2007

Holliman lB

kid and for a stretch there, he couldn't do anything •rong." As the Warriors dug themselves out of their early hole, they qualified for the state tournament, which they swept through, beating nationally ranked Gulf Coast and Meridian along the way. "I've been involved in a lot of baseball but I don't think I've been involved in anything like the state t ournament, " Holliman said. '"I know some people won't understand this but I'm telling you the hand of the Lord was on that team. There are some things that happened that's just hard to explain." Holliman said there were several players that stepped up during the sea– son. "Terrell Hed.rix started for us the last three-quar– ters of the year in center field and ended up hitting over .400," Holliman said. "'Josh Denson was Mr. Consistency for us out of the pen. Those guys stand out but there were so many of them. We really had a team where it took everybody." With junior college base– ball, you never know what the next year bring. But at this point, things are look– ing up for the Warrior baseball program. "We should have a tal– ented group in here next year." Holliman said. "Tal· ent is good but how much

are you willing to put out. Those are the things that are unmatched. l'\·e seen teams with 12·1 draft guys that couldn"t get out o their conference tourna– ment. They didn't have 'it.' I feel good about the recruits we\·e landed o fa1~ It's easy to look at' the program now a nd be excH· ed but I appreciate the guys like Tyler ~ichob out of Neshoba Cenrral who signed with us the first day. He committed on our first visit in Januacy. It makes you appreciated the guys who want to be a pan of it." Holliman said he v.ill have both o his assbtam coaches back next ~ear. Michael Avalon \\a.. recently hired full-tune at the school after spe"nding all of last year in a part· time position. Also coming back is Roberto Martinez who will be a volunteer assistant while he IS 1.. m– pleting his masters at\~ ·e.... t Alabama. "The board just approved adding ~Iichael as a full-time assistant."' Holliman said. '"I think that says something about him, that • the administration like what they saw. "I think it's important to keep a staff together as long as possible. There's something to be said about having continuity on a coaching staff, espe– cially in junior college baseball."

Holliman con– essed ·ou can:t beat the p \\e beat m eu. last th and half of the sea· son and not execute in the --:ey m of tbe ~arne and tilafs \\""hai. we did. £\·ery lxxh· understood their roll. accepted and understood n Hollunan pomts to two kev thin\:!~ that tw·ned around the Warriors sea– son. The first was getting ~wept by Meridian. "\\e were playing really well "hen we got swept by feridian and didn't feel like we put forth our best effort.·· Holliman said. 'That w... s the low-point for us. fl e 1ext week. we went and swept Hinds which was huge. 'v\'e put oursel\'es in great oosition ith that 5\\ eer .. · But the biggest thing came from a simple lineup switch. ''But real!~: I think the turning p dnt of the entire sea~:1 "ctS when we put Jordan Robmson in the two-hole in the lmeup," Holliman said. "'\Vhen we put him there, it \\as like we couldn't do anything wrong. That's when we started to get hot and start· ed winning games. And when he broke his wrist, we put Jacob Casey in the two-hole and never missed a ·beat. Jordan is an ANo. 1

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