FEATURE Brady Colbert
Braddock Dobbs
Ironheads. Brady Colbert, Daniel Salters, Dylan Helms, Saylor McClish and Braddock Dobbs have Eufaula fans believing this will be the year.
The 2012 lineup card includes five seniors leading the way for the
“Because of those five kids experience and the contribution of our younger kids, I think overall we may be a better unit,” nodded James. “This kind of kids, you don’t find them very often. Talent and competitiveness along with it that don’t like to lose, don’t want to lose and know how to win make our seniors special. It’s made a whole other element for our younger players to feed upon. We're a better hitting team than last year and we’ve still got good pitching. The experience gives us an added ingredient to gain a competitive edge.”
One would expect the success on the diamond would add more pressure this season. Yet, James keeps telling his players to live the moment. Since the beginng of the year, I’ve tried to get them to just focus on playing everyday, one game at a time,” said James. “When you’ve got a group of seniors that has been there and has had this type of success, it puts pressure on you.”
The pressure is something that the quintet of seniors gladly accepts. Relying upon experience in the pressure situations, all five are focused on completing unfinished business.
“Since the final out last season, I’ve been thinking about it everyday,” said Daniel Salters, starting catcher as well as a member of the pitching rotation. “We’ve come so close the last two years. We’ve been working everyday since for this chance.” Salters, who signed to play college ball at Eastern State College, leads Eufaula in RBIs in addition to his consistency behind the plate.
“The off-season went by so slow,” said Dylan Helms referencing the anticipation of his senior season. “We couldn’t wait ‘til January to get here so we could start getting ready. We know that we’ve got a big target on our back. It’s something, pressure to win it
this time, that all five of
seniors understand we have to just play Ironhead baseball." Hitting in the lead off spot in the order, Helms swings the bat for a .443 average while leading his team in runs scored. Last fall, Helms decided to continue a Helms family tradition, when he inked a letter of intent to
play in college at Seminole State College.
“It’s gone by really fast,” nodded pitching ace Brady Colbert. “Almost
like I pitched game one as a sophomore yesterday and now you wake up and it’s your senior season. We’ve talked about we have unfinished business, it’s our last chance do what we’ve been trying to do. All five of us seniors have been playing almost everyday, summer, fall plus the offseason, trying to get ready. I think its a mental thing as much as anything.” The right handed ace hurler for the Ironheads has recorded 70 wins in his three seasons on the mound. This year, Colbert has 100 strikeouts allowing just 15 walks while earning a 0.50 ERA. His numbers at the plate are equally strong with just 6 whiffs in 77 trips to the plate while hitting for a team high .456 average.
“Its been too fast for me,” admits Saylor McClish, who can play at a multitude of spots in the lineup including third base as well as on the hill giving Eufaula a third option in the pitching rotation. “Last year’s loss in the finals has been a driving force to our approach for this season. Not just for the seniors but everyone wearing the Ironhead uniform, including Coach James and Coach Green. I think we’re a lot better than the last two years. We’re all swinging the bat better top to bottom. The top six in the lineup are hitting the ball well putting
APRIL 2012 |
VYPEOK.COM 21 us
Dylan Helms
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