jeff Williams. Keith was the Wolves’ defensive coordinator.

“We’re real excited about him,” Williams said. “He is a young guy that comes highly recommended from a lot of great baseball coaches in the state. We researched a lot. He’s going to bring a lot of energy to the baseball program. He’ll be involved in the community and youth programs.”

Keith was 26-29 in his two seasons at Lincoln. The Panthers and Wolves played each of the last two seasons with Siloam Springs winning 12- 0 in 2021 and 11- 0 in 2022.

Prior to coming to Lincoln, Keith was head baseball coach and assistant football coach at Little Rock Parkview from August of 2016 to June of 2019.

In the summer of 2019, he accepted a football/ baseball coaching position at Watson Chapel where he coached one season.

He’s also in the Beach Collegiate Baseball League in Myrtle Beach, S.C., and is presently the head coach of Sticks Baseball out of Little Rock.

Keith