By JOSH FRYE
News Sports Writer
Escambia County High’s varsity baseball team is gearing up for the county tournament, which the school will host and which began Tuesday and continues through Friday.
New ECHS head baseball coach Kasuan Bullard said the Blue Devils have been hard at work over the past several weeks in anticipation of their appearance in the tournament.
“The kids have been working really hard and they are ready to see their hard work pay off,” Bullard said. “I am very impressed with the younger guys. They have been making some great plays in scrimmage and practice. I ask fundamental play and they give me more than that. They have been working hard and are ready to offer competition.”
The Blue Devils have been working on pitching depth and batting over the past few weeks and are confident they will help bring excitement back to the game for ECHS and Atmore.
“Our fielding is really good, and we have been working on hitting,” said Bullard. “It has been coming along and improving. Pitching depth is going to be key in the game, as the rules have changed slightly.”
Bullard comes to ECHS from the Mobile area and is excited to get his first game under his belt as the new Blue Devils head coach.
“The kids are not alone in excitement and nervousness,” he said. “This is all new to me in this area, and I am just as nervous as they are right now. We are all ready to play and offer an exciting baseball experience for the community.”
Weather will play a factor in this week’s games, as rain is forecast to move in and out of the area.
“It will be interesting to see how the weather affects the guys’ play,” said Bullard. “It’s something that I have not seen yet in the team, and I am looking forward to seeing how they can perform with the elements.”
The game schedule for the county tournament is as follows:
*Tuesday, February 19, 4 p.m. — W.S. Neal vs ECHS
*Tuesday, February 19, 6 p.m. — T.R. Miller vs Flomaton
*Thursday, February 21, 4 p.m. — Flomaton vs W.S. Neal
*Thursday, February 21, 6 p.m. — ECHS vs T.R. Miller
*Friday, February 22, 4 p.m. — W.S. Neal vs T.R. Miller
*Friday, February 22, 6 p.m. — Flomaton vs ECHS