MOULTRIE — On the eve of the Colquitt County baseball team’s home Region 1-7A doubleheader with Valdosta, head coach Brandon Brock resigned on Thursday.

Chance Pitts, a former Packer baseball player who has coached the school’s softball team the last eight seasons, has been named as the interim head coach.

The rest of the varsity coaching staff, assistants Ryan Davis, Tyler Hembree, Ethan Hopper, Kirk Woodall and Mack Crosby, will remain on board for the rest of the season, said Colquitt County athletic director Cleve Edwards.

Colquitt County Principal Dan Chappuis said the search for a new head baseball coach will begin after Spring Break, which runs April 1-5.

Colquitt is currently 10-11 overall and 2-5 in the region.

The Packers have lost their last four games, including three to defending region and state champion Lowndes in which they were outscored 20-0.

On Tuesday the Packers lost 3-1 at Valdosta and managed just one hit.

Colquitt has just five seniors and only two — Cam Cook and Mason Moore — who are starters.

Brock had posted a record of 103-60 in five seasons as the head coach at Lee County, his high school alma mater. His final Lee County team went 24-9 in 2018 and his 2017 Trojans went 28-15 and reached the Class 6A state championship series.

He had been an assistant to Georgia Dugout Club Hall of Fame coach Rob Williams at Lee County for several seasons before taking over as head coach.

The Packers went 18-17 in 2022, Brock’s first season in Moultrie, and were 12-17 last year.

He had replaced Matt Crews, who went 14-32 in two seasons after taking over from GDC Hall of Fame Packer coach Tony Kirkland, who retired.

“It was his decision,” Edwards said of Brock. “Obviously, he’s a student of the game and has great knowledge.

“We appreciate what he has done here and wish him the best going forward.”

Edwards said Pitts will finish the season as the team’s coach.

“He has been successful as a head coach,” Edwards said of Pitts. “He understands kids and he knows how to lead them.

“We are just going to ask our kids to step up and bear down.”

In eight seasons as the Lady Packers softball coach, Pitts has posted a record of 156-87. He became the program’s all-time wins leader in 2022.

He has led the Colquitt girls to three region championships and advanced to the Elite Eight on two occasions.

Pitts played baseball at Colquitt County under Jerry Croft. He was a second-team All-Region player as a senior in 2006 and one of his fondest memories as a Packer was pitching the final game played at the Ike Aultman Field behind the old high school, a win over Bainbridge.

Pitts also has been the middle school athletic director since 2021.

“I’m excited and humbled that Mr. Chappuis and Coach Edwards have the faith in me to lead the program,” Pitts said Friday evening after leading his first practice. “I look forward to finishing the season and finishing strong.”

Pitts said he believes that Packers still have a chance at reaching the playoffs and could finish as high as second in the region.

“But I told the kids that the main thing right now is to win two from Valdosta (on Friday),” Pitts said.

The members of the current baseball staff have already been helpful in making the transition as smooth as possible.

“I’ll be leaning on them,” he said.

And to bolster the staff, Pitts said former Packer catcher and assistant coach Will Stuckey has agreed to return to the dugout.