2015 RECORDS
VARSITY - (6-5)
JV - (3-8)
9th - (1-8)
JV - (3-8)
9th - (1-8)
VARSITY RECAPS
Dothan 13, Rehobeth 3: With several players in slumps and his team generally struggling, Dothan head coach Jared Smith had a long practice and a long conversation with his team on Sunday. In addition, Smith decided to change around the batting order. Whether it was the long practice, long conversation or the line-up changes, something worked. The Tiger offense erupted for 12 hits and 13 runs Tuesday in earning a 13-3 win in five innings over Rehobeth at Pitman Field.
“We hadn’t been playing well, but today our guys brought the energy and effort we needed to play well and compete with a team like Rehobeth,” Smith said. “On Saturday, we played really poor against Baldwin County and G.W. Long. We were lucky enough to get a win against Baldwin County. Our guys didn’t want to be there that day for whatever reason. “Today, we put pressure on from pitch one. We scored in every inning. It wasn’t perfect, but it was by far our best game that we have played this year. I knew they had the potential to do it. “They have been going through the motions a little bit. So on Sunday we had a four-hour practice. We hadn’t practiced on Sunday all year. It was about a two-and-half hour practice and an hour –and-half meeting plus some conditioning to try and get their attention.”
Smith also instituted some line-up changes, pushing lead-off hitter Jay Jordan down to No. 6 and moving up Matt Parker to the lead-off spot and Reid Agrella from clean-up to No. 2 among other changes. At least for one day, the changes – and the Sunday practice – appeared to spark Dothan (6-5). All nine Tigers reached base on Tuesday with seven earning hits. Alex Arriaga led the attack, going 3-for-3 with two runs batted in. Agrella, Bubba McDaniel and Blake Jones all had two hits with McDaniel and Jones driving in two runs each and Agrella one. Jones hit the Tigers’ first home run of the season with a solo shot to left in the first inning.
Jordan was 1-for-2, but stole two bases and scored three times as he also reached on an error and walked. Christian Hughey had a RBI double and a walk and Parker singled and also reached via a walk. Nick Kellenberger reached on a walk and drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and Josh Ryle was hit by a pitch twice and scored once. The Tiger offense did it with the long ball and small ball. Six of the 12 hits went for extra bases – five doubles and a home run – and Dothan also had two sacrifice bunts plus a bunt single for a RBI. It was more than enough for Agrella, which was effective on the mound. He scattered six hits in five innings, allowing more than one in just one inning. He struck out six and walked and hit one each. The Tiger defense, meanwhile, played flawless around him.
“They have got a veteran squad over there,” Rehobeth head coach Matt Ream said. “They have started a lot of games at Dothan High. They definitely came in ready to play and they did a great job at the plate. Reid did a great job on the mound for them and their defense played great too. Anytime you get that kind of pitching performance and those kinds of things at the plate and on defense, you will win a lot of ball games. “Unfortunately we didn’t get that type play on defense and on the mound that I usually expect and I am used to. I thought we hit the ball OK, but we didn’t do the things we needed to do to score enough runs and keep them down.”
Rehobeth (6-2) used three pitchers who combined to allow the 12 hits and also walk five and hit two. Defensively, the Rebels committed five errors and also misplayed a fly ball. Dothan struck quickly, scoring four in the bottom of the first to take control. Parker singled to open the inning then Agrella delivered a perfect hit-and-run double to the right-center field gap. Parker scored on the hit, making it 1-0. Nick Mills, a courtesy runner for Agrella, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a McDaniel ground out. Jones then unloaded his homer on a 1-2 pitch, which cleared the left field wall to make it 3-0.
“That is the first one in his life,” Smith said. “I asked him if that was his first in high school and he said, ‘That is my first home run ever.’ I said in high school? And he said ‘Never.’ That is his first ball to ever leave. He has never hit one in practice that I remember in BP. He got on that one. He hit it well.”
Jordan then hit a grounder to the second baseman, who bobbled it and the speedy Jordan reached. Arriaga then doubled down the left-field line to score Jordan for a 4-0 lead. Rehobeth pushed one across in the top of the second as Wyatt Browning walked, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single up the middle by Hunter Powers. Dothan matched that in the bottom half as Ryle was hit by a pitch to open the inning and scored when Agrella’s long fly ball to deep center was misplayed into a RBI double. Rehobeth threatened to make a game of it in the third, bringing the tying run to the plate. With one out, Colton Knight was hit by a pitch and Ben Holloway singled. After a strikeout, Logan Palmer singled in the shortstop hole to drive in Knight to make it 5-2 and put runners at the first and second with two outs. Agrella went 3-2 on Browning, but the Tiger hurler earned a strikeout on a hard high fastball to snuff out the threat. Dothan then began to pull away, scoring two in the third and three in the fourth to build a 10-2 advantage.
“In the past, we would score four runs and we would be good with that until we look up in the sixth and it is 4-2 or 4-4,” Smith said. “The whole game we were trying to preach, ‘Keep the foot on the pedal’ and ‘Keep the pressure on them.’ They did a good job of that.” In the third, McDaniel earned a high-bouncing single in the infield and he moved to third on a Jones sacrifice and a balk by Rehobeth’s pitcher. After a walk to Jordan, Arriaga laid down a perfect bunt single to the first base side, bringing home McDaniel. Hughey followed with a RBI double to deep left, making it 7-2. An inning later, McDaniel laced a one-out double and scored on a Jones single to left. Jones moved up on a bad pickoff throw by the catcher and a wild pitch then scored on a Jordan soft liner to left. Arriaga singled to left to put runners at the corners. He then stole second and as he did Rehobeth’s catcher threw down to third to try and get Jordan, but the throw sailed into left field, allowing Jordan to score. The Rebels scored once in the top of the fifth as Holloway, who led Rehobeth’s offense with two hits, singled and came around to score off two wild pitches and a balk. Dothan, though, scored three in the bottom of the fifth to end it on the 10-run mercy rule. Consecutive walks to Parker, Agrella and Kellenberger opened the inning. A missed fly ball in right allowed two runs to score and a throwing error after a sacrifice bunt allowed the final run to score.
G.W. Long 5, Dothan 2: Against G.W. Long, Jordan pitched four innings and gave up just one hit and three runs, one earned. Bubba McDaniel and Parker both pitched one inning. McDaniel, Agrella and Josh Ryle had the Tigers’ three hits. Nick Kellenberger and Arriaga scored Dothan’s two run. Parker had an RBI.
Dothan 1, Baldwin County 0: Matt Parker ripped a double down the left-field line scoring Austin Deloney with the game’s only run in the Tigers’ victory over Baldwin County in eight innings. Tigers starter Blake Jones took a no-hitter in the top of the seventh inning but gave up one single with two outs. Jones struck out eight. Jay Jordan pitched the eighth and earned the victory. Parker went 2-for-4 and stole two bases. Jay Jordan had a double. Reid Agrella and Alex Arriaga each had a hit.
Dothan 4-12, Providence Christian 2-2: Alex Arriaga held the Eagles to two unearned runs then drove in two runs at the plate to help the Tigers earn a victory in the first contest. Reid Agrella and Christian Hughel had two hits and two runs scored each in the first game. In the second game, Blake Jones drove in three runs and scored twice to help the Tigers complete the sweep. Bubba McDaniel and Nick Kellenberger each drove in two runs, with McDaniel tallying a double amongst his three hits. Josh Ryle and Agrella each doubled and drove in a run. Matt Parker doubled and scored twice for Dothan. Parker earned the win on the mound, scattering three hits and striking out five in six innings of work.
Charles Henderson 3, Dothan 2: At the Terry Sikes Memorial Tournament, Dothan led 2-0 after two innings, but Charles Henderson scored three in the third and made it stand. The Trojans had only two hits – a single by Jason Fleming and Nick Lewis in the third. Chase Smartt had a RBI on a bases loaded walk. Errors scored the other runs. Blake Jones pitched a complete game two hitter for Dothan, allowing only one earned run. He struck out seven and walked three. Cole Wilson was the winning pitcher for CHHS, scattering nine hits and two runs over six innings. He struck out three. Chase Hartley pitched the seventh for a save, giving up one hit. For Dothan, Nick Kellenberger was 2-for-3 with a double, Reid Agrella was also 2-for-3, while Matt Parker was 2-for-4 with a RBI single. Christian Colbert also had a RBI single for DHS (2-4).
Dothan 18, Goshen 5: At the Terry Sikes Memorial Tournament, the Tigers scored in every inning but the second in the six-inning win, including five in the first and six in the fifth. Blake Jones was 3-for-4 with a double, four runs scored, three stolen bases and a RBI. Bubba McDaniel was 3-for-5 with one RBI, Alex Arriaga 2-for-4 with a RBI and Matt Parker 2-for-5 with a RBI. Parker was the winning pitcher, giving up three hits and three runs over four innings. He struck out eight. Christian Colbert pitched the last two innings, giving up two hits and two runs.
Northridge 1, Dothan 0: In the second game, Reid Agrella pitched eight innings of no-hit baseball. He hit a batter, walked two and struck out 14. Carter Harrison got the second of two hits for Northridge in the top of the ninth, which was the game’s only run. Bubba McDaniel took the loss. McDaniel also led Dothan with two hits, including a double. Christian Hughey was 1-for-4 with a stolen base. Nick Kellenberger added a hit for the Tigers (1-3).
Walker 6, Dothan 0: In the first game, Agrella broke up a no-hit bid with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Walker scored five runs on just two hits in the second inning and added a run in the fifth. Jay Jordan pitched five innings and took the loss, giving up four hits and six earned runs. Ryan Rankin pitched the last inning for the Tigers.
Dothan 6, Enterprise 2: Dothan scored two in the bottom of the fifth and one in the bottom of the sixth to pull away from Enterprise 6-2 in action at LBW College in Andalusia. Blake Jones picked up the win for Dothan, scattering give hits and two earned runs over 4 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked four. Bubba McDaniel picked up a save, working 2 1/3 innings. He allowed just one hit and one walk, while striking out one. Offensively, Matt Parker was 2-for-3 with a triple and two runs batted in. Jones and Nick Kellenberger were both 2-for-3 and McDaniel was 2-for-4 with a double and one RBI. Reid Agrella and Austin Deloney both had a hit and RBI. For Enterprise, Brody Wynne and Brendan Donovan were both 1-for-2, while Christian Davis and Dustin Jordan were 1-for-3 and 1-for-4 with both earning a double.
Charles Henderson 14, Dothan 4: DeAndre Pitts had three hits, including a home run, and two RBIs for the Trojans, while Cole Wilson also homered and drove in three runs. Nick Lewis picked up three hits with an RBI. Austin Ingram was the winning pitcher, scattering six hits over five innings with four strikeouts. For the Tigers, Jay Jordan went 2-for-2 with a triple and double, while Reid Agrella was 2-for-2 with two RBIs, Blake Jones doubled and Matt Parker singled.
“We hadn’t been playing well, but today our guys brought the energy and effort we needed to play well and compete with a team like Rehobeth,” Smith said. “On Saturday, we played really poor against Baldwin County and G.W. Long. We were lucky enough to get a win against Baldwin County. Our guys didn’t want to be there that day for whatever reason. “Today, we put pressure on from pitch one. We scored in every inning. It wasn’t perfect, but it was by far our best game that we have played this year. I knew they had the potential to do it. “They have been going through the motions a little bit. So on Sunday we had a four-hour practice. We hadn’t practiced on Sunday all year. It was about a two-and-half hour practice and an hour –and-half meeting plus some conditioning to try and get their attention.”
Smith also instituted some line-up changes, pushing lead-off hitter Jay Jordan down to No. 6 and moving up Matt Parker to the lead-off spot and Reid Agrella from clean-up to No. 2 among other changes. At least for one day, the changes – and the Sunday practice – appeared to spark Dothan (6-5). All nine Tigers reached base on Tuesday with seven earning hits. Alex Arriaga led the attack, going 3-for-3 with two runs batted in. Agrella, Bubba McDaniel and Blake Jones all had two hits with McDaniel and Jones driving in two runs each and Agrella one. Jones hit the Tigers’ first home run of the season with a solo shot to left in the first inning.
Jordan was 1-for-2, but stole two bases and scored three times as he also reached on an error and walked. Christian Hughey had a RBI double and a walk and Parker singled and also reached via a walk. Nick Kellenberger reached on a walk and drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and Josh Ryle was hit by a pitch twice and scored once. The Tiger offense did it with the long ball and small ball. Six of the 12 hits went for extra bases – five doubles and a home run – and Dothan also had two sacrifice bunts plus a bunt single for a RBI. It was more than enough for Agrella, which was effective on the mound. He scattered six hits in five innings, allowing more than one in just one inning. He struck out six and walked and hit one each. The Tiger defense, meanwhile, played flawless around him.
“They have got a veteran squad over there,” Rehobeth head coach Matt Ream said. “They have started a lot of games at Dothan High. They definitely came in ready to play and they did a great job at the plate. Reid did a great job on the mound for them and their defense played great too. Anytime you get that kind of pitching performance and those kinds of things at the plate and on defense, you will win a lot of ball games. “Unfortunately we didn’t get that type play on defense and on the mound that I usually expect and I am used to. I thought we hit the ball OK, but we didn’t do the things we needed to do to score enough runs and keep them down.”
Rehobeth (6-2) used three pitchers who combined to allow the 12 hits and also walk five and hit two. Defensively, the Rebels committed five errors and also misplayed a fly ball. Dothan struck quickly, scoring four in the bottom of the first to take control. Parker singled to open the inning then Agrella delivered a perfect hit-and-run double to the right-center field gap. Parker scored on the hit, making it 1-0. Nick Mills, a courtesy runner for Agrella, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a McDaniel ground out. Jones then unloaded his homer on a 1-2 pitch, which cleared the left field wall to make it 3-0.
“That is the first one in his life,” Smith said. “I asked him if that was his first in high school and he said, ‘That is my first home run ever.’ I said in high school? And he said ‘Never.’ That is his first ball to ever leave. He has never hit one in practice that I remember in BP. He got on that one. He hit it well.”
Jordan then hit a grounder to the second baseman, who bobbled it and the speedy Jordan reached. Arriaga then doubled down the left-field line to score Jordan for a 4-0 lead. Rehobeth pushed one across in the top of the second as Wyatt Browning walked, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single up the middle by Hunter Powers. Dothan matched that in the bottom half as Ryle was hit by a pitch to open the inning and scored when Agrella’s long fly ball to deep center was misplayed into a RBI double. Rehobeth threatened to make a game of it in the third, bringing the tying run to the plate. With one out, Colton Knight was hit by a pitch and Ben Holloway singled. After a strikeout, Logan Palmer singled in the shortstop hole to drive in Knight to make it 5-2 and put runners at the first and second with two outs. Agrella went 3-2 on Browning, but the Tiger hurler earned a strikeout on a hard high fastball to snuff out the threat. Dothan then began to pull away, scoring two in the third and three in the fourth to build a 10-2 advantage.
“In the past, we would score four runs and we would be good with that until we look up in the sixth and it is 4-2 or 4-4,” Smith said. “The whole game we were trying to preach, ‘Keep the foot on the pedal’ and ‘Keep the pressure on them.’ They did a good job of that.” In the third, McDaniel earned a high-bouncing single in the infield and he moved to third on a Jones sacrifice and a balk by Rehobeth’s pitcher. After a walk to Jordan, Arriaga laid down a perfect bunt single to the first base side, bringing home McDaniel. Hughey followed with a RBI double to deep left, making it 7-2. An inning later, McDaniel laced a one-out double and scored on a Jones single to left. Jones moved up on a bad pickoff throw by the catcher and a wild pitch then scored on a Jordan soft liner to left. Arriaga singled to left to put runners at the corners. He then stole second and as he did Rehobeth’s catcher threw down to third to try and get Jordan, but the throw sailed into left field, allowing Jordan to score. The Rebels scored once in the top of the fifth as Holloway, who led Rehobeth’s offense with two hits, singled and came around to score off two wild pitches and a balk. Dothan, though, scored three in the bottom of the fifth to end it on the 10-run mercy rule. Consecutive walks to Parker, Agrella and Kellenberger opened the inning. A missed fly ball in right allowed two runs to score and a throwing error after a sacrifice bunt allowed the final run to score.
G.W. Long 5, Dothan 2: Against G.W. Long, Jordan pitched four innings and gave up just one hit and three runs, one earned. Bubba McDaniel and Parker both pitched one inning. McDaniel, Agrella and Josh Ryle had the Tigers’ three hits. Nick Kellenberger and Arriaga scored Dothan’s two run. Parker had an RBI.
Dothan 1, Baldwin County 0: Matt Parker ripped a double down the left-field line scoring Austin Deloney with the game’s only run in the Tigers’ victory over Baldwin County in eight innings. Tigers starter Blake Jones took a no-hitter in the top of the seventh inning but gave up one single with two outs. Jones struck out eight. Jay Jordan pitched the eighth and earned the victory. Parker went 2-for-4 and stole two bases. Jay Jordan had a double. Reid Agrella and Alex Arriaga each had a hit.
Dothan 4-12, Providence Christian 2-2: Alex Arriaga held the Eagles to two unearned runs then drove in two runs at the plate to help the Tigers earn a victory in the first contest. Reid Agrella and Christian Hughel had two hits and two runs scored each in the first game. In the second game, Blake Jones drove in three runs and scored twice to help the Tigers complete the sweep. Bubba McDaniel and Nick Kellenberger each drove in two runs, with McDaniel tallying a double amongst his three hits. Josh Ryle and Agrella each doubled and drove in a run. Matt Parker doubled and scored twice for Dothan. Parker earned the win on the mound, scattering three hits and striking out five in six innings of work.
Charles Henderson 3, Dothan 2: At the Terry Sikes Memorial Tournament, Dothan led 2-0 after two innings, but Charles Henderson scored three in the third and made it stand. The Trojans had only two hits – a single by Jason Fleming and Nick Lewis in the third. Chase Smartt had a RBI on a bases loaded walk. Errors scored the other runs. Blake Jones pitched a complete game two hitter for Dothan, allowing only one earned run. He struck out seven and walked three. Cole Wilson was the winning pitcher for CHHS, scattering nine hits and two runs over six innings. He struck out three. Chase Hartley pitched the seventh for a save, giving up one hit. For Dothan, Nick Kellenberger was 2-for-3 with a double, Reid Agrella was also 2-for-3, while Matt Parker was 2-for-4 with a RBI single. Christian Colbert also had a RBI single for DHS (2-4).
Dothan 18, Goshen 5: At the Terry Sikes Memorial Tournament, the Tigers scored in every inning but the second in the six-inning win, including five in the first and six in the fifth. Blake Jones was 3-for-4 with a double, four runs scored, three stolen bases and a RBI. Bubba McDaniel was 3-for-5 with one RBI, Alex Arriaga 2-for-4 with a RBI and Matt Parker 2-for-5 with a RBI. Parker was the winning pitcher, giving up three hits and three runs over four innings. He struck out eight. Christian Colbert pitched the last two innings, giving up two hits and two runs.
Northridge 1, Dothan 0: In the second game, Reid Agrella pitched eight innings of no-hit baseball. He hit a batter, walked two and struck out 14. Carter Harrison got the second of two hits for Northridge in the top of the ninth, which was the game’s only run. Bubba McDaniel took the loss. McDaniel also led Dothan with two hits, including a double. Christian Hughey was 1-for-4 with a stolen base. Nick Kellenberger added a hit for the Tigers (1-3).
Walker 6, Dothan 0: In the first game, Agrella broke up a no-hit bid with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Walker scored five runs on just two hits in the second inning and added a run in the fifth. Jay Jordan pitched five innings and took the loss, giving up four hits and six earned runs. Ryan Rankin pitched the last inning for the Tigers.
Dothan 6, Enterprise 2: Dothan scored two in the bottom of the fifth and one in the bottom of the sixth to pull away from Enterprise 6-2 in action at LBW College in Andalusia. Blake Jones picked up the win for Dothan, scattering give hits and two earned runs over 4 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked four. Bubba McDaniel picked up a save, working 2 1/3 innings. He allowed just one hit and one walk, while striking out one. Offensively, Matt Parker was 2-for-3 with a triple and two runs batted in. Jones and Nick Kellenberger were both 2-for-3 and McDaniel was 2-for-4 with a double and one RBI. Reid Agrella and Austin Deloney both had a hit and RBI. For Enterprise, Brody Wynne and Brendan Donovan were both 1-for-2, while Christian Davis and Dustin Jordan were 1-for-3 and 1-for-4 with both earning a double.
Charles Henderson 14, Dothan 4: DeAndre Pitts had three hits, including a home run, and two RBIs for the Trojans, while Cole Wilson also homered and drove in three runs. Nick Lewis picked up three hits with an RBI. Austin Ingram was the winning pitcher, scattering six hits over five innings with four strikeouts. For the Tigers, Jay Jordan went 2-for-2 with a triple and double, while Reid Agrella was 2-for-2 with two RBIs, Blake Jones doubled and Matt Parker singled.
AGRELLA GEARS UP FOR HOME RUN DERBY
Shawn McCorkel seems almost as excited about the upcoming 20th Annual Wiregrass High School Home Run Derby as the players taking part in it. He was a participant when it first started and has seen it grow in prestige over the years. “The buzz in the locker rooms right now is the home run derby,” McCorkel said. “That’s cool. They’re excited about it.”
This year’s competition will be held on Saturday for the first time at Northside Methodist Academy. Admission for spectators is $5. It’s an annual fundraiser for Dothan Post 12, an American Legion baseball program. More than 30 players have already signed up for the event, and those who haven’t can still pre-register at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday before the opening rounds begin at 9.
The finals are scheduled to start at noon. That final round brings together the top three high school players who have advanced to slug away for the championship. Two professional players will also join the high school players in the finals. Former Troy University standouts and current minor league players Danny Collins (Pittsburgh Pirates) and Trae Santos (San Diego Padres) are the invited pros who are scheduled to participate.
Three of the high school competitors – Reid Agrella of Dothan High, Andrew Benak of Northview and Hunter Lunsford of Northside Methodist Academy – were on hand for a press conference at the field on Monday.
Agrella, a senior for the Tigers who has signed with Wallace College, finished fifth in the event as a sophomore when it was held at Rehobeth High School. “If you go up there and try to hit a home run, most likely you’re not going to hit it out,” Agrella said. “I just try to square it up, hit it hard, and if it goes out, it goes out. “I think it will gauge me against the other power hitters around the Wiregrass area. If I come in last, if I come in first, I’ll just go out there and have fun.”
This year’s competition will be held on Saturday for the first time at Northside Methodist Academy. Admission for spectators is $5. It’s an annual fundraiser for Dothan Post 12, an American Legion baseball program. More than 30 players have already signed up for the event, and those who haven’t can still pre-register at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday before the opening rounds begin at 9.
The finals are scheduled to start at noon. That final round brings together the top three high school players who have advanced to slug away for the championship. Two professional players will also join the high school players in the finals. Former Troy University standouts and current minor league players Danny Collins (Pittsburgh Pirates) and Trae Santos (San Diego Padres) are the invited pros who are scheduled to participate.
Three of the high school competitors – Reid Agrella of Dothan High, Andrew Benak of Northview and Hunter Lunsford of Northside Methodist Academy – were on hand for a press conference at the field on Monday.
Agrella, a senior for the Tigers who has signed with Wallace College, finished fifth in the event as a sophomore when it was held at Rehobeth High School. “If you go up there and try to hit a home run, most likely you’re not going to hit it out,” Agrella said. “I just try to square it up, hit it hard, and if it goes out, it goes out. “I think it will gauge me against the other power hitters around the Wiregrass area. If I come in last, if I come in first, I’ll just go out there and have fun.”
AGRELLA SIGNS WITH WALLACE-DOTHAN
Accomplishments: As a junior, Agrella had a .333 batting average with nine doubles, two home runs, 12 walks, 22 runs and 26 RBIs. He also started five games on the mound, pitching 21 innings and striking out 13 batters. He was named offensive MVP and team captain of the 2014 Dothan baseball team. He was selected to play in the AHSAA North-South All-Star game.
Agrella on signing: I thought Wallace would be the best fit for me, staying closer to home for two years, and hopefully after two years go somewhere else.
On position in college: I’m going to be catching at Wallace, but they also want me to throw a couple of innings off the mound. I feel like I’m a better catcher than pitcher, but I’ll do whatever it takes for the team to win.
On learning under Sasser: I know he was in the majors for 10-plus years and he was a great catcher and I feel like he can help me get better behind the plate. And he was also a great hitter, so I’m sure he can help me there, too.
Smith on Agrella: Reid has tremendous baseball knowledge and is like having an extra coach on the field. We are expecting a big senior year out of Reid and know that he will not disappoint. We wish Reid the best at Wallace-Dothan and look forward to watching him develop at the next level.
Sasser on Agrella: I think he’ll be really good on the mound. He’s got the arm strength. We’re going to do whatever we need to do to help him develop (as pitcher/catcher). He seems like a real hard-nosed kid, and that’s what we’re looking for.
Agrella on signing: I thought Wallace would be the best fit for me, staying closer to home for two years, and hopefully after two years go somewhere else.
On position in college: I’m going to be catching at Wallace, but they also want me to throw a couple of innings off the mound. I feel like I’m a better catcher than pitcher, but I’ll do whatever it takes for the team to win.
On learning under Sasser: I know he was in the majors for 10-plus years and he was a great catcher and I feel like he can help me get better behind the plate. And he was also a great hitter, so I’m sure he can help me there, too.
Smith on Agrella: Reid has tremendous baseball knowledge and is like having an extra coach on the field. We are expecting a big senior year out of Reid and know that he will not disappoint. We wish Reid the best at Wallace-Dothan and look forward to watching him develop at the next level.
Sasser on Agrella: I think he’ll be really good on the mound. He’s got the arm strength. We’re going to do whatever we need to do to help him develop (as pitcher/catcher). He seems like a real hard-nosed kid, and that’s what we’re looking for.
VARSITY CHRISTMAS PARTY
2015 MONTGOMERY CHALLENGE
JORDAN SIGNS WITH HUNTINGDON COLLEGE
Jay Jordan signed a letter of intent to play baseball at Huntingdon College on Tuesday, November 18th, 2014 at 10:00 am in the Media Center at Dothan High School.
Jordan finished his junior season with a .333 batting average with 3 doubles, 1 homerun, 26 walks, 31 runs, 15 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases. Jordan also led the pitching staff with a (6-4) record and 2.49 ERA through 64.67 Innings. He also had 44 strikeouts with only 18 walks. Jordan was named Honorable Mention All-State, Honorable Mention Dothan Eagle Super 12, MVP, Most Outstanding Pitcher, and Team Captain of the 2014 Dothan High Baseball team.
"I am extremely proud of Jay receiving an opportunity to play baseball at the next level. Jay has been a tremendous player for us and was instrumental last year in leading Dothan to the most wins in a season since 1999. We are expecting big things out of Jay during his senior season and look forward to watching him in the future at Huntingdon. Jay's leadership, dedication, and commitment to the program will be greatly missed, but our loss will be Huntingdon's gain. We wish all of the best to Jay at Huntingdon!” says Head Coach Jared Smith.
The signing ceremony will air on WRGX at 5:30pm and WTVY at 6:00pm tonight. Pictures coming soon.
Jordan finished his junior season with a .333 batting average with 3 doubles, 1 homerun, 26 walks, 31 runs, 15 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases. Jordan also led the pitching staff with a (6-4) record and 2.49 ERA through 64.67 Innings. He also had 44 strikeouts with only 18 walks. Jordan was named Honorable Mention All-State, Honorable Mention Dothan Eagle Super 12, MVP, Most Outstanding Pitcher, and Team Captain of the 2014 Dothan High Baseball team.
"I am extremely proud of Jay receiving an opportunity to play baseball at the next level. Jay has been a tremendous player for us and was instrumental last year in leading Dothan to the most wins in a season since 1999. We are expecting big things out of Jay during his senior season and look forward to watching him in the future at Huntingdon. Jay's leadership, dedication, and commitment to the program will be greatly missed, but our loss will be Huntingdon's gain. We wish all of the best to Jay at Huntingdon!” says Head Coach Jared Smith.
The signing ceremony will air on WRGX at 5:30pm and WTVY at 6:00pm tonight. Pictures coming soon.
AGRELLA PICKS UP 2ND OFFER
Congratulation so 2015 C/RHP, Reid Agrella, for picking up his 2nd scholarship offer from Wallace-Dothan. Agrella currently holds offers from LBW-Andalusia and Wallace-Dothan.
AGRELLA RECEIVES 1ST OFFER
Congratulations to 2015 C/RHP, Reid Agrella, on receiving his first scholarship offer from LBW-Andalusia!
Agrella finished his junior season with a .333 batting average and .465 slugging percentage with 9 doubles, 2 homeruns, 12 walks, 22 runs, and 26 RBIs. Agrella also started 5 games on the mound and finished with 13 strikeouts in 21 innings.
Agrella is the second Dothan player to be offered during the last month, joining Jay Jordan with his offer from Huntingdon College.
Agrella finished his junior season with a .333 batting average and .465 slugging percentage with 9 doubles, 2 homeruns, 12 walks, 22 runs, and 26 RBIs. Agrella also started 5 games on the mound and finished with 13 strikeouts in 21 innings.
Agrella is the second Dothan player to be offered during the last month, joining Jay Jordan with his offer from Huntingdon College.
JORDAN COMMITS TO HUNTINGDON COLLEGE
Congratulations to 2015 SS/RHP, Jay Jordan, on his commitment to continue his academic and athletic career at Huntingdon College!
Jordan finished his junior season with a .333 batting average with 3 doubles, 1 homerun, 26 walks, 31 runs, 15 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases. Jordan also led the pitching staff with a (6-4) record and 2.49 ERA through 64.67 Innings. He also had 44 strikeouts with only 18 walks.
Jordan finished his junior season with a .333 batting average with 3 doubles, 1 homerun, 26 walks, 31 runs, 15 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases. Jordan also led the pitching staff with a (6-4) record and 2.49 ERA through 64.67 Innings. He also had 44 strikeouts with only 18 walks.
REID AGRELLA GETS WIN IN AHSAA ALL-STAR GAME
2015 C/P Reid Agrella played in the 2014 North-South All-Star game on July 22, 2014. Agrella got the win after pitching 1 1/3 innings. Agrella gave up 1 run on 3 hits, 1 K, and 1 BB. Agrella went 0-3 at the plate with a stolen base after reaching on an error. Congratulations to Reid on his performance and being selected for this prestigious event.
DOTHAN TIGERS CLAIM 17-U AMERICAN LEGION STATE TITLE
The Dothan Tigers baseball team rolled off six straight impressive offensive innings over two games en route to claiming the 17-under American Legion state title Sunday in Troy. Dothan defeated Baseball Country 9-3 on Sunday morning to reach the title game and then beat Troy Post 70 6-4 to win the championship.
A loss to Baseball Country late Saturday forced the Tigers to play two games Sunday. They trailed Baseball Country 3-0 heading into the fifth inning of an elimination game Sunday morning before striking for five runs.
Nick Kellenberger reached on an error to start the inning off, and Christian Colbert followed with a single. After an out, Blake Jones doubled home Kellenberger, leaving runners at second and third. Baseball Country’s pitcher plunked Jay Jordan to load the bases, and Matt Parker – the tournament’s most valuable player – roped a bases-clearing triple to put Dothan up 4-3. Bubba McDaniel then hit a sacrifice fly to plate Parker and make the score 5-3.
The Tigers (25-6) added three runs in the sixth for insurance. A Jordan double drove home Colbert and Austin Deloney with two outs, and Parker’s single plated Jordan. Dothan added one more run in the seventh and last inning for the final advantage.
“We came out a little flat, and then a rain delay hit. That killed all of the momentum for Baseball Country,” said Robert Woodall, Tigers head coach. “That comeback was huge. I was very, very proud of the boys.”
The offensive onslaught continued in the first three innings of the title game against Troy Post 70. Dothan tallied three runs in the first, two in the second and one in the third in jumping out to a 6-1 lead. They then held on for a 6-4 win after Troy chipped away with single runs in three of its next five turns at the plate. In that game, Reid Agrella had two hits – including a double – and three RBIs. Jordan had two hits, an RBI and two runs scored, while Alex Arriaga added a double and run scored.
Parker had a hit and two runs scored, while McDaniel and Christian Hughey had an RBI each. Parker earned the win in the title game, throwing all seven innings. He allowed nine hits and four runs and struck out two. Jones earned the win in relief in the first game, allowing just one hit and striking out two in three innings pitched.
“State championships are rare. It’s a great feeling,” he said. “All the boys played their hearts out.”
A loss to Baseball Country late Saturday forced the Tigers to play two games Sunday. They trailed Baseball Country 3-0 heading into the fifth inning of an elimination game Sunday morning before striking for five runs.
Nick Kellenberger reached on an error to start the inning off, and Christian Colbert followed with a single. After an out, Blake Jones doubled home Kellenberger, leaving runners at second and third. Baseball Country’s pitcher plunked Jay Jordan to load the bases, and Matt Parker – the tournament’s most valuable player – roped a bases-clearing triple to put Dothan up 4-3. Bubba McDaniel then hit a sacrifice fly to plate Parker and make the score 5-3.
The Tigers (25-6) added three runs in the sixth for insurance. A Jordan double drove home Colbert and Austin Deloney with two outs, and Parker’s single plated Jordan. Dothan added one more run in the seventh and last inning for the final advantage.
“We came out a little flat, and then a rain delay hit. That killed all of the momentum for Baseball Country,” said Robert Woodall, Tigers head coach. “That comeback was huge. I was very, very proud of the boys.”
The offensive onslaught continued in the first three innings of the title game against Troy Post 70. Dothan tallied three runs in the first, two in the second and one in the third in jumping out to a 6-1 lead. They then held on for a 6-4 win after Troy chipped away with single runs in three of its next five turns at the plate. In that game, Reid Agrella had two hits – including a double – and three RBIs. Jordan had two hits, an RBI and two runs scored, while Alex Arriaga added a double and run scored.
Parker had a hit and two runs scored, while McDaniel and Christian Hughey had an RBI each. Parker earned the win in the title game, throwing all seven innings. He allowed nine hits and four runs and struck out two. Jones earned the win in relief in the first game, allowing just one hit and striking out two in three innings pitched.
“State championships are rare. It’s a great feeling,” he said. “All the boys played their hearts out.”
Wells Fargo National High School Summer Showcase Results
Dothan goes 3-1 in prestigious Summer Showcase:
Dothan 8, Alexandria 4; Dothan 0, Chelsea 2; Dothan 8, Hoover 3; Dothan 7, Sheffield 6
Reid Agrella shined this weekend for Dothan’s varsity squad, driving in six runs in four games as the Tigers went 3-1 in the Wells Fargo National High School Summer Showcase. Dothan defeated Alexandria 8-4, Hoover 8-3 and Sheffield 7-6 in the tournament. Its only loss came to Chelsea, a 2-0 defeat.
Agrella was 4 for 12 on the weekend, including a two-run homer against Sheffield. Jay Jordan was 6 for 11 with two doubles, two stolen bases and two RBIs. Matt Parker went 4 for 12 at the plate with a double, triple, stolen base and four RBIs, while Alex Arriaga added a double and a triple amongst his four hits.Bubba McDaniel hit .400 this weekend, driving in two runs and stealing two bases.
Arriaga, Parker and Ryan Rankin earned wins on the mound for the Tigers. Blake Jones pitched well in the loss, giving up one earned run in five innings.
Dothan 8, Alexandria 4; Dothan 0, Chelsea 2; Dothan 8, Hoover 3; Dothan 7, Sheffield 6
Reid Agrella shined this weekend for Dothan’s varsity squad, driving in six runs in four games as the Tigers went 3-1 in the Wells Fargo National High School Summer Showcase. Dothan defeated Alexandria 8-4, Hoover 8-3 and Sheffield 7-6 in the tournament. Its only loss came to Chelsea, a 2-0 defeat.
Agrella was 4 for 12 on the weekend, including a two-run homer against Sheffield. Jay Jordan was 6 for 11 with two doubles, two stolen bases and two RBIs. Matt Parker went 4 for 12 at the plate with a double, triple, stolen base and four RBIs, while Alex Arriaga added a double and a triple amongst his four hits.Bubba McDaniel hit .400 this weekend, driving in two runs and stealing two bases.
Arriaga, Parker and Ryan Rankin earned wins on the mound for the Tigers. Blake Jones pitched well in the loss, giving up one earned run in five innings.
JAY JORDAN NAMED 6A HONORABLE MENTION ALL-STATE
The honors keep rolling in for Junior shortstop/pitcher, Jay Jordan. Jordan was recognized by the Alabama Sports Writers Association as Honorable Mention as a Utility Player. He was recognized as a utility player for his offensive, defensive, and pitching performances. Jordan is only the 2nd Dothan High School player to receive All-State Honors. The only other Dothan player to receive All-State Honors was Pitcher, Landon Brazell in 2000.
JAY JORDAN RECOGNIZED BY THE DOTHAN EAGLE
Junior shortstop/pitcher, Jay Jordan, was named Honorable Mention Super 12 by the Dothan Eagle on June 1st. This is a tremendous honor as the list is composed of the best players in the Wiregrass area. Jordan finished his junior season with 0.333 Batting Average with 3 doubles, 1 homerun, 26 walks, 31 runs, 15 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases. Jordan also led the pitching staff with a (6-4) record and 2.49 ERA through 64.67 Innings. He also had 44 strikeouts with only 18 walks.
2014 VARSITY AWARD WINNERS
Most Improved - Nick Kellenberger
Weight Room Warrior - Keenan Cason
Rookie of the Year - Bubba McDaniel
Best Teammate - Ryan Rankin
Scholar-Athlete Award - Matt Parker 4.41 GPA
Most Outstanding Pitcher - Jay Jordan
Defensive MVP - Matt Parker
Offensive MVP - Reid Agrella
Team Captains - Reid Agrella, Jay Jordan, Matt Parker
Most Valuable Player - Jay Jordan
Senior - Tyler Tretchell
Weight Room Warrior - Keenan Cason
Rookie of the Year - Bubba McDaniel
Best Teammate - Ryan Rankin
Scholar-Athlete Award - Matt Parker 4.41 GPA
Most Outstanding Pitcher - Jay Jordan
Defensive MVP - Matt Parker
Offensive MVP - Reid Agrella
Team Captains - Reid Agrella, Jay Jordan, Matt Parker
Most Valuable Player - Jay Jordan
Senior - Tyler Tretchell
2014 BASEBALL BANQUET
JUNIOR REID AGRELLA NAMED TO NORTH-SOUTH ALL-STAR TEAM
2015 P/C, Reid Agrella, has been selected to participate in the 18th annual North-South All-Star Baseball Game during All-Star Sports Week. The game will be held in Montgomery on July 22nd and is put on by the Alabama High School Athletic Association. This is a huge honor for Reid and the Dothan baseball program. Congratulations Reid!
JUDY COLLINS THROWS OUT THE FIRST PITCH
Champions of the Montgomery Challenge - Team Whiteness
Runner-up of the Montgomery Challenge - Team Trock-n-Friends
Varsity players with Christmas gifts that they bought for a child in need.
Varsity players with their gifts from Dirty Santa
Baseball Players Painted Up in Support of Senior Football Players
Baseball Team and Diamond Dolls at the "Light the Night" Cancer Walk
DOTHAN BASEBALL IN THE NEWS
Smith Ready to Turn Around Dothan High Baseball - Dothan Eagle
Dothan Hires Jared Smith as New Baseball Coach - WTVY.com
PC Alum Gets Dothan Baseball Job - Franklin Free Press
Jared Smith Named Dothan Baseball Coach - Dothan First.com
2015 P/C Reid Agrella Named to 2013 AlaBCA Team Alabama - AlaBCA.org
Dothan Hires Jared Smith as New Baseball Coach - WTVY.com
PC Alum Gets Dothan Baseball Job - Franklin Free Press
Jared Smith Named Dothan Baseball Coach - Dothan First.com
2015 P/C Reid Agrella Named to 2013 AlaBCA Team Alabama - AlaBCA.org
Smith Ready to Turn Around Dothan High Baseball - Dothan Eagle
Jared Smith has heard about the Dothan High baseball program’s storied history – and its recent past.
The new Tiger head baseball coach, officially hired Monday night by the Dothan City School Board as a math teacher and coach, wants to rekindle the program’s proud tradition.
“I know in the 70s, 80s, and 90s, they were a perennial program under coach (Terry) Collins,” Smith said. “I want to get Dothan back to those days.”
Smith, who comes to Dothan after five years as an assistant coach at Class 6A Northridge High School in Tuscaloosa, is also aware of the Tigers’ recent history, one that has featured no winning seasons since 2001.
However, based on what he has heard, he feels the potential is there to put the Tiger program back on the winning side of the ledger.
“I researched it, calling a lot of coaches and friends in that area and not one of them said, ‘Don’t take it. You can’t win there,’” Smith said. “Everybody said they had what you look for and that things are in place to be successful.”
Smith has several ideas of how to turn the program around – starting first and foremost with work ethic, an area that he got the impression lacked at Dothan in recent years.
“We have to change the culture,” Smith said. “We have to outwork everybody. I know coaches say that, but we have to. We have to work hard year round and not just during the season.
“I understand Dothan had only one kid playing summer ball. We have to change that. We have to get after it in all phases and we have to get after it in the weight room.”
Smith feels he has experience to fall back. While at Northridge with head coach Travis Garner, the program won more than 100 games over five years after the team struggled under previous coaches. Former University of Alabama head coach Jim Wells helped in recent seasons.
“When we arrived there five years ago it was a similar situation as it is at Dothan now,” Smith said. “They had only won seven games the year before, but every year, coach Garner and I won 20 games or more and we won the area championship in two years, so I have been a part of turning a program around.”
Another part of creating a winning environment, said Smith, is getting kids to be excited again about being part of Tiger baseball.
“I understand there is a ton of talent in Dothan, but that a lot of it has transferred out,” Smith said. “We have to get Dothan kids that want to be at Dothan.”
Smith is optimistic that if the culture of work ethic and excitement changes, so will the results.
“I would not say we are rebuilding,” Smith said. “We can come in and work hard and if we do, we will see results quickly.
“I don’t have a set number of wins, but if we work hard, I do expect we will see immediate results (improvement). Now, whether it leads to wins and championships, we will see.”
Dothan principal Stan Eldridge and athletic director Kelvis White were upbeat about the hire of Smith, who replaces Jarett Maddox. Maddox resigned last month.
“He is a young, energetic coach who is ready to go,” Eldridge said of Smith. “He is ready to meet the players and meet the parents. He said he cares about the players. He wants to take care of them and he said he wants to do what is best for them. That impressed me, as did his organizational skills. He has a good plan.
“Coach White called all the references and the head coach said, ‘Don’t hire him because I don’t want to lose him,’ and the principal said, ‘Don’t hire because I don’t want to lose him as a math teacher,’ so that says a lot.”
White described Smith as “extremely organized and very intelligent.”
In addition to his five years at Northridge, Smith was a volunteer assistant at Hillcrest of Tuscaloosa when the Patriots won the 6A state championship in 2007.
He is a 2003 graduate of Phil Campbell High School in north Alabama where he played mostly second base and outfield, though he also pitched some.
Smith earned his bachelor and masters’ degrees from the University of Alabama in math and will complete an education leadership degree from the University of West Alabama later this month.
“I am real excited about going to work at Dothan High School,” Smith said. “It is a school rich with tradition. It has tremendous support from parents and administration. I feel it is a great opportunity.”
He expects his team to display several traits.
“We will instill core values, we will be disciplined, we will give maximum effort and be committed to the program,” Smith said.
On the field, Smith said he will focus on hitting and defense. He hopes to hire a coach to handle the pitching staff.
“Hitting and defense are my strong point,” Smith said. “Offensively, we will be aggressive and we will know when we need to be aggressive. Defensively, we will be fundamentally sound.”
Smith will be at Dothan High in the media center today at 5 p.m. to meet Tiger players and parents.
The new Tiger head baseball coach, officially hired Monday night by the Dothan City School Board as a math teacher and coach, wants to rekindle the program’s proud tradition.
“I know in the 70s, 80s, and 90s, they were a perennial program under coach (Terry) Collins,” Smith said. “I want to get Dothan back to those days.”
Smith, who comes to Dothan after five years as an assistant coach at Class 6A Northridge High School in Tuscaloosa, is also aware of the Tigers’ recent history, one that has featured no winning seasons since 2001.
However, based on what he has heard, he feels the potential is there to put the Tiger program back on the winning side of the ledger.
“I researched it, calling a lot of coaches and friends in that area and not one of them said, ‘Don’t take it. You can’t win there,’” Smith said. “Everybody said they had what you look for and that things are in place to be successful.”
Smith has several ideas of how to turn the program around – starting first and foremost with work ethic, an area that he got the impression lacked at Dothan in recent years.
“We have to change the culture,” Smith said. “We have to outwork everybody. I know coaches say that, but we have to. We have to work hard year round and not just during the season.
“I understand Dothan had only one kid playing summer ball. We have to change that. We have to get after it in all phases and we have to get after it in the weight room.”
Smith feels he has experience to fall back. While at Northridge with head coach Travis Garner, the program won more than 100 games over five years after the team struggled under previous coaches. Former University of Alabama head coach Jim Wells helped in recent seasons.
“When we arrived there five years ago it was a similar situation as it is at Dothan now,” Smith said. “They had only won seven games the year before, but every year, coach Garner and I won 20 games or more and we won the area championship in two years, so I have been a part of turning a program around.”
Another part of creating a winning environment, said Smith, is getting kids to be excited again about being part of Tiger baseball.
“I understand there is a ton of talent in Dothan, but that a lot of it has transferred out,” Smith said. “We have to get Dothan kids that want to be at Dothan.”
Smith is optimistic that if the culture of work ethic and excitement changes, so will the results.
“I would not say we are rebuilding,” Smith said. “We can come in and work hard and if we do, we will see results quickly.
“I don’t have a set number of wins, but if we work hard, I do expect we will see immediate results (improvement). Now, whether it leads to wins and championships, we will see.”
Dothan principal Stan Eldridge and athletic director Kelvis White were upbeat about the hire of Smith, who replaces Jarett Maddox. Maddox resigned last month.
“He is a young, energetic coach who is ready to go,” Eldridge said of Smith. “He is ready to meet the players and meet the parents. He said he cares about the players. He wants to take care of them and he said he wants to do what is best for them. That impressed me, as did his organizational skills. He has a good plan.
“Coach White called all the references and the head coach said, ‘Don’t hire him because I don’t want to lose him,’ and the principal said, ‘Don’t hire because I don’t want to lose him as a math teacher,’ so that says a lot.”
White described Smith as “extremely organized and very intelligent.”
In addition to his five years at Northridge, Smith was a volunteer assistant at Hillcrest of Tuscaloosa when the Patriots won the 6A state championship in 2007.
He is a 2003 graduate of Phil Campbell High School in north Alabama where he played mostly second base and outfield, though he also pitched some.
Smith earned his bachelor and masters’ degrees from the University of Alabama in math and will complete an education leadership degree from the University of West Alabama later this month.
“I am real excited about going to work at Dothan High School,” Smith said. “It is a school rich with tradition. It has tremendous support from parents and administration. I feel it is a great opportunity.”
He expects his team to display several traits.
“We will instill core values, we will be disciplined, we will give maximum effort and be committed to the program,” Smith said.
On the field, Smith said he will focus on hitting and defense. He hopes to hire a coach to handle the pitching staff.
“Hitting and defense are my strong point,” Smith said. “Offensively, we will be aggressive and we will know when we need to be aggressive. Defensively, we will be fundamentally sound.”
Smith will be at Dothan High in the media center today at 5 p.m. to meet Tiger players and parents.
Dothan Hires Jared Smith as New Baseball Coach
(DOTHAN) - Dothan's new baseball Coach, Jared Smith, says he hopes to help mold the Tigers back into the dominant 6A program they were in the 70s, 80s and 90s.
"I made a lot of phone calls to friends before I took this job and not a single person said 'Don't take it,' said Smith.
"I did some research and know what Terry Collins did for this program back in the day and I feel like we have the potential here," he said.
For the past five seasons Smith worked as an assistant coach at Northridge high school under head coach Travis Garner.
Smith helped the team to more than 100 wins over those five seasons. He's excited and feels like he can bring that experience to Dothan.
"I'm ready to evaluate every aspect of the program, see what we want to change and what we want to keep the same to keep this a premier program," said Smith.
"We're just going to go after it. Every Coach says that they're going to outwork people but you know we are going to do what it takes year-round to be a successful 6A program," he said.
Smith hopes to hold the first full week of practice and scrimmages the week of July 22nd.
"I made a lot of phone calls to friends before I took this job and not a single person said 'Don't take it,' said Smith.
"I did some research and know what Terry Collins did for this program back in the day and I feel like we have the potential here," he said.
For the past five seasons Smith worked as an assistant coach at Northridge high school under head coach Travis Garner.
Smith helped the team to more than 100 wins over those five seasons. He's excited and feels like he can bring that experience to Dothan.
"I'm ready to evaluate every aspect of the program, see what we want to change and what we want to keep the same to keep this a premier program," said Smith.
"We're just going to go after it. Every Coach says that they're going to outwork people but you know we are going to do what it takes year-round to be a successful 6A program," he said.
Smith hopes to hold the first full week of practice and scrimmages the week of July 22nd.
PC Alum Gets Dothan Baseball Job
Even as a 14-year-old kid at East Franklin Junior High, Jared Smith knew exactly what he wanted to do for a living.
It was in his blood.
“Pretty much everybody in my family has been involved in teaching and coaching,” said Smith, who played baseball at Phil Campbell before graduating in 2003. “There was never any doubt that’s what I wanted to do. I’ve always been pretty good at math, and some people wanted me to be an engineer. But that never really interested me.
“I love being around the game and being around the kids. Ever since the ninth or tenth grade, I’ve known this is what I wanted to do.”
Smith’s mother, Vickie King, retired from education after teaching at East Franklin and Tharptown. His father, Alan Smith, is the head baseball coach at Winfield High School.
Smith’s grandmother taught at Phil Campbell, and he has aunts and uncles still working in the field of education. It was no surprise, then, when Smith chose to pursue a degree in math from the University of Alabama with the aim of becoming a teacher and a baseball coach.
After earning his bachelor’s, Smith broke into the coaching ranks in 2007 as an assistant at Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa, where he helped the Patriots win the Class 6A state title. He returned to the University to get his Master’s degree (also in math) and then spent the past five seasons as an assistant coach at Northridge High School in Tuscaloosa.
On July 8, Smith officially became a head coach for the first time when he was hired to take over the baseball program at Dothan High School.
“I’m really excited,” Smith said last week. “It’s been a whirlwind trying to get moved down there, get the schedule worked out and meet the kids. I haven’t had a chance to evaluate the players, but I’m ready to get going and hopefully evaluate the whole program really soon.”
Dothan, once a perennial baseball powerhouse, has struggled in recent years. The Tigers have just one winning season since 2001 and one playoff appearance since 2002.
“They were very good for a long time,” Smith said. “They won a state championship in 1978 and had some really good teams in the 80s and 90s, too. They made the playoffs a lot and made a deep run every once in a while. The last ten years or so, they’ve fallen off a little bit, for whatever reason. Our goal is to turn things around and help Dothan become a premier program again.”
Smith said there is plenty of baseball talent in Dothan; there are also plenty of options for where those student-athletes can attend school.
“There’s a ton of baseball talent in Dothan,” he said. “There are two schools in the city, Dothan High and Northview, which is pretty much the northern half of Dothan. There are a few private schools in town, and then there are some really good county programs, too, like G.W. Long, that have won a lot in the last few years.
“Dothan High has lost some talent to other schools. Our goal will be to keep the ones we’ve got there now and hopefully eventually get it to the point where nobody’s leaving. We want those kids to want to be at Dothan.”
Smith has some experience when it comes to building a program. At Northridge, he helped head coach Travis Garner transform the Jaguars from a seven-win team in 2008 to a team that has won 20 or more games in each of the past five seasons. Two years ago, Northridge won the first area championship in the school’s brief history.
Smith believes a similar turnaround is possible at Dothan, where the Tigers won just 12 games last year. And he has very specific ideas about how to get it done.
“Offensively, I believe in being aggressive,” Smith said. “The bats have changed, and the game has changed. We’ll bunt, we’ll hit-and-run, we’ll steal bases. We’ll do the small things right. The days of people hitting a bunch of home runs in high school baseball are pretty much over, unless they change something. Everybody likes to see a ball go over the fence, but doing the little things right and playing small ball will be the key.
“Defensively, we’ll be sound. You have to make the routine plays. There aren’t a lot of 12-10 games any more. If you can make all the routine plays, that can help you win a game 2-1 or 3-2.
“Our pitchers will throw strikes. I hate it when pitchers walk people. As a pitcher, you have to attack the strike zone and see if a high school hitter is good enough to beat you. I want our pitchers to be able to throw three pitches for strikes.”
Smith started at second base for Phil Campbell as a senior in 2003, helping head coach Michael Beck lay the foundation for teams that would make back-to-back trips to the state finals in 2005 and 2006.
“I graduated right before they made those two runs to the state finals,” Smith said. “We were 3A when I played, and then they dropped down to 2A, which helped out a ton. They did very well. I hate I missed out on that.
“I really enjoyed playing for Coach Beck. He was a big drill guy when it came to hitting. I’ve been around three or four coaches with different approaches, and I’ve tried to take something from each one. Coach Beck’s style was very aggressive. He knew how to get the most out of his kids—that’s why they had two state runner-up teams. I took a lot from the hitting aspect of the game, with all the drill work we did. He was really big on that.”
Smith spent his entire playing career at the small-school level, but all of his coaching jobs to date have been at 6A schools.
“I was fortunate to be at Hillcrest in 2007 when they won a state championship,” he said. “I took a year off to get my Master’s, and I’ve been in 6A ball ever since. I haven’t been in small-school ball since Phil Campbell. It’s different. There’s some good and some bad with both. At a small school, the community support is unbelievable. Everything just revolves around the school and athletics. It’s not quite like that at a larger school. They don’t shut down the whole town for a playoff game. There’s too much to do, I guess.
“Dothan kind of has that small-school atmosphere, though. They really want the program to be successful, and everybody wants to be a part of that success.”
The Tigers’ schedule for 2014 is pretty much set, but Smith already has an eye on a potential meeting some time down the road with Winfield, where his dad has led the Pirates to state quarterfinal appearances each of the past two seasons.
“Man, we were gonna try to make it work, but it was a little late in the game to make that happen,” Smith said. “Hopefully we can get that next year.
It was in his blood.
“Pretty much everybody in my family has been involved in teaching and coaching,” said Smith, who played baseball at Phil Campbell before graduating in 2003. “There was never any doubt that’s what I wanted to do. I’ve always been pretty good at math, and some people wanted me to be an engineer. But that never really interested me.
“I love being around the game and being around the kids. Ever since the ninth or tenth grade, I’ve known this is what I wanted to do.”
Smith’s mother, Vickie King, retired from education after teaching at East Franklin and Tharptown. His father, Alan Smith, is the head baseball coach at Winfield High School.
Smith’s grandmother taught at Phil Campbell, and he has aunts and uncles still working in the field of education. It was no surprise, then, when Smith chose to pursue a degree in math from the University of Alabama with the aim of becoming a teacher and a baseball coach.
After earning his bachelor’s, Smith broke into the coaching ranks in 2007 as an assistant at Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa, where he helped the Patriots win the Class 6A state title. He returned to the University to get his Master’s degree (also in math) and then spent the past five seasons as an assistant coach at Northridge High School in Tuscaloosa.
On July 8, Smith officially became a head coach for the first time when he was hired to take over the baseball program at Dothan High School.
“I’m really excited,” Smith said last week. “It’s been a whirlwind trying to get moved down there, get the schedule worked out and meet the kids. I haven’t had a chance to evaluate the players, but I’m ready to get going and hopefully evaluate the whole program really soon.”
Dothan, once a perennial baseball powerhouse, has struggled in recent years. The Tigers have just one winning season since 2001 and one playoff appearance since 2002.
“They were very good for a long time,” Smith said. “They won a state championship in 1978 and had some really good teams in the 80s and 90s, too. They made the playoffs a lot and made a deep run every once in a while. The last ten years or so, they’ve fallen off a little bit, for whatever reason. Our goal is to turn things around and help Dothan become a premier program again.”
Smith said there is plenty of baseball talent in Dothan; there are also plenty of options for where those student-athletes can attend school.
“There’s a ton of baseball talent in Dothan,” he said. “There are two schools in the city, Dothan High and Northview, which is pretty much the northern half of Dothan. There are a few private schools in town, and then there are some really good county programs, too, like G.W. Long, that have won a lot in the last few years.
“Dothan High has lost some talent to other schools. Our goal will be to keep the ones we’ve got there now and hopefully eventually get it to the point where nobody’s leaving. We want those kids to want to be at Dothan.”
Smith has some experience when it comes to building a program. At Northridge, he helped head coach Travis Garner transform the Jaguars from a seven-win team in 2008 to a team that has won 20 or more games in each of the past five seasons. Two years ago, Northridge won the first area championship in the school’s brief history.
Smith believes a similar turnaround is possible at Dothan, where the Tigers won just 12 games last year. And he has very specific ideas about how to get it done.
“Offensively, I believe in being aggressive,” Smith said. “The bats have changed, and the game has changed. We’ll bunt, we’ll hit-and-run, we’ll steal bases. We’ll do the small things right. The days of people hitting a bunch of home runs in high school baseball are pretty much over, unless they change something. Everybody likes to see a ball go over the fence, but doing the little things right and playing small ball will be the key.
“Defensively, we’ll be sound. You have to make the routine plays. There aren’t a lot of 12-10 games any more. If you can make all the routine plays, that can help you win a game 2-1 or 3-2.
“Our pitchers will throw strikes. I hate it when pitchers walk people. As a pitcher, you have to attack the strike zone and see if a high school hitter is good enough to beat you. I want our pitchers to be able to throw three pitches for strikes.”
Smith started at second base for Phil Campbell as a senior in 2003, helping head coach Michael Beck lay the foundation for teams that would make back-to-back trips to the state finals in 2005 and 2006.
“I graduated right before they made those two runs to the state finals,” Smith said. “We were 3A when I played, and then they dropped down to 2A, which helped out a ton. They did very well. I hate I missed out on that.
“I really enjoyed playing for Coach Beck. He was a big drill guy when it came to hitting. I’ve been around three or four coaches with different approaches, and I’ve tried to take something from each one. Coach Beck’s style was very aggressive. He knew how to get the most out of his kids—that’s why they had two state runner-up teams. I took a lot from the hitting aspect of the game, with all the drill work we did. He was really big on that.”
Smith spent his entire playing career at the small-school level, but all of his coaching jobs to date have been at 6A schools.
“I was fortunate to be at Hillcrest in 2007 when they won a state championship,” he said. “I took a year off to get my Master’s, and I’ve been in 6A ball ever since. I haven’t been in small-school ball since Phil Campbell. It’s different. There’s some good and some bad with both. At a small school, the community support is unbelievable. Everything just revolves around the school and athletics. It’s not quite like that at a larger school. They don’t shut down the whole town for a playoff game. There’s too much to do, I guess.
“Dothan kind of has that small-school atmosphere, though. They really want the program to be successful, and everybody wants to be a part of that success.”
The Tigers’ schedule for 2014 is pretty much set, but Smith already has an eye on a potential meeting some time down the road with Winfield, where his dad has led the Pirates to state quarterfinal appearances each of the past two seasons.
“Man, we were gonna try to make it work, but it was a little late in the game to make that happen,” Smith said. “Hopefully we can get that next year.
Jared Smith Named Dothan Baseball Coach
Jared Smith was officially hired as the next Dothan High baseball coach and as a math teacher on Monday night by the Dothan City School Board.
Smith comes to the Tigers after assisting at Northridge High for five years and as a volunteer at Hillcrest in Tuscaloosa.
He says in order to turn things around, the program is going to have to undergo a culture change.
Smith replaces Jarrett Maddox who resigned last month.
The Tigers have not produced a winning season since 2001.
Smith comes to the Tigers after assisting at Northridge High for five years and as a volunteer at Hillcrest in Tuscaloosa.
He says in order to turn things around, the program is going to have to undergo a culture change.
Smith replaces Jarrett Maddox who resigned last month.
The Tigers have not produced a winning season since 2001.
2015 P/C Reid Agrella Named to 2013 ALaBCA Team Alabama
2015 Dothan Pitcher and Catcher Reid Agrella was recently named to the ALaBCA Alabama All-Star Team. Agrella was picked from a pool of over 100 players after a tryout. Team Alabama will play the All-Star Team from Georgia and Tennessee.
