Offense firing on all cylinders for TCPS

Tupelo Christian’s lineup has posed serious problems for its opponents all year long, and the Eagles are hoping that will help them make a deep playoff run.

The Eagles will take on Biggersville this weekend in the second round of the Class 1A playoffs, and the series will begin on Thursday at TCPS. The Eagles swept Houlka by a combined score of 31-0 in the first round and have scored 10.6 runs per game overall.

“It’s pretty cool,” Tupelo Christian head coach Andrew Herrington said. “It makes our job really hard writing out a lineup because you have some guys that can easily bat in the four hole that may bat seventh, eighth, ninth. You’ve got guys that could be a leadoff guy that might bat five, six or nine, just depending on how we set it up. But this offense has been super fun to coach.”

Jax Coker has led the way for TCPS both on the bump and at the plate. Coker has a 2.41 ERA in a team-high 32 innings this season and has 48 strikeouts to 10 walks. Offensively, he’s hitting .439 with four home runs and 27 RBIs.

“I’ve had him since he was a freshman, and watching him – not really struggle but not have the years he wanted freshman and sophomore year – then last year had a good year, and this year he’s having a really good year,” Herrington said. “Just a lot of growth and maturity, learning his swing, learning how his body moves on the mound and some determination with the work he’s put in.”

The Eagles’ top eight hitters in plate appearances all have batting averages above .340. Jack Decker, like Coker, has made an impact both ways. Decker has a 2.66 ERA in 23 2/3 innings and is batting .435.

“He gets overlooked a little bit,” Herrington said. “I think him and Coker have had tremendous years on the plate and on the mound. I think he gets overlooked a little bit in that sense. But, man, he’s been a constant in the middle of our lineup and swung it great. And he’s coming around on the mound and getting hot at the right time. We’re looking for big things from him.”