By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

VANCLEAVE — In 2018, Vancleave won its only state baseball championship in school history with most of its production coming from a stellar senior class.

On Wednesday, when the Bulldogs take the field for just their second appearance ever in the overall state finals, Vancleave is hoping yet another group of players about to graduate will be key factors in bringing home another crown as well.

The Bulldogs, under the direction of sixth-year head coach Justin Edwards, face off against Lafayette in the Class 5A state championship series beginning Wednesday night at Trustmark Park in Pearl. The Bulldogs and Commodores will play game one of the best-of-three series at 7 p.m., at the home of the Class AA Mississippi Braves, and follow suit for game two Friday night at the same time at the same venue.

Vancleave has gotten effective play from seven seniors this season in compiling an impressive 27-7 mark. Hunter Parker, Asher Henley, Layton Eder, Tyler West, Robert Tinson and Tanner Willis as well as Levi Tapp have all started most of the year and contributed to the success of the Bulldogs in some form or fashion during their run to the title round.

“These guys have laid such a strong foundation for this program,” Edwards said, of the group. “Our senior class is the epitome of Vancleave Baseball. Gritty kids that work their tails off day in and day out. They lead by example. Just a true pleasure to have the chance to coach these guys for the last six years.”

Parker And Henley have combined to give the Bulldogs one of the more effective double play combinations in the middle of the infield in the “Southern Six” this season. Eder has given VHS a steady and strong influence behind the plate, and Tinson and Willis have been solid patrolling the outfield grass all year. Meanwhile, West and Tapp has been a major part of an impressive pitching staff for Edwards also.

In addition, Parker, Henley, Eder and West are all hitting above the .300 mark as well., and Eder leads the team in home runs with three.

Six seasons ago, Bailee Hendon, Hayden Robb, Colton Hipp, Justin Stokes, Gavin McKerchie and Evan Keith were the top seniors taking the field each night for the Bulldogs in that march to a state crown.

Hendon went 12-0 with 0.60 ERA with 106 strikeouts in 70 innings on the mound, and combined with Robb to give the Bulldogs a dynamic one-two punch on the hill. At the plate, Hendon hit .495 with five homers, 35 RBIs and 20 stolen bases.

Hipp, an infielder and the lead-off hitter hit .350, with a team-high seven homers, 18 doubles and 36 RBIs while Stokes hit 367, with six home runs and 46 RBIs.

Robb finished up 9-2 with a 1.42 ERA and 88 strikeouts. He and Hendon tossed back-to-back complete game shutouts in the state finals as Vancleave swept New Hope 4-0 and 3-0 to earn the state title.

Edwards senses that his current crew has that same type of senior leadership that that one did in 2018.

“They absolutely do, and they know what’s on the line this week,” Edwards concluded. “This has always been the vision. Focusing one day at a time for our ultimate goal which has always been to walk through the gates of Trustmark with the opportunity to play for a state championship. These guys are well prepared and ready to get out there and compete.”