Staff photo.
Spain Park’s Colton Ledbetter (15) takes a lead from first base during a March 2019 baseball game against Wetumpka at the Hoover Metropolitan Complex baseball fields.
Baseball coaches in Class 7A, Area 6 call their area the SEC West, comparing it to arguably the most competitive division in college football.
Having to compete against Mountain Brook, Vestavia Hills and Hewitt-Trussville means two strong teams get left out of the state playoffs every year.
Last year, the Spain Park High School baseball team was one of those teams.
“It’s difficult,” head coach Will Smith said.
There’s reason to believe Spain Park won’t be one of those teams this spring, as the Jags return plenty of pieces that played big roles a season ago.
“I’m really excited about our group,” Smith said. “The kids who are back have a lot of experience.”
Of the Jags’ 12 seniors this season, Linden Samaha returns to lead the pitching rotation. Samaha posted a 6-2 record last year, including wins over Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain.
“This year, we have a lot more seniors, and it’s been really fun playing with these guys,” Samaha said.
Colton Ledbetter, a Samford signee, will move to center field after playing the past two seasons in right.
“Those are two guys that form our nucleus,” Smith said.
Many coaches in the Birmingham area have called Ledbetter the top player in the region. The last two seasons, Ledbetter has played right field for the Jags, but he will move over to center field this spring and cover more ground.
“I think it’s going to be a good year,” he said.
Also on the mound, South Alabama commit Eli Copenhaver should slide into a bigger role, along with guys like Matthew Robbins, Jaxson Lucas and Austin Gothard among the key arms as well.
“Eli Copenhaver has a lot of potential, but he’s never had to do it before,” Smith said. “We’ve got some strength in our bullpen.”
In the infield, Chris Mancill is back at catcher, with junior Trent Thompson expected to log some innings behind the plate as well. Ethan Smallwood, Robbins and Copenhaver are battling for time at first base. Conner Eberhardt is back at second, with Adam Wygle and Carter Sidor set to take over on the left side of the infield.
Ledbetter moves to center, Jack Poist will play left field, and there is opportunity for a few players to contribute in right field. Eli Mefford and Ashton Cobb are other seniors with a chance to play there.
Smith said he was most impressed by his team’s perseverance last spring. Even after being eliminated from postseason contention, he said the Jags played three of their best games of the season in their final three area games.
“A lot of teams could’ve folded,” he said. “It helps having a majority of them were juniors and having something to play for next year, but they continued to fight regardless of the situation.
The Jags won just one of their six area contests, but they were tied or held the lead late in four of those games.
“It was just something to look forward to next year,” Ledbetter said of the team’s attitude. “We should’ve won at least four [area games] last year. It’s something to build off of because we know that we’re capable.”
