The 2023 high school baseball season is quickly approaching and as usual, excitement abounds throughout the state. Players and coaches have been working in preparation for the upcoming season and, as is the case each year, there are some very talented players and teams across Mississippi.

Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons in Pearl, MS at Trustmark Park as they compete for a state championship, but there is plenty of work to be done before that becomes reality. We hope to familiarize our readers with many of the teams across the state as we preview individual teams across Mississippi. We will take you right up to first pitch this season with these team previews and by continuing other pieces of content covering the Magnolia State.

Please keep checking back throughout the season as we will be your one-stop shop for everything related to high school baseball across the state. Each week we will be releasing our players of the week, updating the Top 10 in each MHSAA classification as well as a Power 25. 

*Please note that all information is based on team preview questionnaires that were sent out and returned by the participating high school coaches.

High School Name: Columbia Academy High School 

Coach’s Name: Keith Stanley  

Classification: MAIS Class 5A 

2022 Record: 18-11

District Number: District 4 

No. of Returning Positional Starters: 7 

No. of Returning Pitchers: 6 

Team Strengths: Depth on the mound

Top Returning Players: 

• LHP/OF Holton Hartzog
• C Holdyn Sandifer
• 1B/DH Zach Lowery
• RHP/INF Owen Simmons
• UTL Logan Buckley
• RHP/OF Roman Lawrence

Team Outlook: 

Columbia Academy head coach Keith Stanley returns 7 positional starters and 6 pitchers from last season's 18-11 squad that included a 2nd round appearance in the 5A MAIS State Playoffs. With plenty of depth on the mound, Stanley feels confident with handing the ball overl to several arms in big moments this coming spring which should give them a great opportunity for a deeper run in 2023.

Seniors leading the push this spring include Holton Hartzog (OF/LHP), Holdyn Sandifer (C), and Zach Lowery (1B/DH). Hartzog returns a team leading 6 wins to the mound and will look to become a catalyst on offense as he moves into the leadoff spot, while Sandifer and Lowery will be once again be expected to produce runs from the middle of the order. 

The Cougars will rely on a very solid group of underclassmen that include sophomore Owen Simmons (INF/RHP), and two freshmen Logan Buckley (OF/1B/LHP) and Roman Lawrence (OF/RHP). Simmons will be looking to contribute on both sides of the ball after a very solid freshman season. Buckley and Lawrence are two of the top freshman in the state on the mound and Coach Stanley hopes they pick up right where they left off last season. 

It's shaping up to be a fun and competitive year in Columbia. 

 

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