New faces and a return to a more traditional schedule await the Vicksburg High baseball team this spring.

Realignment ended Vicksburg’s two-year stay in Class 4A, where it compiled a 47-18 record and made the state finals in 2008. A huge part of those wins is gone as the Gators lost nine seniors.

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Veteran Vicksburg coach Jamie Creel understands the challenge he faces this season.

“We don’t have a lot of experience. Jacob Thomas is the only regular starter we have back. We have a lot of new faces because we graduated nine seniors. It’s going to be a challenging year, but it also going to be a fun one,” Creel said.

The change in competition will play a factor. There are no more cupcakes like Lanier, Callaway, Yazoo County or Yazoo City to pad the stats against.

“We have some powerhouses to play,” said senior outfielder Mack Middleton. “We will do our best.”

The Gators will have a home-and-home with Class 5A champion Madison Central and will play in Madison’s Big Blue Tournament over spring break. They will also face Northwest Rankin and have a March 5 date with three-time Alabama Class 5A champion Cullman in the Mid-Mississippi Classic.

“We’ve also got Clinton and Warren Central three times,” Creel said.

Thomas, a Hinds Community College signee, will be the Gators’ anchor as the left-handed pitching ace and the top returning bat. He went 4-2 on the mound with a 4.28 ERA in 16 innings. At the plate, he hit .428 with 13 RBIs.

“The competition is only going to make us better. Me and (Justin) Pettway are about the only ones who got to play a lot last year. But I’m going into the season pretty excited about it,” Thomas said.

“It’s going to be totally different because we lost every starter but Jacob,” said junior infielder Keaton Jones, who with Thomas are the only two returning Gators who had more than 25 at bats last season. “We’re definitely younger.”

Creel said the change to a later start date has not helped much.

“We haven’t had many chances to get on the field because of the weather and all the state did was push the date back to when we could start. Where it affects us is that we don’t have a lot of depth. We have some pretty good athletes but we’re young,” Creel said.

Most of that youth is on the pitching staff. Behind Thomas, will be sophomore Clyde Kendrick, junior Justin Pettway, senior Anthony Williams, Middleton and Jones. Sophomore Cameron Cooksey should also be in the mix later in the season.

The Gators infield looks solid. Jonathan Clay  will play shortstop, Cody Waddell will man third, Keaton Jones will play at second and Taylor Brocato is at catcher.

The outfield, however, remains unsettled.

“Other than Pettway in right, we’re still looking,” Creel said.

 We’ve got a lot of sophomores and a freshman catcher, but they are really talented,” Middleton said.

The Gators will open play Saturday in Columbia with a doubleheader. They will face Poplarville in the opening game and then take on host Columbia.

Contact Jeff Byrd at jbyrd@vicksburgpost.com