Gilmer High baseball enters the 2023 season with a revamped lineup.
GHS graduated important pieces to its infield, outfield and pitching staff from last year’s 10-win team, and head coach Jeff Thurman and staff have embarked on this season with a 23-man roster that includes eight upperclassmen.
“We are fairly young, but some of our young kids we’re relying on this year got experience last year. I don’t think we’re in bad shape,” Thurman said.
With persistent rain and soggy conditions, the Bobcats were limited in the preseason when it came to field time. When the weather allowed them to get out of the batting cage, much of their time was spent playing intrasquad scrimmages to improve situational awareness.
“When we’ve been able to get on the field, we’ve tried to just play,” Thurman said. “It’s a controlled scrimmage, and we’ll put guys on base on purpose to see how we execute on offense and defense.”
Arm strength, maintenance and care have continued to be a focus of the program. It is an aspect that is not only important in the offseason but every day at practice.
“The last couple of years, we’ve gotten real big into using weighted plyo balls, bands and increased some of our stretching and dynamic warmup routine,” Thurman explained. “Our throwing routine has been expanded some this year. Sometimes you worry as a coach when you start to change those things, you worry about the buy-in, but they’ve bought into all of those things.
“We start practice around 3:05 p.m., and our throwing routine usually isn’t done until 3:40. It’s been the most important part of practice, especially early on.”
Thurman hopes throwing activities help prevent sore arms and injuries while improving endurance and minimizing recovery time.
Film study has been heavily incorporated as well. Hudl is video and statistical software used across most sports, and baseball recently entered the fray.
“We bring them into the classroom a lot more than we used to,” Thurman said. “This is something they can also view from home and take a look at it. This year, we’ve been trying to walk before we run. We’re trying to build the kids’ confidence.”
When it comes to starters and contributors, Brock Titus will take the field at catcher. He rejoins the program after taking last season off. Fellow senior Carter Jones returns to start at third base. Sophomore Eli Cooper will play shortstop and he lettered as a freshman.
Aiden McClure recently moved to Ellijay from Murray County and is expected to play second base, and junior Brandon Davis will play first base.
Juniors Ethan McCollum and Austin Zabala will take the outfield in left and center, respectively. Both started last year, and while Zabala played shortstop in 2022, he has plenty of experience as an outfielder playing travel ball. Right field has not been solidified, according to Thurman.
Sophomores Haden West and Hayden Berry are versatile players for GHS. West started in the outfield last week in the Bobcats’ second game of the season. Berry can play up the middle or at catcher.
Senior Mason Smith will also provide some outfield depth for Gilmer. Sophomore Noah Gutillo will play in the outfield as well once he recovers from an early-season injury.
Pitchers will be Zabala, McCollum, Jones, West, Berry, Cooper and freshman southpaw Cooper Cochran.
Gilmer’s defensive alignment may differ slightly from game to game as the pitcher will dictate some of the personnel at other positions.
“We’re in pretty good shape with guys who are coming back with experience,” Thurman said. “We do have a lot of 10th graders in there, which is a good thing. As far as behind the plate at the varsity level, we’re as deep as we’ve ever been. Berry can catch, and Brock might need to play first or catch some, and Davis can play first or catcher.
“We’ve had some catchers in the past who were good pitchers, too, but we couldn’t afford to use them as a pitcher. This year we have options and that has been a real big bonus.”
North Hall and Cherokee Bluff moved on from the region to larger classifications. Entering the region this season are Pickens and Wesleyan, who won the Class A state title in 2022.
“The competition level is going to be very similar, and there may not be any drop off at all,” Thurman said. “Andruw Jones’ son played for Wesleyan last year and Jeff Blauser’s son played for them the year before, so we know they’re getting those types of players.
“Pickens is at a similar level as Cherokee Bluff with the way they’ve been playing in recent years. Lumpkin, White and Dawson are always solid. West Hall might be a little down because they lost some key guys.”
Assistants Todd Gibson and P.G. Standard return to the program this season. GHS alumni baseball players Avery Bertolini, Will Barnes and Forrest Bramlett are new to the staff.
Season starts
GHS started its season last Monday versus Fannin County, and the Rebels plated a pair of runs in extra innings for a 2-0 victory.
Gilmer was also at home the following day against Chattooga. The Cats held the Indians in check for a 7-0 win.
Fannin tallied four hits, but they did not account for any runs. An error and three straight walks plated the game’s first run in the eighth. A second error gave FCHS a two-run cushion.
Gilmer was limited to two hits by Austin Zabala on the night and was unable to answer in its half of the inning.
GHS pitching: Ethan McCollum 4 IP, 3 H, 8 K, 2 BB. Carter Jones 3 1/3 IP, 3 H, 0 ER 4 K, 5 BB. Cooper Cochran 2/3 IP, 2 K, 2 BB.
Zabala silenced Chattooga’s bats as he struck out 10, walked one and gave up two hits across five innings. C.J. Hatchett pitched the sixth and allowed a hit while striking out two. Hayden Berry took the mound for the seventh and walked two and struck out two.
Zabala notched two more hits while Brock Titus, McCollum, and Aiden McClure had one each. Zabala added two RBIs and Eli Cooper, Jones, Titus and McClure each drove in a run.
A recap of Gilmer’s 12-4 loss to Murray County Monday night will appear in next week’s Times-Courier.
Junior varsity
The JV Bobcats opened their season last Monday and sent the Rebels back to Fannin County with a 4-3 loss.
FCHS scored three runs in the third and all were unearned. Meanwhile, GHS plated a run in the second, third, fourth and fifth innings.
Mel Mosley had two hits for GHS and Cooper Cochran recorded one hit and drove in one run.
Landon McClure pitched three innings for Gilmer and struck out two and walked two. Tyler Pittman tossed the fourth and fifth innings and gave up two hits while striking out one and walking one.