After strong scrimmage showing, Diamond Packers to open season on Tuesday

Published 9:33 pm Friday, February 11, 2022

MOULTRIE – Brandon Brock sent his first Colquitt County baseball team out on Ike Aultman Field at Jerry Croft Stadium on Thursday and after the scrimmage against Worth County he sounded plenty optimistic about the 2022 season.

“We looked great,” he said after an 8-1 victory over Worth County. “I am very, very excited about the season and glad to be here.”

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The former head coach at Lee County, Brock was named in May to replace Matt Crews, who went 14-32 over the previous two seasons.

Brock had led the Lee County to a 103-60 record in five seasons before stepping away after the 2018 season to spend time with his family.

Brock was an assistant the last two seasons with Denmark High in Alpharetta, but when he heard of the opening at Colquitt County, he was eager to return to south Georgia.

Not only was he the head coach at Lee County, he played there for coach Rob Williams and was an assistant before taking over the program in 2014.

Brock and his Packers will open the 2022 season at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at home against Cairo after an impressive outing against the Rams.

Brock was especially pleased with the work of the seven pitchers he sent to the mound on Thursday.

“They pounded the zone,” he said. “Our goal is no more than four pitches per batter. We don’t want to extend the count.

“We’re not deep in pitching, but we got some good vibes last night.”

Brock said he expects senior Cameron Summerlin to start against the Syrupmakers on Tuesday.

“He has done nothing to make me not want to start him,” Brock said. “He’s been doing a great job.”

Brock also has been impressed with the performance of Bryce Monk, another senior, who has a chance to be the team’s closer.

“He did an outstanding job last night,” Brock said.

The pitchers will be held to between 45 and 60 pitches during the early part of the season.

The other seniors on the roster are Davis Dalton, Abraham Daniels, Hayes Lightsey, Chasyn Miley, Hayden Moore, Cannon Whatley and Cole Whatley.

It’s a group that Brock appears to think could be underrated.

“I think they have a chance to be a decent group,” he said. “They are going to have to carry us.

“And I don’t think they realize how crucial they are to this program going forward.”

Cole Whatley has been penciled in as the starting catcher, but Brock is not ready to announce any other starters.

“We’ve got a lot of guys who can do a lot of things,” he said. “And that’s a good problem to have.”

The juniors are Landon Griffin, Kale Hopper, Tyler Owens, Tucker Sparkman and Jardae Williams.

The sophomores are Brandon Bryan, Cam Cook, Asher Cox, Neko Fann, Eli Hannah, Joseph Jackson, Mason Moore, Cayden Parker, Jayden Williams and Garron Wingate.

The freshman group is made of up players who were 17-3 and conference champions as members of the eighth-grade team last year.

They are Ethan Allegood, Brayden Bell, Adam Beverly, Jaxon Chambers, Dylan Chapman, Brady DeRosso, Gabe Eubanks, Hayden Hembree, Christian Hill, Cole Holder, Rylan Howell, Jalis Larkin, Harrison Powell, Ross Sparkman, Cook Tompkins, Jake Walker and Landon Weeks.

The junior varsity and ninth-graders will open at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday at home against Thomas County Central.

The varsity Packers will not make any long trips for non-Region 1-7A games this season, although they will have to go to Kingsland on April 15, for a region doubleheader against Camden County.

The first week of the season includes four games, starting with the opener at home against Cairo, a trip on Thursday to Bainbridge and a doubleheader on Saturday at Valdosta to play Glenwood at 3 p.m. and the Wildcats at 5 p.m.

The Packers will not be back at Packer Park until Friday, March 4, when they meet Killian (Fla.) at 6 p.m. in the Georgia-Florida Challenge.

Colquitt will play host to Florida Christian in the Challenge the next day at 1:30 p.m.

The region portion of the schedule will begin on Friday, March 11, with a road doubleheader against defending champion Lowndes.

The rest of the baseball staff includes assistant coaches Ryan Davis and Tyler Hembree.

Brock will not be the only new coach in the region this spring.

In June, Tift County hired Greg Williams to take over the program.

A former Tift County assistant coach, Williams spent 10 years as Lamar County’s head coach, where he led the Trojans to seven postseason berths. Since 2015, he had been the head coach at Cook High.

Williams has 284 career wins.

He replaces Kyle Kirk, who led the Blue Devils for nine seasons.

Ryan Page returns for his third season as the head coach at Lowndes.

Brian English is the dean of the Region 1-7A baseball coaches. He is starting his fifth year leading the program at Camden County.