WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015 NEWS AND PRESS DARLINGTON, S.C. SPRING SPORTS 2015 WWW .NEWSANDPRESSONLINE .COM Young team looks to maintain momentum from past successes play well and make a good run in the playoffs,” By Drake Horton Contributing Writer What could possibly being holding Lamar Lamar High Baseball back? Well outside of the youth, which despite The baseball program at the Lamar High being so young in age actually has a lot of com - 3/11 Darlington Away 6 p.m. School has enjoyed a lot of success the last few bined experience in terms of games played, it is 3/17 Lewisville* Away 6 p.m. seasons. the region the Silver Foxes play in. 3/20 CA Johnson* Away 6 p.m. From last year’s District 1 loss to Dixie High With opponents such as McBee and Lewisville 3/23 E.Clarendon Home 6 p.m. School, to the Upper-State Championship on the schedule twice it is going to be a difficult 3/27 Great Falls Home 6 p.m. appearance the year before that, to winning the task to win the region year in and year out, but 3/30-31 Spring Break Tournament L Lower-State Championship three years ago, the Windham believes he has the team that can do it. 4/6 Manning Away 6 p.m. Silver Foxes have been right in the thick of com - From his two seniors, Cole Bennett, who is the 4/10 Lewisville* Home 6 p.m. peting for the 1A State Championship. clean-up hitter and first baseman and Tyler 4/14 CA Johnson* Home 6 p.m. L Head coach Adam Windham, who is entering Smith, his lead-off hitter, who has been starting 4/15 Crestwood Home 6 p.m. his third year, has seen the benefits of having his at catcher for three years, to his two main pitch - 4/18 Great Falls Away 4 p.m. program be successful and sees no reason why ers Daniel Galloway and Luke Amerson, both 4/20 Darlington Home 6 p.m. Lamar cannot maintain the level of success it has sophomores, Lamar’s roster is shaping up to have 4/21 McBee Away 6 p.m. A accomplished over the last three years. championship form. 4/27 E. Clarendon Away 6 p.m. “We are looking forward to a good season,” Two players, however, that Windham believes 4/30 Playoffs Begin Windham said on the upcoming season. “We can have a huge impact on the team more than B have some young talented players.” anybody are sophomore Jadarius Mumford, who * Region Game The word “some” that Windham used might plays center field and Parker Vause, the lone jun - Varsity Head Coach: Adam Windham be considered an understatement when speak - S ior on the squad, who moves from second base to ing of the youthfulness of Lamar’s baseball team. E shortstop this season. Heading into the season the Silver Foxes have According to Windham, Mumford has the only two seniors and one junior. “If we are going to have a good year defen - skill set to potentially be a run producing sively, he is going to have to have a good year at “We have a really young team,” Windham machine for the Silver Foxes this season. S said on how young his team is compared to most shortstop,” “He has a chance to be our best offensive play - So far as the team has prepared for the teams they will play this season. “But the expec - er,” Windham said on Mumford’s offensive H upcoming season, it has been the hitting, not the tations are still high. We are starting a lot of prowess at the plate and on the bases. sophomores, but they have experience because a pitching that has been the strength of the Lamar A Vause, who is making the switch defensively baseball team. lot of them played last year.” from second to short, is going to have to have a So what are those expectations? smooth transition to his new position if Lamar’s “I feel like we can compete for the region if we defense is going to be good this season. LAMAR BASEBALL ON 15 L B PlPlay Ball!Ball! Not Electricity!!! www.darlingtonsconline.com 843-398-4000 GO FALCONS! WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015 2 NEWS AND PRESS DARLINGTON, S.C. WWW .NEWSANDPRESSONLINE .COM SPRING SPORTS 2015 B L A H S S E B A L L The 2015 Lamar High School baseball team. Jeffords Insurance Agency Proudly Supports LAMAR SILVER FOXES For all your Insurance Needs 126 East Church St. P.O. Box 317 119 West Main St. 40 N. Mill St. Bishopville, SC Lamar, SC Manning, SC 803-484-5462 326-1487 803-433-0060 1-800-948-5077 HOME•AUTO•FARM•LIFE•BUSINESS•MOBILE HOMES•AND MORE Lamar Silver Fox Supporters Building on Tradition Since 1936 Carolina Bank 112 Main St. Lamar 843-326-5557 NEWS AND PRESS DARLINGTON, S.C. 3 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015 SPRING SPORTS 2015 WWW .NEWSANDPRESSONLINE .COM Experience counts in run for second straight championship Hartsville lost three important seniors in By Drake Horton Contributing Writer Worth Burch, Shy Phillips and Michael Slattery, Hartsville High Baseball but return six juniors who all either started or Over the last few years the Hartsville Red Fox contributed significant time to last year’s team. 3/17 Manning Home 6:30 p.m. baseball program could be comparied to a roller - Having that many seniors for this upcoming 3/20 Crestwood Home 6:30 p.m. coaster ride. season is a benefit for Hartsville and it has helped L 3/23 Camden Away 6:30 p.m. From having one of the worst seasons in the create a great sense of depth for Gainey to work 3/24 Lakewood Home 6:30 p.m. school’s history three years ago, to winning the with. 3/27 Crestwood Away 6:30 p.m. Lower-State Championship last year, the Red “We got depth,” Gainey said on his current 3/30 – 4/3 Southeastern Baseball Classic L Foxes have seen both ends of the spectrum. roster. “We got guys that play different positions. 4/10 Darlington Away 6:30 p.m. For what it is worth, however, Hartsville liked We have some quality back-ups.” 4/14 Lakewood Away 6:30 p.m. the latter way more than the first and it does not One area that really has a lot of depth is the 4/15 Camden Home 6:30 p.m. want to fall from where it has worked its way. outfield. Returning for the Red Foxes in the out - 4/17 Manning Away 6:30 p.m. A “Last year was a special year,” Gainey said field are Grant Thompson and Austin Morris, 4/21 Marlboro Co. Home 6:30 p.m. about the lower-state championship. The com - both who started last year, along with 4/24 Darlington Home 6:30 p.m. mon ingredient from last year and this year is the Christopher Weekly and Jake Beasley. 4/27 Latta Senior Night Home 6:30 p.m. work ethic. “I really like my outfield,” Gainey said. “They B A team that was heavy with underclassmen work well together, they communicate well All home games will be played at last season, Hartsville is returning an abundant together.” Jimmy White Field amount of talent and look poised to make a run at One of things that Gainey likes the most about * Region Game a second straight lower-state championship, but his outfield is how flexible they are. When speak - Head Coach: Tony Gainey E head coach Tony Gainey is being a bit more con - S ing of them he described them as “interchange - Assistant Coaches: Adam Fedewa, Pete servative when it comes to setting goals for the able” which takes a lot of pressure off when hav - Stokes, Jimmy White season. ing to adjust the lineup card. Instead of saying the goal is to make it back to Morris, who tore his ACL during the preseason S the state championship, Gainey is setting small of football season, is back and ready to go. The one place where Gainey wishes he did goals just like they did last year hoping that by With so many quality outfielders to go along have more depth is at pitching, but that is not H keeping the same philosophy will yield the same with all of the quality back-ups, Gainey said there meant to take away from what he already has. He results. is one simple way to get on the field and that is to just believes you can never have too much pitch - A “We start with small goals; win the region, hit the ball. ing and last year against A.C. Flora he believes make the playoffs and take it one step at a time,” “If you’re hitting, you’re playing,” Gainey said, that with one or two more pitchers Hartsville Gainey said on how his team is approaching this explaining what is more important in earning a could have come out on top and he does not want season. starting role. that scenario to happen again. H B When I say Good Sports “good,” Have Fun you say Howle Law Firm Newton I. (Bill) Howle, Jr. Parker E. Howle Attorneys at law “neighbor.” 100 St. John’s St. – Post Office Box 186 Darlington, SC 29540 Phone (843) 395-1519 Fax (843) 393-0342 BillBill MooreMoore Jr Ins AgcyAgcy Inc Now th at’s tea mwork.