Quitman Bulldogs determined to qualify for state tourney

First-year head coach Brandon Burgener expects the Bulldogs to win the district and qualify for the state tournament. First, they have to have a winning season. “We’ve not had a winning season in I don’t know how many years,” Burgener said. The team was 5-14 last season; in conference play, the Bulldogs won two and lost five games. Burgener was assistant coach for the 2A-4 East team last season and was promoted this year. He also coaches boys and girls golf, and boys basketball and baseball. The good news is, only one senior on the baseball team graduated last year, the coach said, and the players are versatile. “Our strength is we’ve got guys who can play multiple positions — pitch and also play outfield,” he said. “We’ve got four or five guys who we could send to the mound to be an ace pitcher for us any night to help us win a ballgame. We can pretty much move our lineup around any way we need.” Starters are senior Braxton Williams, pitcher, first and third baseman; senior Dallon Ghent, also a pitcher, second and third base; junior Trey Lovelady, catcher, third and first base; junior Seth Haynes, second base, first base and pitcher; junior Isaac Clemmons, pitcher, catcher, first base; and sophomore Zac Shue, center field, shortstop and second base. Sophomore Jordan Mauldin will play catcher on occasion, too, Burgener said. Clemmons, a 6-2, 185-pound right-hander, is the team’s power hitter, with a .371 percentage. “He’s got three or four pitches in his arsenal, so he’s a tough matchup for most hitters,” the coach said. Clemmons’ three main pitches are fastball, curveball and change-up, Burgener said. “He’s really, really good at all three,” Burgener said, adding that Clemmons’ fastball is around 80 mph. The coach added that Ghent and Williams will be counted on to contribute on the mound. “Williams has a great glove at third base and has the ability to throw it all the way across the field, has very good awareness,” the coach said. Clemmons is “one of the better basemen in our league, in my opinion, and is a brick wall behind home plate when he plays catcher. He also has a very strong arm.” Another plus for the team is speed. “Shue is the fastest guy on the team,” Burgener said. He and Peterson are the two best base runners. “They’re probably the fastest guys on the team, maybe in the conference.” The coach also praised Peterson as having a “very good glove and a great arm.” The coach said Peterson’s goal is to play college baseball, and Lovelady is another college prospect. “He plays catcher, first base and pretty much anywhere in the outfield we need him,” Burgener said of Lovelady. The coach said any conference game should be a good one, based on the high level of play. “We’re starting to have success with the ball team,” he said. “We’ trying to develop a culture with Quitman baseball.”