Finding more offense will be key for LaFayette
LaFayette is now in its third season under head coach Chris Base and the Ramblers’ skipper says his eyes and baseball sense are telling him that his team is headed in the right direction.
“It was really this past summer and fall when I started seeing progression from working with some of these guys for the last two years,” he explained. “They’re starting to understand what I’m saying and what I’m wanting. It’s finally starting to hit and we’re making strides in the right direction, whether that’s in different aspects (of the game) or the mental side of things.
“Things are clicking with this junior group that I inherited as freshmen and even with the seniors. They’ve all put in the work. The results haven’t necessarily shown up yet from February to April, but they know how much work they’ve put in and they know how much better they’ve gotten. I’m really excited for this year because I think we’re right there on the cusp.”
LaFayette will take the field this season with four seniors determined to improve on last year, which saw the Ramblers miss the state playoffs in a highly competitive Region 6-AAAA.
Trent Currie will play in the outfield and will likely be part of the pitching rotation. This will be Currie’s third year as a starter in the outfield, though his innings on the mounds were limited last season. However, he is expected to take a bigger role with the pitching staff this time around.
Another player sure to see plenty of work on the hill is Levi Pettigrew, who will most likely fill the No. 1 starter role left by the departure of 2019 graduate John James, who signed with Toccoa Falls College last May. Pettigrew won four games for the Ramblers in 2019 and posted a solid 3.86 ERA. He will again hit near the top of the lineup and play some at third base when not pitching.
The senior class is rounded out by a pair of players with less varsity experience, but two players ready to make names for themselves in Nick Smith and Lane Hughes.
Smith, who will be in the mix in the outfield this season, has a good knowledge of the game and tremendous speed on the basepaths, while Hughes is returning to the game after a couple of years away from the sport. He’ll provide quality depth behind the plate and will give LaFayette another solid leader in the clubhouse.
“Those four are going to provide leadership for us,” Base added. “The way those four perform will determine a lot of our success.”
The biggest group in terms of numbers is the junior class.
Blake Mann will be a threeyear starter at shortstop and will also do some pitching. Davis Richardson is another returning starter that can play at first base or in the outfield, while also seeing some time on the mound. Dylan Deering, another veteran, can play at first base or in the outfield and will also pitch a little bit. Mann will hit near the top of the order, while Richardson and Deering will likely find spots in the middle of the lineup.
Ethan Kruger will also be in the mix in the outfield, while Cody Cook and Garrison Fults will both primarily see time at third base. Hunter Deal, who just finished up his season with the LaFayette wrestling team, will log some innings on the mound and play in the outfield, while David Patterson has good skills at the plate and will provide depth at the hot corner.
Sophomore Case Davis is vying for some playing time at second base after seeing some varsity innings a year ago, while classmate Skyler Cepeda will also play in the outfield and could see some time on the mound. The final sophomore, outfielder Bryson Kelley, impressed the coaching staff enough earlier in the offseason to earn a roster spot.
Among the freshmen hoping to have an impact on the varsity team this season is infielder/catcher Zain Smith, catcher/outfielder Nick Adams and catcher Austin Tucker.
Base said while pitching and defense will always be important for his team’s success, he knows that his Ramblers will have to find ways to put runs on the scoreboard in order to put wins in the win column.
“I think we’ve pitched it okay in the past couple of years,” he added. “But if we’re going to win games this year, we have to score runs. I think we’re really going to have to play small ball, move runners around and run the bases well to score. We don’t have guys are going to hit a lot of homeruns or have doubledigits in doubles, but I think we have a lot of guys that will hit six or seven doubles and we have some singles hitters and guys that can hit behind runners.
“That doesn’t mean that we’re taking a break from pitching and playing defense. I think our pitching will keep us in games and I like our depth, defensively, this year. But if we’re going to win games, compared to what we’ve done in the past, we’re going to have to score runs. Offense will be the biggest key for us this year.”