With a brand new coaching staff this season, many people believed that the Decatur baseball team would not have what it takes to make the state play-offs. But after a successful regular season campaign, the baseball team made the play-offs for the fourth year in a row.

Despite the minor setback with having new coaches, senior outfielder, Jalen Sprull was proud of the way that the team was able to handle the adversity.

“After having a new coach three years in a row now, I knew that we might struggle a little as a team.” Sprull said. “But we fought and competed every day so I’m glad that it paid off with another play-off berth.”

Sophomore Jarrett Ford, who led the team in batting average, hits and slugging percentage, believes that the team can make a run for the title this year as well.”

“Even though we played good last season, we ended on a bad note.” Ford said. “I know, and we know that we can and will get farther in the playoffs this year, and hopefully we can even win state.”

Assistant coach Phillip Byrd agrees with Ford, but also believes that they should take the play-offs a game at a time.

Byrd has won the baseball state championship when he attended East Central High School in Mississippi.

“Of course winning the state championship is the ultimate goal for the program,” Byrd said,” “But at the same time, if we don’t take the beginning rounds a game at a time, we might not even make the championship to begin with.”

Once the season was all said and done, the baseball team made it to the second round of the play-offs when they were swept by the Cedartown Bulldogs.

Even though the season ended on a bittersweet note, hopefully their loss will serve as a stepping stone to greater successes in the near future.  

Photos courtesy of Beate Sass