The Mary Persons baseball team is coming off one of its best regular seasons ever in 2022, including a record-setting, 24-game win streak. But after the Dogs were walloped by Morgan County in Round 1 of the state playoffs, coach Clae Mathis said he resolved to toughen up the regular season schedule in 2023.
“That was one of the worst days of my life,” Mathis said of the embarrassing loss to the rival Bulldogs.
Morgan County and Mary Persons had split two games during the season. The weekend before the playoff showdown, Mathis contracted a brutal case of the flu. Mathis was so sick he couldn’t teach that day, and he really couldn’t coach either. But he insisted on putting a chair down the third base line to watch his team. What he saw didn’t make him feel any better.
“We didn’t show up,” said Mathis, “and they did. It was a wakeup call to me. I wanted to make sure this year that there were no excuses at the end of the year. I resolved to do my part, to give them a tough schedule.”
So Mathis set games with tougher non-region foes including Class AAAAAA Northside-Warner Robins, Class AAAAA schools Veterans, Whitewater, and McIntosh and AAAA schools such as No. 9 ranked West Laurens and Marist.
“It’s brutal,” said Mathis. “But it’s already paying off for us.”
That payoff came on Saturday, Feb. 19 when MP upset Marist. It wasn’t even close, as the Bulldogs rolled 7-2 on a neutral field at Houston County. The Dogs are now 3-2 and No. 6 in Class AAA after trouncing Howard on Monday.
Mathis noted that he’s won more games in each of the 6 seasons he’s coached at MP. But he said if they do it against year it will be because they earned it against tougher opponents.
That said, Mathis insists it wasn’t so much that last year’s schedule was super weak. MP ripped off a school-record 24 straight wins last year against the 2022 slate. Rather, said Mathis, several teams he had scheduled who are normally pretty good just weren’t that good last year. Meanwhile the Bulldogs played very, very well early in the year, perhaps peaking too early. Moreover some teams didn’t use their best pitchers against the Dogs. The result was a mind-boggling string of wins that resulted in what Nick Saban might call rat poison. MP won a lot of praise and accolades, which may have sewn the seeds of that playoff swoon.
Contrast that with Saturday when MP faced Atlanta private school powerhouse Marist. Mathis notes that nobody expected the Bulldogs to compete with Marist. But senior Ryan Jenkins pitched an incredible game, said Mathis, and the War Eagles had no answers. Mathis said after the first inning the boys were saying to one another in the dugout, “they’re not better than us.” They were taking on a tough foe, and gaining confidence by realising they could compete.
With a very young team, Mathis said he hopes that confidence continues to grow as they face a tough non-region slate.
The Bulldogs will benefit from a strong pitching staff after losing just one senior, Jake Causey, from the 2022 hurlers.
Senior Ryan Jenkins is a leader of the pitching staff, and really stepped forward on Saturday. Junior Jake Grant, a lefty, has perhaps the best mechanics on the staff, and his fast ball can zip into the mid 80 mph range. “He has tons of movement and is just fearless on the mound,” said Mathis.
Junior Ian Lewis is a heavy fastball pitcher who will be relied upon in long relief more this year. Cole Carr has an excellent breaking ball and can also throw a fast ball in the 80 mph range.
Sophomore Nic Arnold showed what he can do in 3 strong inning against Veterans already this year, and throws strikes. Zach Grizzard “throws frisbees,” says Mathis, meaning he spins the ball and makes life hard for batters, and is rarely hit hard including in his first start against Howard on Monday. Tristan Hunt can also contribute on the mound, said Mathis, as could senior Thomas Brooks though he’s battling a shoulder injury. Senior Carter Mitchell may also get some time on the mound.
Returning at catcher is sophomore Brady Christman. Mathis has moved him to leadoff batter from third in the lineup last year, and that’s already paying off for MP. “He’s doing a great job,” said Mathis. “He runs and hits well. He has all the tools. I l ook forward to seeing him in the game of baseball a long time.”
Christman is already behind heavily recruited by college programs.
Backing up Christmas will be sophomore Aiden Ussery, who Mathis says has become a very good catcher and improved significantly from last year. He will also be the JV catcher to give him more playing experience.
Junior Ryan Causey will be at first base after seeing limited time due to injury last year.
He had a .470 batting average last year when he got hurt so he brings a strong bat, and already has two homers through the first five games this year. “He’s a great hitter and leader - a big time player,” said Mathis. “He’s gonna have a big year.”
Sophomore Nic Arnold has gotten a late promotion to start at second base and is already proving his value by going 2 for 2 in his first start, the win over Marist. “He’s gonna have a great year,” said Mathis.
Sophomore Tristan Hunt has been moved to shortstop and Mathis says 10th graders will hold every starting infield position except for first base.
“We’ll have some growing pains with all these sophomores,” said Mathis, “but it’s great to have young guys that can carry that weight.”
Sophomore Cole Carr will start at third base when he’s not pitching, and he scored a hit in his first start against Marist.
“We’ve got a lot of good things coming from him,” said Mathis.
The recent infield promotions came after Gage Hopper and Cooper Mitchell left the team in recent days, reportedly due to differences over playing time.
Meanwhile, in the outfield, junior Jake Gore, a starter since his freshman year, will start in left field. “He’s ready to play this year,” said Mathis. “He’s a great leader. Steady and solid. Jake’s gonna have a great year. I like watching him play baseball.”
When he’s not pitching, senior Ryan Jenkins will start in center field. When Jenkins is pitching, Leighton Judd will be in center and Mathis calls Judd an “absolutely incredible center fielder.”
“He throws a lot of guys out,” said Mathis. “You run on him, you better watch out. He has the most strong and accurate throw I’ve ever seen. He’s my favorite kind of kid.”
Senior Thomas Brooks will start in right field, and brings big-time power to the plate, as does the other player who rotates in right field, sophomore Ian Lewis.
“I look for both of them to have a great year,” said Mathis.
Freshman Gavin Mitchell will also see time in the infield for teammates when they’re pitching and is a great young player, said Mathis.
After surveying his starters, Mathis surveyed the region, 2-AAA, and said defending state champion Pike County will again be the favorite. But he doesn’t discount his Bulldogs. Mathis said if they stay healthy and continue to improve, they have the chance to have a special year. He acknowledges that depth is an issue, noting that his current roster of 15 varsity players is the smallest since he’s been at MP. Mathis lost two players, Gavin Barr and Bryson Orr, to academy travel ball boarding schools. Mathis said those are two talented players and he wishes them nothing but the best. Mathis said he knows parents are doing what they think is best for kids with such moves and wishes Gavin and Bryson nothing but the best. He said he does worry about “transfer portal” culture that has seeped into high school baseball and encourages kids to jump to a new situation rather than sticking it out and learning persistence.
“I don’t want that to become the norm,” said Mathis. While this year’s Bulldog baseball team is smaller in number, it is young and talented, and has the chance to be special, he said.
“The kids on my field, I look into their eyes and they’re excited to wear their Mary Persons uniform,” said Mathis, who holds a 130-35 record at MP. “We’ve been blessed. I want to take this thing pretty far the year. I never want our guys to doubt what they can do, and in April and May, we’re gonna be ready to do our best.”
