JA baseball falls short in semifinals
Jackson Academy saw their season come to an end on Thursday, following a 6-1 game three MAIS 6A semifinal loss to one-seeded Hartfield Academy.
After battling back to earn a walk-off comeback win in game two of the series, the Raiders came up just short of upsetting the tournament’s number-one seed, ending a postseason run that many did not expect.
“From where this team was in the fall to being one win away from the state championship, shows how special this group is,” Jackson Academy Head Coach Corey Dickerson said. “Nobody would have guessed that we would be in this position, but it’s been amazing just being around this group.”
It was a very solid first season for the Raiders under first-year coach Corey Dickerson, as they finished the season with a 21-15 record, defeated seven-time defending state champion and rival Jackson Prep in the first round of the playoffs, and took the top-seed in the MAIS 6A state tournament to the brink in the semifinals of the state tournament.
Dickerson, a former ten-year MLB veteran, has brought a new level to this Jackson Academy program in his first season and his first senior class has played a huge part in that, while also laying the foundation for the program to have success in the future.
“It can be hard for a senior class that hasn’t had a lot of on-field success to lead a group into winning, but this senior group has done a great job of willing themselves every single day to win,” Dickerson said. “They led our mentality of never giving up and never laying down and you saw that throughout the season.”
Even while losing some very talented seniors, the Jackson Academy baseball program will have plenty of key players returning next season that are ready to keep building the program into a powerhouse around the state.
“Our guys know what to expect now, they know the fundamentals and they know the dedication and attention to detail it takes to be successful at this level,” Dickerson said. “It’s all about buying in going forward, everyone holding each other accountable, and I think our group will continue to pull for one another and continue to grow as young men.”
Jackson Academy should be set up to contend for a state title once again next season and have proven that they compete at the highest level going forward as a program.