2022-23 varsity baseball players Triston Lowery, Luke Davis and Benjamin Campbell (left to right) pose at the ODYSSEY Media Group 2023 Spring Media Day on Feb. 4, 2023. The varsity baseball team started the 2023-2024 season 2-8 and will host Loganville High School on March 18 in a Region 8-AAAAA game. “The game will probably be more intense (because) it’s region, which means it’s way more important than any other of our games,” varsity third baseman Jared Manago, a junior, said. “I feel way more serious when I go up against teams like Loganville. I like to say that I get locked in more to these types of teams.” Photo by Aza Khan
The CCHS varsity baseball team will look for success in their Region 8-AAAAA game against Loganville High School on March 18.
The Clarke Central High School varsity baseball team will host Loganville High School on March 18 at 5:55 p.m. in A. B. Weathersby Field.
The Gladiators lost to LHS twice last year with scores of 5-1 and 15-0, respectively. During the 2022-23 season, LHS finished ranked 2nd in the state and CCHS finished ranked 354th. Varsity baseball assistant coach Jason Bedgood, understands the stakes of the match-up and feels the Gladiators’ execution of their game plan will be key.
“We always want to win. There’s no doubt about the desire to win. That said, we recognize that we’re going up against a much stronger team as far as how old they are, how much baseball they play and how successful they’ve been,” Bedgood said. “Even in a game (where) you may be more equally matched, the goal is still the same: throw more strikes, walk fewer guys (and) have your offense get on base more. We believe that if we can beat them in all of those statistics, we will beat them on the scoreboard, too.”
“The game will be more intense. I feel way more serious when I go up against teams like Loganville.”
— Jared Manago,
Varsity baseball third baseman
For varsity baseball third baseman Jared Manago, a junior, the Region 8-AAAAA game against LHS will be his third time competing against them. Manago feels the Gladiators’ knowledge of LHS’s playing style is helping them to prepare.
“The game will be more intense. I feel way more serious when I go up against teams like Loganville,” Manago said. “For Loganville, we know that they throw harder, so we set our pitching machines to (a) higher speed so we’re ready for how they pitch.”
Despite both of the Gladiators’ wins having come on the road this season, Manago feels the game being at home will be to the team’s advantage.
“We can get way more practice before the game since it is a home game (and) we know our field and how different balls hop off the ground,” Manago said. “Seeing people there just gives motivation. (Knowing) people want to come out and cheer for you makes you want to do your best.”
