Local teams become area foes

By KYLE PARMLEY

The 2023 high school baseball season is here, and as always, the teams in the greater Birmingham area are expected to be strong. Briarwood competes in Class 6A, while Chelsea, Oak Mountain and Spain Park are all part of 7A, Area 6 this spring.

Here is a look at each team’s prospects entering the spring.

Lions Possess Necessary Experience

The Briarwood Christian School baseball team entered last season with plenty of questions that did not yet have answers. But this spring, the Lions have a solid feel for the roster and have several key players back from last year.

“Last year, we had eight new kids playing, but now they’ve got experience,” said head coach Steve Renfroe, entering his 13th year with the program.

Renfroe went so far to say there is legitimate competition at several positions, something Briarwood has not been fortunate enough to have much of in recent years.

Across the infield, Jackson Adams at shortstop, Jake Souders at third base and Sam Hoff at second base provide the Lions with solid known commodities. Renfroe called Adams one of the best defensive shortstops he’s had in his time at Briarwood. Souders has really come on in the preseason, particularly with his bat. Hoff has gotten stronger and quicker as well.

Briarwood will be deep on the mound as well.

Jonathan Stevens, Brayden Heaps, Casen Heaps, Souders and Cooper Higgins will all be among a pitching staff with variety and depth.

“There’s a number of other guys that are there and can help us,” Renfroe said.

Briarwood is in Class 6A, Area 7 with Pelham and McAdory this season. The Lions will also play Hewitt-Trussville, Oak Mountain, Spain Park, Vestavia Hills, Chelsea and Auburn.

Hornets Ready For Jump To 7a

The Chelsea High School baseball program has been on quite a run in recent years. The Hornets have gotten to at least the quarterfinals in three of the last four years while competing in Class 6A. As they move to 7A, they have no plans to alter course now. Chelsea will compete in Area 6 against Oak Mountain, Hewitt-Trussville and Spain Park, three programs that enter each season with championship aspirations.

Park’s Cole Edwards (4) gets set to catch a throw at first as Mountain Brook’s Charlie Berryman (8) tags the base during the Buc Classic spring break tournament in March 2022.

“We’re going about business as normal,”

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