GAINESVILLE — Gainesville baseball coach Jeremy Kemp put it very succinctly earlier this week as the Red Elephants prepared to open the Class AAAAA playoffs in Friday's doubleheader against Alexander at Ivey-Watson Field:
“Every good team has to deal with some kind of adversity, something to overcome.”
The 2016 edition of the Red Elephants (22-4, Region 8-AAAAA champions) more than qualifies as a good team, and it certainly has had its share of adversity.
(NOTE: For a complete look at Friday's first round playoff series for area programs scroll down.)
Coming into the season this particular Gainesville team was like none in recent memory. The Red Elephants were coming off a Class AAAAA state runner-up finish to Greenbrier; they were ranked preseason No. 1 in Class AAAAA; and they had one of the state’s best pitchers in LSU-signee Jonathan Gettys.
Expectations were high even before winter practice began despite losing two SEC-signees -- Michael Curry (Georgia) and Caleb Whitenton (South Carolina) -- along with Drew Wright and Brandon Sewell, which constituted more than 75 percent of their offensive production.
As we all know, however, very few things in life go as planned.
The big offensive losses forced Kemp and the Red Elephants to adapt an offensive identity that many Gainesville fans were unfamiliar with in recent times: small ball.
The Red Elephants have hit just 16 home runs in 26 games so far this season, paced by Anthony Carrera’s six in the clean-up spot in the lineup. The 2015 Red Elephants, by comparison, belted 55 home runs.
The 2015 team struck out 203 times. The 2016 squad just 108 times and has drawn 121 walks. Every member of the 2016 team has at least one sacrifice bunt as well.
“We knew we weren’t going to have the power from recent years but we have a lot of guys who battle and make contact and we just tried to put guys in a position to be successful,” Kemp said. “I don’t think a Gainesville team in a long time has been able to say that everybody has a sacrifice. That’s kind of neat.
“These guys put the ball in play and do the little things that they need to do to win games. It’s a different style than we’ve been accustomed too but it’s fun to watch and we’re winning games and that’s what it’s all about.”
Early on Kemp also juggled his lineup and moved players around in the field to find the right combinations. Then midway through the season senior starting shortstop and leadoff hitter Fedrick Cardona injured his non-throwing hand that kept him out of the lineup for nearly two weeks.
Sophomore second baseman Banks Griffith took over the leadoff spot and flourished. In one game against Lanier, Griffith had a double, triple, two RBI and scored two runs in one inning alone.
“Banks has done a great job for us at the top and Fedrick has come back and really fits the No. 2 spot well so it’s worked out for us,” Kemp said.
Cardona, who uses his speed to create havoc on the bases, said he has really enjoyed the new-look offense.
“It's a little more comfortable being able to win games and not have to rely on the home run,” he said. “We've been able to get some strong leads early and then have our pitchers pitch well and that has helped us win.”
But, two weeks ago, just as they were making a push toward a seventh straight region title, Gettys was lost for the season after being dismissed from the team.
“You never like to see something like that happen and it was definitely a big loss. You don’t lose someone with that kind of talent and not be affected,” Kemp said.
But to a man, all the Red Elephants are focused on is what lies ahead, not behind.
Senior pitcher Sam Carpenter (6-1, 1.48 ERA) has taken over the No. 1 starter spot and sophomore Collier Scott (5-0, 0.60 ERA) has stepped into the No. 2 role.
Carpenter and Cardona both said there was some tension that came with the loss of Gettys but that they did the only thing they could do: move on.
“It happened on the weekend and it kind of hung around with us for a few days but we just talked about it for a couple days and that was it,” Carpenter said. “You can't replace a guy like Gettys but you have to have people step up and we did.”
“We just tried not to focus on it and remember that not any one person makes up a team,” Cardona said. “We reminded the younger kids of that and that everyone needed to step up and do their job and if everybody did that then winning would not be a problem.”
They have won seven straight since the loss of Gettys, including knocking off Class AAAAAA playoff team Mountain View on the road in the season finale.
Carpenter, who was not available to play in last year’s run to the championship series after suffering a knee injury late in the basketball season, said he is definitely ready to get going.
“Watching the state championship (series) and not being able to play, that was rough,” he said. “This year I'm just trying to do as much as I can for my team to help us win. It's good to be back this year.”
Cardona said they are also looking past last year's tough finish to the playoffs.
“We don't like looking at what we did last year, we like focusing on today,” he said. “We've tried to put that in the past. We know we're a really good team, and we just need to come out and do what we do.”
Alexander (16-10, No. 4 seed Region 5-AAAAA) offers a challenge to the Red Elephants in the opening round. The Cougars feature nine seniors on a team that was considered an early favorite to win 5-AAAAA before a late four-game losing streak dropped them into fourth place.
“This was supposed to be their year (to go for a region title) with all those senior but for whatever reason things didn't work out for them,” Kemp said. “They were a Sweet 16 team last year and lost in three games to South Effingham and gave them all they could handle. They are a great team and I just hope we can get past them.”
An early playoff exit is not something Carpenter, Cardona, and the rest of the seniors have in mind, however.
“This being the only and last shot that I have, I just can't wait for the opportunity on Friday,” Carpenter said. “We're just trying to take things one game at a time and enjoy the ride.”
“It means everything to me because it's my last chance,” Cardona said. “I got as close as you can get to it last year. Now we're just trying to get one game closer this time. We want to be remembered.”
If they can dupliacte, or even one-up the 2015 team, no one will forget them, that's for sure.
FIRST ROUND STATE BASEBALL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE FOR AREA TEAMS
(All series are a best-of-three format. Game times provided if made available)
Class AAAAAA
North Gwinnett at North Forsyth, 5 p.m. (Game 3, if necessary, Sat., 12 p.m.)
Class AAAAA
Alexander at Gainesville, 4 p.m. (Game 3, if necessary, TBA)
South Paulding at Winder-Barrow, 4 p.m. (Game 3, if necessary, TBA)
Class AAAA
Whitewater at Buford, 4:30 p.m. (Game 3, if necessary, Sat., 2 p.m.)
Carrollton at North Hall, 4 p.m. (Game 3, if necessary, Sat., 1 p.m.)
Class AAA
Adairsville at Dawson County, 4 p.m. (Game 3, if necessary, Sat., 1 p.m.)
West Hall at Calhoun, 4:30 p.m. (Game 3, if necessary, Sat., 12 p.m.)
Banks County at Ringgold, 5 p.m. (Game 3, if necessary, TBA)
Central-Carroll at Jefferson, 5 p.m. (Game 3, if necessary, Sat., 1 p.m.)
Jackson County at Rockmart, 4:30 p.m. (Game 3, if necessary, Sat., 3 p.m.)
Class AA
Manchester at Union County
Rabun County at Bremen, 3 p.m. (Game 3, if necessary, Sat., 5 p.m.)
Class A
Commerce at Taylor County
