Mitchell’s Justin Greene.
Mitchell’s Justin Burleson.
LEDGER – Pitchers looking to get through the top of Mitchell’s lineup have to sidestep some big landmines.
The Mountaineers (9-7, 7-3) have proven that they are as good as any baseball team in the Western Highlands 1-A/2-A on a given day – as evidenced by their home-and-away sweep of conference leader Madison (15-7, 9-2).
For Mitchell, it starts with the 1-2-3 punch of leadoff Justin Burleson (.466), Luke Tipton (.446) and Justin Greene (.533).
Greene and Tipton were N.C. Baseball Coaches Association all-state selections in 2015.
“If there are any moral victories, it’s that we have beaten Madison twice,” Mitchell coach Bradley Jones said.
“We only lost one starter off our (2015 team that was a WHC runner-up). If we can win out, we have a chance to equal that.”
Jones was last year’s Citizen-Times All-WNC Coach of the Year after his team went 12-8 overall and reached the second round of the NCHSAA 1-A playoffs.
Justin Greene.
Greene, who is pitcher/shortstop/third baseman, has led the mountains in batting average for several weeks now.
Greene explained his approach.
“I sit and wait and stay relaxed. The worst thing you can do is get nervous because it changes everything,” Greene said.
“We’re feeling pretty good as a team right now. The spirits are high and with a lot of motivation. (Friday’s 4-1 home win over Madison) was a good boost for the playoffs. We needed to win a game like that. It shows us that if we hit the ball well, and don’t make any errors, we can be a really good team.”
Other leading hitters for the Mountaineers are Trystan Jenkins (.333), Ben Young (.315) and Jason Burleson (.300).
More on this story to come…
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