“This is what we have worked for all season,” Bradwell Tiger baseball coach Rhett Hellgren said as his team spent the last week preparing for the first round of playoffs against the top seeded 1-AAAAA Valdosta Wildcats.
“The hours and hours of practice is what we needed to show everyone what we are capable of doing.”
The coach said his team appeared more focused and that practice all week was great. He said it was a direct response to making the playoffs to begin with.
The coach said he spoke with his players, especially the seniors, and told them the time to really play is now. He said he hopes his seniors will pull the younger players along and all together step up their game.
His game plan is to put in the pitchers who brought them this far, Kentrell Hargrove, Dustin Belletty, Steven Dill and DeAnte Day.
“We may throw a wrinkle in there if we get a chance with Juwon (Hill),” he said.
He said the big challenge is the double-header. The Tigers have not played a double-header this season and the coach said it is more difficult to do than people realize.  He hopes the practice week got his batters and pitchers ready.
The coach said the players showed their potential on senior night and two come-from-behind wins over Groves.
“No one has counted on us to do anything this year, but us,” the coach said. “We are the underdog, and if we can relax and play from the first pitch to the last out, we will do fine.”
The first pitch is today at 4 p.m. starting a double-header in Valdosta.