The Craig County baseball team saw their season come to an end last week with a loss to Bath County in the first round of the Pioneer District tournament. The Rockets dropped a 15-5 game to the Chargers in Hot Springs.
“We put ourselves in an early hole we couldn’t get out of,” said coach Jamie Mick. “We struggled to get out of tough jams in the field and the bats came around too late. We showed late life, putting up three runs in the fifth, but it was too late for us to come around.”
That was pretty much the story of this year’s season. The Rockets were winless in 14 games but battled to the end every time out. Things just didn’t go their way.
“While we didn’t get the outcomes we wanted this group grew tremendously,” said first year coach Mick. “The progress we saw in their individual skills, understanding of the game and resilience was incredible. People may not have seen the strides we made on paper, but we saw it every week in how we executed, how we competed, and how our players responded to adversity.”
The Rockets didn’t win on the scoreboard but had a rewarding experience on the diamond none the less.
“This team developed a strong bond that can’t be measured in wins and losses,” said Mick. “They had each other’s backs, stayed positive, and created a foundation of trust and teamwork that future teams will build on.”
Craig will graduate six seniors, including Jaycob Wolfe, Cameron Huffman, Isaiah Wente, Isaac Lucas, Josh Craft and Garris Shoemaker-Tusing.
“Our seniors showed great leadership,” said Mick. “They kept the team focused and motivated, even through tough stretches, and they set a great example for the underclassmen to grow on. This season laid the groundwork. These kids now have experience under their belt, and we have a clear direction moving forward. I’m excited about what’s to come.”
Despite a disappointing season in the win-loss column the New Castle community backed the team and kept cheering.
“We’re grateful to our school, families, and fans who stood by us through a tough season,” said Mick. “That support made a huge difference in keeping these young athletes motivated. Special thanks to our athletic director, Carrie Hutton, for everything she did to make sure these kids had a baseball season to begin with, and all the help along the way to help get me accustomed in my first year head coaching. I also would like to thank my assistant coaches, Roland Donithan and JP Huffman. I don’t know what I would’ve done without them this year and the time they put in to help this team did not go unnoticed.”
