PalmettoPreps.com caught up with AC Flora head coach Andy Hallett in advance of the start of his team's season; the Falcons are nationally ranked in the preseason.
Hallett has several returners from last season's young team that his staff is excited about...
"Willis Bethea, outfield/pitcher. He's moving to lead-off and falls into the rotation. He's our pseudo number two starter. He hit .375 last year as a junior.
Shortstop Leighton Long, a junior this year. Hit .393 last year, hit in the two hole. We’re real excited about him.Baker Cox is a plus defender at first. Henry Mills will bat cleanup, first baseman, third base, left field, a utility guy.
Harmon Cox will move from third to second and bat fifth and be the closer, a sophomore. Sophomore infielder is Wallace Truluck; 6’1, 205, left-hander. We have a new junior starting center fielder in Tanner Bethea. He's a plus runner, good glove, excited about him in the preseason.
The catching job is up for battle between Phillips Daniels who’s an 8th grader, Max Childress who’s ninth grade, and Jack Stokes who’s in 11th grade. All are getting a pretty good look.
Relief arms, we're excited about Elliott Thompson, who also plays first. Luke Marriner who’s a junior and pitched varsity games last year.
Key defections for this season...
We lost our two fastest guys in Coleman Pope and Lane Botkin, so we’ll lose a little team speed but every year someone graduates.
On AC Flora's region competition...
"We always expect Chapin to be good, they’re always going to be good. They're kind of a mirror image of AC Flora when it comes to student body and Scott does a good job getting his guys ready to play.
We have the district rival with Dreher. There is always a lot more at stake than just a baseball game. That’s always a game that’s pretty stiff."
Hallett has several returners from last season's young team that his staff is excited about...
"Willis Bethea, outfield/pitcher. He's moving to lead-off and falls into the rotation. He's our pseudo number two starter. He hit .375 last year as a junior.
Shortstop Leighton Long, a junior this year. Hit .393 last year, hit in the two hole. We’re real excited about him.Baker Cox is a plus defender at first. Henry Mills will bat cleanup, first baseman, third base, left field, a utility guy.
Harmon Cox will move from third to second and bat fifth and be the closer, a sophomore. Sophomore infielder is Wallace Truluck; 6’1, 205, left-hander. We have a new junior starting center fielder in Tanner Bethea. He's a plus runner, good glove, excited about him in the preseason.
The catching job is up for battle between Phillips Daniels who’s an 8th grader, Max Childress who’s ninth grade, and Jack Stokes who’s in 11th grade. All are getting a pretty good look.
Relief arms, we're excited about Elliott Thompson, who also plays first. Luke Marriner who’s a junior and pitched varsity games last year.
Key defections for this season...
We lost our two fastest guys in Coleman Pope and Lane Botkin, so we’ll lose a little team speed but every year someone graduates.
On AC Flora's region competition...
"We always expect Chapin to be good, they’re always going to be good. They're kind of a mirror image of AC Flora when it comes to student body and Scott does a good job getting his guys ready to play.
We have the district rival with Dreher. There is always a lot more at stake than just a baseball game. That’s always a game that’s pretty stiff."
