Tigers win 2 Saturday, room to improve
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Straughn came back from two season-opening losses to Leroy on Feb. 21 to beat Montgomery Academy and Brewbaker Tech Saturday in doubleheader action.
The Tigers defeated Montgomery Academy 9-3; and Brewbaker Tech 3-2.
Straughn lost to Leroy 14-1, 8-5.
Despite the losses to the Bears, SHS head baseball coach John Fussell said starting the year 0-2 was a blessing.
“We just didn’t play well,” Fussell said about the start. “That’s the worst that I’ve seen us play in the five years I’ve been here.
“I think last year we were 19-0 (at one point during the season),” he said. “This year, we started in reverse. It may the best thing that happened to us, because we came back here Monday night (after the Leroy games), and I turned the lights on, and they put their uniforms back on and they practiced.”
Against Leroy, Straughn committed nine errors and hit five batters in the first game.
On Saturday, the Tigers had a complete turnaround performance, only committing one error and walking four batters in two games against the Eagles and the Rams.
Just like they did after the Leroy doubleheader, the Tigers came back home and practiced for two hours Saturday night, Fussell said.
“Everybody talks about Straughn having a lot of talent this year,” he said. “People say they had a good season the year before and got everybody coming back but one player. Automatically, you think that that this is a good thing — and that’s a good thing. It takes talent to win. Right now, I just don’t see a lot of maturity.
“I don’t think everybody on this team is on the same page,” he added. “There are different levels of effort. The level of effort between every player is not the same. If you want to be as good as everybody thinks you’re supposed to be, then you’ve got to be on the same page, and you’ve got to be mature.”
Fussell said once the team grows up a bit and starts being more accountable of each other, then “look out.”
“They’re good kids,” Fussell said. “Until we grow up, and mature a little bit and I have players say to another player ‘that’s not going to work. We don’t do that here.’ When that happens, look out.”
Straughn will play host to Opp this Thursday night for a doubleheader. First pitch is at 3 p.m.
On Saturday, the Tigers will play host to Pleasant Home, also a doubleheader game.