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Baseball: Wildcats undergo summer training
baseball

Jeff Moeller, sports correspondent

Richmond Hill’s baseball season officially ended in late April, but the Wildcats were back on the field and the mound just over a month later. Head coach Hill Thomas confirmed that his squad had played roughly 15 games in June in an unofficial capacity against Lowndes, Colquitt, Lee and Brunswick.

The Wildcats finished their season with an overall 14-18 record. They lost to Buford, 6-2, and 17-10 in the best-of-three postseason playoff series. In the previous season, Richmond Hill ended with an overall 17-14 record, and they also were eliminated in the first round.

Overall, Hill gave plenty of players opportunities during the summer session, and he stated that it was difficult to single out any players.

“We played so many players that it was hard to choose any individual,” said Thomas. “It did give us a good look at what we have returning next year. We also had the chance to look at areas that we needed to focus on in the offseason.

“This is something common to do after the season.”

Among those who saw significant playing time last year and returning next year are Jax Pursley, Bryson Heisel, Shane Tucker, and Gage Witham in the field, and David Willis, Kallen Gordon, Padraig Morgan, and Brayden Clark on the mound.

Pursley, who led the team in seasonal hitting (.363), and regional hitting (.389), has enjoyed his summer. He has focused on attending summer camps instead of playing travel baseball.

“Summer so far has been going very well,” said Pursley. “I’m starting to get a feel for my swing again, while also perfecting any flaws it had beforehand. But more than anything I’m letting my speed fly, I’m more aggressive on the bases than I’ve been in my entire life, and every single or walk I get is an opportunity to get to second and third through my speed. Overall, the summer and [the] future is looking very bright.”

Hill stated the team will resume workouts during the fall through their “four-on-one” workouts in which the GHSA allows the team to have four players work with one coach at a time.