Pirates host Final Four at ‘The Jack’

The defending championship Pirates baseball team earned a place in the Final Four of AAA state competition and hosted the double header before a packed out crowd at ‘The Jack’ on Saturday, May 13.

“What an incredible group of young men! I am so very proud of every one of them and how well they handled all the adversity that we faced this year,” said Pirates head coach Don Hanson. “We are graduating 11 seniors. I’ve had this group since they were in eighth grade. I’m going to miss them, but there is a fine group of young men coming up behind them. We had a fantastic run and have nothing to hang our heads about.”

The 11 seniors on the team had a 77-34 overall record with three region titles and a state championship and include Jake Carden, Christian Childress, Kole Hammond, Ridge Smith, Kaleb Hammond, Coleman Johnson, Carson Gaston, Trevor Bagwell, Mason Trucks, Ian Davis and Zane Axelberg.

In the first game of the Final Four double header, the Pirates attempted a come-from-behind win, scoring five runs on a fielder’s choice by Ty Mobley in the second, a double by Elijah Moss in the second, a groundout by Kaleb Hammond in the third, a sacrifice fly by Kole Hammond in the third and a single by Coleman Johnson in the sixth. Freshman Ty Mobley pitched six innings of the 7-5 loss, allowing 10 hits and striking out one batter. The Pirates had 10 hits in the game as well.

In game two of the Final Four double header, junior Cooper Crow pitched six innings of the 3-2 loss, allowing only two hits and three runs, striking out six batters. Kole Hammond and Andrew Huffstetler each had two hits to lead the Pirates offense.