Darlington’s Middle School baseball team won its second consecutive championship on April 8 with a 1-0 win over Cartersville Middle School. The Tigers ended the season 13-1.
“We knew going into this season that we had the potential to be very good,” said head coach Joey Rice. “Many of our eighth-graders were on last season’s championship team, and our pitching was going to be as deep as any team in the league. We focused on the two areas that produce wins, hitting and pitching. We kept our bats hot, and our pitcher’s arms only got stronger as the wins grew. We scored more runs in 10 games than any team in the league and gave up the fewest runs.”
The team’s pitching staff included Hayden Googe, Robert Muschamp, Jay Shadday and Burton Dulaney, and Drake Frix served as catcher. During the season, homeruns were hit by Burton Dulaney and Landon Rice.
“Many of the schools we play have close to 1,000 students and we pull from only 150, so each game is like a battle of David and Goliath,” Rice said. “This season was a lot of fun for everyone involved, and we are already looking forward to next year!”
The Middle School competes in a league of 11 local teams. The Tigers have been called the most dominating team in the league, compiling a total of 43 wins and only nine losses.
