McCrory’s baseball Jaguars are used to going deep into the playoffs each year. Despite what appears to a be a subpar record, they did just that last season.
McCrory finished 17-16 but advanced to the semifinals of the Class 2A State Tournament, beating Flippin 16-6 and Parkers Chapel 5-4 before falling to powerhouse Woodlawn 7-6. The Bears finished as the state runner-up.
McCrory won the 2A-6 Conference, then won the district tournament. The Jaguars followed that up by winning the regional tournament, beating Bay 8-6 in the championship game.
The Jaguars return seven starters from a year ago.
“We want to improve each and every day,” longtime McCrory coach Glen Campbell said. “We want to learn to play as a team and build character along the way.
“Our biggest goal is to play 100 percent every day and make the state tournament.”
The returning starters include sophomores Cason Campbell, Lathan Briley, Reid Kennon and Keaton Bull; and seniors Tarzan Alumbaugh, Colby Lane and Tyler Blackmon.
Coach Campbell said the team’s best hitter for average is his son Cason. A year ago, Cason hit .453 with 48 RBIs, 15 doubles and 4 triples.
The team’s best power hitter is Alumbaugh, who hit 8 home runs a year ago, the coach said, and the team’s best fielder is Cason Campbell.
The best speed on the team belongs to Kennon and freshman Akeem Tucker, and the team’s best pitchers are Cason Campbell and Kennon, Coach Campbell said.
As a freshman, Kennon threw the most pitches on the team with 816, and Cason Campbell was third with 712 pitches.
The coach said games to watch include ones with conference teams Marked Tree and East Poinsett County and nonconference games with Parkers Chapel and Junction City.