Backup plan

Taylor Brackin can't help but have faith in his teammates. He has to.

Though Brackin, a valuable starter at second base for Shoals Christian's baseball team, plays a direct role in keeping opponents from racking up runs, he usually can only cheer for teammates when it comes time for the Flame to score.

That's because the freshman rarely steps to the plate with a bat in his hands. Brackin has nine at-bats in Shoals Christian's 42 games this season.

Batting .285 in those few attempts, it's not that he can't hit. The issue is that Taylor Pickens can, coach Jason Anderson said.

As Shoals Christian's designated hitter, Pickens almost always bats for Brackin in the No. 5 spot - that's if the senior's not pitching or playing first base.

That will be the case today in the opening game of Shoals Christian's Class 1A semifinals doubleheader at Athens Bible.

Pickens is slated to start game 2, and as he has done for the last two seasons, he'll rest for that appearance by only playing DH for game 1. Though that means losing his bat, Brackin said he's thrilled just to have a spot in the lineup.

"It's great," said Brackin, who earned a steady role on the varsity team early this season after mostly playing JV ball last season. "And it allows (Pickens) to get his mind ready for the next game, so I'll do whatever I have to for the team.

"I just have to trust my teammates (at the plate). I know they'll come through. They've been doing it all season."

As Pickens reminded, trust goes both ways between senior and freshman.

"I trust him, too. He does a great job in the field, so it's been working well," Pickens said. "It's good to get a rest before game 2 and get my arm and body ready to go."

Though he'd rather not contemplate the scenario, if this weekend's series extends through Saturday, Pickens will take his usual game 3 starting spot at first base, leaving Brackin out of the lineup.

He's had that experience just once this postseason during a win against defending state champion Hackleburg in the rubber match of a second-round series.

If it happens again Saturday, Anderson knows he'll hear no griping from Brackin.

"He knows his role is to go out there and play defense when Andrew (Almon) and Pickens are on the mound. He accepts that, and does a really good job at it," Anderson said. "Some kids would be disappointed that they're just playing the field and not getting many ABs, but not him. He comes to work every day and does what we need him to do."

Like Shoals Christian, Mars Hill hopes for big at-bats from designated hitter Ben Wright. But unlike the Flame, the Panthers' DH dependence happened by accident.

Primarily a catcher, Wright played first base whenever Mars Hill ace Mark Vanhorn pitched to teammate Randy Gooch.

That changed when Wright was struck in the face by a pitch at Lexington during the final week of the regular season this year, fracturing his cheekbone.

"I hadn't been able to play first base since, but I've been able to catch because I wear a mask," Wright said.

Thankfully for coach Jay Mitchell, a protective face mask on his batting helmet prevented the Panthers from losing Wright's bat. Wright now plays DH when Vanhorn starts, as he will for the Panthers' Class 2A semifinal series opener against Ranburne today at 4:30 p.m.

"We just had to keep Ben in there at the plate," Mitchell said. "Same thing with Randy. We have to have those two."

Wright has fully healed and might even return to the field during the semifinal series, Mitchell said.

But in the postseason, with a state championship berth on the line, it's a safe bet Wright or Gooch will spend time at DH, Mitchell said. The regular season is a different story.

"We always try to mix and match, so that everyone gets enough cuts during the regular season," Mitchell said. "We make sure we're using the right guys and give everybody a realistic look, about 30 at-bats. We want to develop everybody we've got. And honestly, there are only a few games during the season that matter - your area and playoff games. For everything else, it's like 'this kid's working just as hard as the other kids, let's get him a shot out there too.'"

Will Myhan, who's batting .370 as the Panthers' No. 9 hitter, is one player who earned an increased role because of such an opportunity, Mitchell said.

"He's been an on-off starter for the last two years, but right now he's real hot at the plate," Mitchell said. "The first two weeks is hard for guys like him, who come right off the basketball team, to jump right into it. It took him three weeks, but he earned his spot. I'm always going to have somebody hitting well at the ninth spot to roll it back around to the top of the order."