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Experienced Rebels looking to turn around 2024 woes
Q King
Rebels’ player Q King takes a few swings in the batting cage. (Photos by Gilbert Miller/Effingham Herald.)

By Donald Heath

Special for the Effingham Herald

SPRINGFIELD – A year ago, Effingham County’s baseball team, laden with underclassmen, took its lumps during a 10-20 season.

Rebels’ second-year coach Eric McCombie says his players, a year older and wiser, are hoping to dish out some lumps now.

ECHS will have a scrimmage at home against Ware County on Thursday (Feb. 6) before opening the season for real Feb. 12 at Islands.

“Experience is really important in high school baseball,” McCombie said. “I anticipate us taking a step forward with the experience these guys got last year. Talent isn’t going to be an issue.”

ECHS lost only two seniors from the 2024 team so the Rebels should know what to expect. They weren’t too far off last season with seven losses by one run or in extra innings.

Pitching will be key. Senior Wes Ward leads a quartet of starters whose potential is high. Ward, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound righthander, had a team-best 2.56 earned run average while earning second-team all-region honors.

Ward, who is committed to Thomas University, began last year as a reliever before finding his way into the starting rotation.

Dylan Huntley, a 6-4, 195-pound senior, got better as the season went along and now has added a split finger fastball to go with the four-seam.

Junior Ayden Roeser (6-2, 210) and senior Luke Edwards (6-0, 190), expected starters, also throw hard. Roeser could see time in the outfield and first base.

Aidan Garcia, Caleb Swindle and Kyle Thomas will be instrumental coming out of the bullpen.

Will Floyd
Will Floyd tries to make the tagout at second base in an intra-squad scrimmage game.
All four infield starters are back, headed by second baseman Will Floyd, a second-team all-region performer, who turned in a solid season after hitting .271 with 11 runs batted in.

Thomas, a shortstop with excellent range, hit .244.

Garcia, at third, showed a streaky offensive side by starting 2024 with hitting .438 (7 for 16) in his first five games. He had a second five-game hitting streak later in the season before cooling off. 

First baseman Newton Kieffer, a two-year starter, led the Rebels with 18 runs scored.

McCombie said Adam Acel and Noah King will provide backup help in the infield. Acel broke his arm early last season, but returned to hit .368 in 19 at bats.

Karson Thompson, who battled injuries as well, has emerged as a leader behind the plate.

The outfield will be anchored by defensive standout Q King, who struggled offensively at the start of the season (0 for 12) before hitting .254 the rest of the way.

Left fielder Kaleb Pendley earned second-team all-region honors after batting .295 with 10 RBIs.

Ryan Wells, who signed to play football at Army, returns to patrol right field.

Kris Swinney and Swindle add depth. Swinney hit .357 in 28 at bats last season.

“We’re athletic and older so we’ll see how that shakes out,” McCombie said. “We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves. We haven’t proven anything yet. …

“The work ethic has been phenomenal. I’m happy where we are right now, but ultimately you’re not going to be happy until you start winning games.”