Daniels making impression with ABAC baseball team

Published 11:30 am Tuesday, February 16, 2021

TIFTON — Spring sports are in the air and, hopefully, a good many baseballs are for the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Stallions, who have started the regular season.

ABAC was set to open the home portion regular season Monday against junior varsity of Thomas University. This will be a doubleheader that starts at 3 p.m.

The schedule is front-loaded for the Stallions. If weather conditions remain nice, they will play eight games over 13 days. That is necessity, said head coach Brandon Reeder, because of the season starting later.

“Andrew (College) and (Georgia) Highlands have played eight games and we’re on No. 3,” he said. The later start was a choice, as Reeder did not want to face competition until he felt ABAC was ready.

“I think we’re starting just as the right time,” he said.

Signs are already good for the Stallions, though they are currently 1-2.

Henry Daniels launched a ball practically into outer space against Florida State College at Jacksonville. The baseball still hasn’t been recovered, though that’s technically because Reeder didn’t want his players wandering into traffic to find it.

“He timed one up and caught it out front,” said Reeder.

This may become common for Daniels. Reeder said he nearly hit one out off the end of the bat in an earlier game.

Easton Willis also homered in the 6-2 win. “That gave us enough offense and we pitched just well enough to beat them,” he said. Jayden Chance pitched 4.1 innings with no earned runs to earn the victory. Andrew Clark went 1.2 frames for the save.

Seven pitchers threw in the FSCJ doubleheader and eight overall. There are even more that Reeder wants to see, but “Weather kind of washed us on that.”

“On the mound, we’ve done a decent job,” he said.

ABAC opened the year with an eight-inning 5-3 loss to Gulf Coast State College (Fla.). The Gulf Coast loss is not entirely their fault. Mother Nature shares some of the blame for a costly error.

The Stallions were up 3-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning when a menacing fog arrived. Fog usually isn’t menacing, but this one was.

“The fog had been there probably 45 minutes,” said Reeder. “It wasn’t as severe as it had gotten (in the bottom of the seventh).” Gulf Coast had two men on base when a fly ball was hit. “The centerfielder couldn’t see it at all. Rightfully so — it was really dense.”

The ball wasn’t caught, leading to four runs scoring and Gulf Coast taking a 5-3 lead. The fog was so severe, the game was called in the eighth inning.

A game called by fog is a first for Reeder. FSCJ told him they had never had it happen, either.

Reeder kind of wanted continue playing as he thought ABAC was the better team, but admitted it was the correct decision. “It was the right call,” he said. “It was becoming a safety issue.”

The safety issue could have been his own health. The fog was so severe that Reeder misjudged a throw. Reeder was coaching at third base when a Gulf Coast outfielder threw the ball back to the infield. Visibility was so bad, Reeder initially thought it was going to hit him. The baseball was on-line and caught 40 feet away from him.

With the Stallions back in town, fans will get to see a batting lineup Reeder described as being “potent.”

“We have guys that can be dangerous hitters,” he said. ABAC should hit its stride by March. “May’s really when we want to be our best.” That will be playoffs time.

C.J. Rose joins Daniels as one of the really big sticks for ABAC. Garrett Bradley he expects to heat up soon. Sam Bennett, too.

Reeder has set a lofty goal for the Stallions: score six runs a game.

“If we score six runs a game, I think our pitching staff is good enough to keep us in those games,” he said.

Helping to make the six runs stand up are pitchers such as Chance. Davis Livingston will be the primary relief arm and a spot starter. He predicts Seth Parker as being the staff ace. Pace Mercer joins him as a starter. “He’s been one of the more consistent guys from fall ’til now.”

Clark will be the closer.

ABAC has a big roster, but a small staff, just 12 pitchers. Reeder said he’ll need lots of innings from everyone. “We might have to have some guys do relief Tuesday and start Saturday,” he said.

Many of ABAC’s names on the roster should be familiar to locals.

Daniels is from Colquitt County. Rose and Willis played at Lowndes. Grant Hall, an infielder who transferred from Andrew College, is a Tiftarea Academy alum.

Griffin Rowe comes in from Berrien. Bennett, Brock Revels and Hart Griffin are from Cook.

Mason Avant will pitch for the Stallions after doing the same for Tift County.