The Lake Oconee Academy baseball didn’t get the results it wanted last week, but head coach Mark Miller believes it might have been exactly what his team needed.
The Titans (16-7) dropped four straight non-region games in five days — a stretch Miller called “heck week” — against strong competition. While the record wasn’t ideal, the goal wasn’t necessarily wins and losses.
“We knew we were going to play some really good teams,” Miller said. “Obviously, you’d like to win those games, but it got our attention. It showed us some things we need to clean up, and I think that’ll help us going into the playoffs.”
Even in defeat, Lake Oconee Academy stayed competitive, including an extra-inning game against Social Circle, one of the better teams on its schedule. That performance gave Miller some confidence that his team is close to where it needs to be.
“I think we’re not far off,” he said. “Hopefully, we start playing our best baseball now.”
The No. 1-seeded Titans open the state playoffs against Early County, a No. 4 seed that Miller says won’t be taken lightly. The Bobcats played in a tough region, and Miller knows how competitive they will be.
“They come from a tough region, and we know they’ve got some players,” Miller said. “We’ve seen enough to know they’re dangerous, especially at the top of their lineup.”
Lake Oconee Academy faced a similar situation last year against another No. 4 seed Clinch County, and needed a full three-game series to advance. That experience is still fresh and serves as a reminder as this postseason approaches.
“That series taught us a lot,” Miller said. “You can’t overlook anybody this time of year.”
While the Titans don’t have a roster full of seniors, they aren’t lacking experience. The team is made up mostly of juniors, many of whom have already been part of deep playoff runs, including trips to the Sweet 16, Elite Eight, and Final Four.
Because of that, Miller said the focus isn’t on learning how to handle the moment — it’s making sure they don’t get too comfortable.
“We’ve been in these situations before,” he said. “Now it’s about staying locked in and not getting complacent, especially in the first round.”
After a challenging final week of the regular season, Lake Oconee Academy is hoping those games turn out to be a positive in the long run. The Titans will find out soon enough as they try to move past the opening round and keep their season going.