AJA Baseball Team Begins Season 2-0, Andy Palmer Takes Over Girl’s Softball Team
AJA's Carrigan Moore, Mic Beard, and Braelyn Hall.
By Billy G. Baker
Publisher
Ehrhardt—The Andrew Jackson Academy baseball team has started off the 2026 season on a positive note, currently 2-0, with wins over Beaufort Academy (12-2) and Holly Hill Academy (14-4) during action the first week of March.
Head coach Jason Mathys is starting his fourth season as the head coach with five years in the program. Last year the Warrors advanced all the way to the state finals before losing a best-of-three game series against Lee Academy in the SCISA finals.
“We have five staters back from last’s team that played for a state title, and we have several quality players who have moved up from the junior varsity wo are good hitters,” said Coach Mathys. “I think most of our returning players are better versions of themselves and I can tell that the majority of them have work hard at getting better over last season.
“I see no reason why we can’t stay focused, keep improving and compete for a state title once again this season,” said Coach Mathys. “We have even better pitching this year. Landon Johnon pitched a no-hitter against Beauort Academy for four innings with seven strikeouts. The next day Walker Terry pitched a four-hitter, and he had seven strikeouts against Holly Hill Academy. Our pitching depth will be solid for us this season.”
Against Beaufort Academy, Johnson also had a lead-off home run and two hits to help his own cause on the mound. Gage Risher and Evan Mathys also scored two runs in the game.
On March 7, the Warriors defeated Holly Hill Academy 14-4. With Terry doing a good job on the mound Eli Mathys and Gage Risher each provided two hits in the win. Evan Mathys and Terry also had two RBI’s in the game. In the 4th inning against the Raiders, the Warriors exploded for 11 runs with straight singles being provided by Eli Mathys, Brad Hightower, and Gage Risher. With the bases loaded Johnson singled in two runs and the big inning was on.
In addition to the return of Johnson, Eli Mathys, and Terry, Coach Mathys also praised the improved play of returning second baseman Jaxon Brandt, who bats in the two hole along with the return of catcher and five-hole hitter Hunter Tucker. “Both Jaxon and Hunter have improved their over-all game a lot in the past year,” said Coach Mathys. “They are very good contact hitters.”
While line-ups can vary these were the starters and where they played in the 14-4 win over Holly Hill Academy. Johnson led off and played first base, followed by Brandt at second. Evan Mathys is the shortstop, and he batted third followed by Terry batting clean-up and on the mound. The number five batter was Tucker the catcher followed by left fielder Eli Mathys batting in the six-hole. Hightower played third base and batted 7th while Gage Risher battered 8th and played in center field. Nathan King played in right field and batted number 9.
The team also has added depth from Tanner Chassereau, Connor Mount, Jaxson Tucker, Grayson Hay, Colton Davis, and Carter Parnell.
The team will next play Jefferson Davis on Friday March 15.
Coach Mathys, who played college baseball at Iowa State, went on to play for a few years in the Yankees farm system after college. He is assisted by Austin Risher, Kip Terry, Kenan Wilcox, and Robbie Williams.
Andy Plamer Coaching AJA Softball Team
The AJA Warriors softball team will be under the direction of AJA athletic director and head football coach Andy Plamer this Spring.
On March 6, the team lost to Holly Hill Academy 12-5 in their season opener.
Sophomore infielder/pitcher Mariya Hiott pitched four innings against the Lady Raiders giving up five hits. Carrigan Moore, CJ Ulmer, and Hiott each collected one hit each to lead the Lady Warriors at the plate.
Moore, Hiott and Ulmer are currently leading the team is batting at .333 each.
Moore is a talented junior catcher and center fielder who plays softball year-round. Last season she batted over .350 with very few errors. She started at catcher and batted number two against Holly Hill.
Ulmer is a starting senior first baseman who can also catch. She batted third in the order against Holly Hill. Nalla Tuten is a sophomore first- year varsity player and she started at second base in the season opener and batted clean-up in the order against Holly Hill. Braelyn Hall is a junior starting at third base and she batted in the 5th slot in game one.
Sophomore Harlo Sease begins her third season on the varsity and she is starting at shortstop and batting in the 6th position. Alex Johnson is a senior starting in left field and she bats seventh in the order. Rounding out the starting unit is junior center fielder Mic Beard starting her fourth season on the varsity and she batted number 8 against Holly Hill along with sophomore Scarlett Mixson who started in right field and batted number 9 versus Holly Hill.
Other members of the team include courtesy runners, freshman Brianna Jacques who also plays in the infield and along with freshman Abby Jacques who can also play in the infield/outfield.
The team will next play at Northside Christian on Friday March 13. They will then play at Jefferson Davis Academy on March, 16 before playing Holly Hill Academy once again away on March, 18.
Coach Palmer is assisted by Jeremy Bessinger, Monica Beard, Bill Johnson, Denise Duncan and Carmen Mixon. The Head of School is Gill Hackney.
