With eight starters returning from this season’s team for 2022, Swain baseball coach Tyler Shuler’s message to his team was clear: a .500 record won’t cut it again next season.
The Devils finished the 2021 season on a three-game winning streak to finish 7-7. Despite his belief that the team underachieved, Shuler was pleased that they regained some semblance of momentum over the final three games.
“It was nice not to leave with such a bitter taste in our mouth to finish the season, and it was nice to send our seniors out on a high note,” said Shuler.
Swain hosted Hiwassee Dam for a double header last Wednesday, taking the first game 9-4 and the second 2-1. Rain caused a stoppage in play two innings into the first game.
Both teams went into the gym while Shuler and his coaching staff rolled a tarp out over the field to protect any chance of resuming play later in the afternoon. The rain did eventually lift, but the stoppage affected both teams, particularly in the second game.
“Both teams were tired,” said Shuler. “Given what we had to deal with the weather and getting the tarp out any everything, it was like slow motion. Nothing looked crisp from either side.
“The bats didn’t look good, but we were able to play good enough defense and scratch two across and hold on.”
Gabe Lillard scored two of the team’s nine runs in the first game, and senior Damian Lossiah recorded a triple and two RBIs. Cooper Hyatt and Lillard scored the two Swain runs in the second game, with Freshman Carter Hayes notching an RBI.
The Devils capped the season with a 12-2 drubbing of Andrews on Friday. Lillard finished the afternoon with three hits and a pair of RBIs. Lossiah finished with two hits of his own, as did Cooper Hyatt.
“Gabe Lillard did a great job at the plate in all of those games,” Shuler said. “Carson Taylor did a solid job at the plate and on the mound. Charlie Collins threw really well for us.”
Despite the uptick to finish the season, Shuler said he has made it clear to his returners that the expectations will be higher next year. They will have to earn every win, and another .500 season won’t fly.
“Don’t stand on their past successes and think that ‘In middle school we did this,’” he said of his culminating message to his 2021 team. “Everyone is continually evolving, and that’s what they have to do. They have to find their way to carry over what we do so well in practice into a game situation. Don’t be mental midgets, don’t let the game overtake you. I told this group coming back that physically, it’s there, but stat-wise, we can’t rely on dour people to carry our team. Everybody has got to pull their weight.”