Young Emerald Baseball Team Focused On Steady Growth This Season
By Billy G. Baker
Publisher
Greenwood—Emerald athletic director Mack Hite is also the head baseball coach at the school and after six games of the young 2025 season the Vikings are 3-3 and working hard every day to improve.
“With realignment this year we are probably in the toughest AAAA baseball region in the state having to compete with teams like Laurens, Westside, Fountain Inn, and Wren,” said Coach Hite. “Those teams are heavy senior dominated and they all had a lot of players returning.
“We are very young with only three seniors on our roster,” said Coach Hite. “Our real goal this season is to the best version of our work ethic and dedicate ourselves to the game with each and every practice, and with each and every game. We will continue to build our baseball program though dedication and hard work.”
The Viking’s three wins have come over Ninety-Six (10-7), Clinton (5-2) and Silver Bluff (4-2). Their losses were against Ninety-Six in their first meeting (7-4), Mid-Carolina (4-2) and Ware Shoals (11-8).
“Being a young team, I feel like we have to learn how to win, and how to battle through adversity that is a vital challenge in the game of baseball,” said coach Hite. “We have already had some crazy things happen to us in some games this season and we just need to be mentally tough and battle through it.
“I love my group of guys,” said Coach Hite. “They are giving it all they got in every game. Winning breeds confidence and we just need to get over the hump, and once we do, we will be a vastly improved team playing in a very competitive conference.”
The big stick in the line-up so far this season has been sophomore Finn Howard who bats in the five-hole. Howard is hitting .500 with two RBI’s and he has an impressive .688 on base percentage. On the bump, Howard has worked 14.1 innings with 16 strike-outs and he has a 1.95 ERA.
“Finn has always been a great pitcher, and a great defender and this season he has become a very strong hitter as well,” said Coach Hite. “He throws a ton of strikes on the mound. He has been our rock so far this season.”
Only 12 per cent of our population are left-handed so having a lefty pitcher like senior Tucker Meredith is a true blessing. “He is committed to playing baseball at Presbyterian College and I feel like when he is on the mound, we have a chance to win, regardless of who the opponent might be,” said Coach Hite. “He had 83 strike-outs last seasons when he earned all-region and all-state honors. He is tough to hit.”
Thus far in the season Meredith has pitched 8.2 innings with an incredible 21 strike-outs. He also has an impressive 0.81 ERA. He bats clean-up and has a .308 average with three doubles after six games.
Freshman outfielder Coleson Marino bats in the three slot and he is hitting .421 with a home run and four RBI’s.
Three-sport varsity athlete Beau Hite is the team’s starting shortstop and he has been on the varsity since the 7th grade when he batted .302 with four doubles. Hite is currently bating .286 with two doubles and two stolen bases.
“Beau just loves competitive sports and he loves anything associated with a ball,” said Coach Hite. “He would play soccer if he could figure out how to play two sports in the same season.
“Beau gives you everything he has and he is a great teammate whether he is the quarterback of the football team, a guard on the basketball team are the shortstop on our baseball team,” said Coach Hite. “He is also an excellent pitcher but he is coming back from labrum surgery and we are taking it slow with him. He has pitched bull-pen and we hope to have him on the mound later in the season.”
Sophomore catcher Eli Swancey is a three- year starter behind the plate and he is batting .333 with three RBI’s and a .467 on base percentage. Senior Aaron Polly bats in the sixth hole and he has three RBI’s and three doubles to his credit right now. “Aaron has a strong desire to play in college somewhere next season,” said Coach Hite.
Seventh grader Holden Syron is starting in right field and he will be putting up some power numbers in the future, according to his coach. Junior Peyton Gillespie starts at second base and he is a good defender who is just getting back from an injury this season. Senior Cody Scott bats in the 9th slot and he has good defensive skills and tuns well.
The team’s number three pitcher is sophomore Thomas Hodges. Some key reserves on the team include junior Colton Knight who plays first base. Freshman Ethan Metts is a pitcher/outfielder who can throw strikes. Seventh grader Bradley Cobb is a pinch runner.
For the rest of March, the Vikings are scheduled to play Wren is a three-game region series on March, 17, 19, 21. The Vikings host the first and third games. Then they take to the coast for a game at Andrews on the 22nd before playing at Georgetown the next day.
They close out the month with a three series against Laurens starting at home on the 31st.
Coach Hite is assisted by Ryan Flores and former USC baseball player Aric Hempy.
