Greene County baseball took a moment to recognize two of its seniors — Jalien Ruff and LeBron Miller — before the team’s April 13 home matchup against Central Gwinnett.
The Tigers honored their impact on the program both on and off the field.
Greene County head coach Brad Evans spoke highly of the leadership and example set by the two seniors, emphasizing how foundational they have been to the team’s identity.
“Our seniors set the tone for who we are as a team and who we are as a program,” Evans told the Lake Oconee News.
Ruff, who joined the program this season, quickly made an impression on the coaching staff with his consistency and approach to the game.
“Jalien joined us this year, and I would’ve loved to have seen what he could have accomplished on the baseball field had he been with us from his freshman year till now,” Evans said. “His work ethic and steady demeanor are qualities that you look for in a baseball player. This game will beat you down, and those who can ride the wave of the ups and downs are the ones who tend to be successful.”
Miller’s journey has been defined by patience and steady growth over a four-year varsity career.
According to Evans, his development stands out not just in performance, but in maturity.
“LeBron has been with us all four years, and the growth I have seen in him as a baseball player and more importantly as a young man is truly amazing,” Evans said. “I think ‘Bron will be the first to tell you when he started that baseball did not come to him naturally, but he never quit and never considered quitting. He worked constantly to study the game and find ways to improve.”
That mindset, Evans added, has become contagious within the program.
“His mindset of never being willing to quit is one that he has clearly passed on to his underclassman teammates,” he said.
As the Tigers close out the season this week, Evans made it clear that both seniors will leave a lasting mark on the program long after their final at-bat.
“Both young men have left their mark on me as a coach and the baseball program as a whole, and I can’t thank them enough for that,” Evans said.