By Marty Camacho

(edits by arren)

 

February 13 – The chill fades as sun and rain creeps in and spring takes center stage. The grass becomes green again, and energy once again fuels the fields and the pitch. Along with the change in temperature comes the new season for our softball and baseball teams as they heat up for a new season, goals, and challenges; and for the basketball teams on the court, the imminent heated finish of another season.

Softball:

Following a 3rd place finish in the conference last season, the softball team is off to a good start. The Lady Pirates were one win short of securing a place in the state tournament, their season-ending defeat coming from Seminole State in the playoff game for the state tournament spot.

They are now gearing up for a stronger season as they won their first three games and are currently standing 4-2 after their close 1-0 defeat against Roane State Community College during the last game of their weekend invitational last February 8.

Baseball:

The baseball team is coming off a successful season in which they finished with an overall record of 32-17, marking the 2nd consecutive year where they had 30+ wins. The Pirates also qualified for the state tournament for the 3rd consecutive year, exiting on the first round after a defeat against the no.1 seed Indian River.

They are currently 5-3 as they struggled early losing their first two games. The Pirates found their groove on their third game against Mineral Area College with a smashing 12-0 victory and have since won four of their last five games.

Men’s Basketball

The men’s basketball team is currently 17-9 for the season, after a close defeat against Gulf Coast State College during the Homecoming Celebrations, which ended 68-67. The Pirates have had a successful season, already topping last season’s win tally of 15, as they finished with a standing of 15-14 last season.

The Pirates look to finish strong as they head towards the last stretch of the season over the next few weeks, including a rematch against Gulf Coast State College on March 1 – a game that not only gives them the chance to avenge their recent defeat, but also the game that marks the end of the regular season.

Women’s Basketball

The women’s basketball team currently sits at 16-10 for the season. The Lady Pirates look to improve as they lost their last three games, the most recent defeat coming from Gulf Coast State College during the Homecoming Celebrations. The game ended 73-46 after Gulf Coast’s late 4th quarter run.

Their next challenge will be against the No. 3 ranked Chipola College at the Hartsell Arena. The Lady Pirates will look not just to end their current losing streak, but to also finish their season strong over the last stretch of games these coming weeks.