Sweetwater baseball played four games in as many days at the Gulf Shores Classic in Gulf Shores, Alabama, picking up one win against stout competition.
The week served not only as a beachside Spring Break for the team but also as a glimpse of what the competition and environment will look like come May.
“In terms of team chemistry, coming down, playing together, making those memories and building trust outside of the field … I think that goes a lot longer way,” Sweetwater coach Travis Watson said. “It certainly helps being on the field. We hung out at the beach and we went here or there, but now it is business time and we can get back at it.”
The Wildcats, now 12-4, battled in all three losses, two of the three by three runs or less, and led in one.
“In high school baseball, you want them to have fun and bond, I think just being away and being together is going to benefit our team,” Watson added. “I really believe they are going to battle for each other and they love each other.”
Sweetwater closed the tournament out with an 11-3 win over Donoho (Ala.) after three consecutive defeats to Robertsdale (Ala.), Pike (Ala.) and Stagg (Ill.). The Wildcats led Robertsdale — a 4A school Watson described as physical — 3-0 after two innings in heavy wind.
“We are a pretty tough group and had to deal with some adversity. We played some good teams down here,” Watson said. “I think some guys learned a lot about themselves in terms of what we have to do to be successful.”
Pike is a team Watson saw similarities to his club in. The Patriots — who won 23 games last season — lost a 2023 quarterfinal series two games to one to the eventual Class 2A AHSAA State Champions Ariton.
Sweetwater tallied one hit in the loss, an RBI double from Blaine Watson to score Kai Correll in the bottom of the seventh.
With the tying run in scoring position, Sweetwater’s chances dwindled. A sacrifice bunt did its job to move Watson to third, but a strikeout on five pitches negated the chance for a tag up.
The game ended on a first-pitch line out one batter later.
Caleb Powell continued to have a strong season in his performance, allowing four hits and zero earned runs through seven innings. The senior struck out four Patriots and walked none.
“Just a few at-bats were the difference. Caleb kept us in it the whole time,” Travis Watson said.
Sweetwater used nine pitchers throughout the week, combining for a team ERA of 3.77, 17 strikeouts and 14 earned runs.
Powell’s 0.00 ERA led the team amongst pitchers who saw more than one inning while Blaine Watson followed with a 1.40 and Correll’s 1.62. Powell and Correll led Sweetwater with four strikeouts each.
Facing 14 batters, Tucker Lorenz was the only pitcher to appear in more than one game.
“We are kind of figuring out roles. We kind of knew who our closer would be going into the year and that has not really changed,” Travis Watson said. “We are also trying to get some guys some innings as well. That has been really helpful.
“Kind of halfway through the season moving forward, we are a little more aware of where we can put these guys moving forward.”
As a team, Sweetwater totaled 20 hits, 17 RBIs and batted .220.
Lorenz led Sweetwater with a .462 ERA and six hits. Correll, who batted .400, added four while Nolan Dacus and Blaine Watson tallied three apiece.
“We have to be a little tougher at the plate. We have to eliminate strikeouts and we have to make the routine plays. When we play somebody that has a really good baseball team, just a couple of mistakes could cost us the game,” Travis Watson said. “I hope we have benefited from seeing that. Any time you play someone that is probably overall more talented, you can afford to make a lot of mistakes. I think we will learn from it and will try to limit those mistakes.”
The bats opened up in the bottom of the third inning against Donoho. Lorenz and Watson got on board, setting up Cade Houser’s RBI double to take the lead 3-2.
Watson extended the advantage off a wild pitch one batter later.
Sweetwater loaded the bases in the next frame off Donoho mistakes, setting up Powell to score off a wild pitch and Watson’s fly ball to score Lorenz.
Dacus’ single in the fifth inning scored Jayden Richesin, pushing Sweetwater ahead 8-3 before Burgess scored off a wild pitch. Lorenz added two more runs two batters later, singling into center field and scoring Watson and Lucas Rockholt.
During the three-inning surge, Sweetwater outhit Donoho 6-0.
“Any time you play teams that are very good in a tournament situation it is going to help you figure out your team,” Watson said. “It is going to help guys understand this is the type of pitcher we are going to have to face if we go where we want to go in the year.”
Sweetwater’s scheduling throughout the week was slightly more open than last season’s week in the state tournament. The Wildcats had March 26 off from playing games, while last May saw the program play four times in three days.
“We played some good teams and, hopefully in three weeks, our younger guys are playing with more confidence,” Watson added. “The speed of the game was fast. I think, going back home, that is going to benefit.”
In the weekend’s return trip home, Sweetwater scored 12 runs off 12 hits, downing Whitwell by six runs at Lookout Valley High School.
Cooper Davies tallied three strikeouts in the win while freshmen Burgess and Dacus led Sweetwater with three RBIs each.
“We appreciate the parents’ support and bringing the boys down. They have been supportive and went out of their way financially to make the trip,” Watson added. “I hope they enjoyed it and had a good time.”
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