BY NOAH GRIFFITH FOR THE OBSERVER
PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES | THE OBSERVER
LEE COUNTY – After an 0-4 start to the season, defending state champion Glenwood baseball is shaking off the rust, taking two of three versus Lee-Scott Academy last week.
Following a 12-2 win over Lakeside on Saturday, Glenwood moved up to 8-5 on the year, and the young team is starting to rediscover its identity. Dominant pitching paves the way for the Gators, but the lineup is beginning to come together after a lethargic start.
The series against Lee-Scott “was the first time we’ve played good, solid fundamental baseball this season,” said head coach Tim Fanning. “It’s growing pains. It doesn’t just happen; you have to learn how to be successful, learn to score runs and learn to win.”
The Gators are led by a talented duo of junior pitchers, right-hander Tyler Sykes and southpaw Mason McCraine. Those two turned in masterful starts in the first two games versus Lee-Scott, both earning wins before the Warriors took game three at home.
In game one, Sykes tossed a complete game while allowing just a lone first-inning run on three hits, a walk and eight strikeouts. Glenwood dominated the rest of the way in a 5-1 win in the Swamp behind a timely, two-out RBI knocks from McCraine and Carter Judah while Sykes pounded the strike zone.
The next day in game two at Lee-Scott, McCraine worked around an error that scored two runs for the Warriors to turn in a superb, six-inning outing in a 6-3 Glenwood win. McCraine struck out nine while allowing one earned run on one hit and six walks. Senior Levi Pinder took over and pitched a scoreless seventh inning, but Fanning said he would’ve kept McCraine on the mound if it weren’t for a high pitch count.
“(Tyler Sykes) is special, man,” Fanning said. “And I was super proud of Mason. He showed a lot of maturity from last year. He might not have pitched six innings last year when he got in trouble, and he kept his composure and battled through some mistakes by our defense.”
Despite taking a 3-0 lead in the first inning in game three – which was paired with game two as a doubleheader at Lee-Scott – the Warriors evened the score in the third inning off of Glenwood starter Denton Denny before getting four runs off of Pinder the final two innings to win, 7-3.
Lee-Scott freshman lefty Braden Martin silenced the Gator bats while his offense rallied to the finish line. He didn’t allow a hit through 3.2 innings, while striking out four and walking two to earn the win.
Despite a disappointing finish to the series and stranding six runners after the first inning, Glenwood began to defrost and find a new identity after winning its ninth state championship in Fanning’s 20-plus years at Glenwood last May. The team lost 10 players from that team to graduation, but this team has four seniors of its own.
Seniors Jaxson Griggs, Camden White, Eli Bankston, Pinder and Denny look to anchor down a lineup consisting of strong-armed sophomore catcher Cal Lawrence, junior second baseman Logan Henderson, sophomore outfielder Hudson Campbell, sophomore third baseman Judah, sophomore DH Mac Blair and junior hurlers Sykes and McCraine.
“Just the potential for growth (is what I’m most excited to see this season),” Fanning said. “Our veteran guys on the mound, they have to continue to be good so that we have time to continue to grow as a young team. I mean, there’s plenty of talent, so it’s exciting to see if they’ll grasp onto what we’re working on and if how they’ll improve over the course of the year.”