PORT GIBSON — New Vicksburg baseball coach Ryan Grey has used this summer to get familiar with next year’s team.

Grey’s biggest challenge has been logistics. Former coach Cody Zumbro did not schedule any home games at Bazinsky Field this summer and opted instead to put the Gators into three tournaments and a handful of road doubleheaders, including Monday’s trip to Port Gibson. That’s made things a little hectic for Grey, who’s spent the past two seasons as a Gator assistant to Zumbro and long-time Gator coach Jamie Creel.

“So far, it’s been busy,” Grey said. “The phone hasn’t stopped. The biggest challenge has been getting everybody to and from the ballpark because most of them can’t drive yet.”

Grey has also had to coach a younger group of Gators this summer. He was expecting five seniors to play, but one was lost to transfer when Cody Waddell went to Warren Central.

Compounding matters, the team’s top two players, outfielder Lamar Anthony and pitcher Clyde Kendrick, have spent most of June away from the baseball team.

“This week, Lamar and Clyde are playing in the State Games in Meridian,” Grey said. “Lamar has been playing with Roosevelt Brown’s travel team and they just got back from the Sun Belt tournament in Oklahoma. Clyde was with us in the early part of the summer, but he’s going to the Dominican Republic for two weeks to play in an elite baseball tournament. He’s one of 22 players from around the country that was selected to play in it. Coach Zumbro set it up for him.”

Anthony and Kendrick’s absence has left returning senior infielder/pitcher Cameron Cooksey as the Gator’s on-field leader. Cooksey said having Grey direct the team has been beneficial.

“Coach Grey was the guy I wanted,” Cooksey said. “He puts a lot of effort into the job. He’s been able to work with the younger guys since Lamar and Clyde have been out.”

Vicksburg’s youth movement has left them struggling some against the older varsity opposition.

“With the games today against Port Gibson, we’ll have played 17,” Grey said. “We’ve played five sophomores, one junior and four freshmen in those games. They’ve gotten a lot of valuable experience against some good teams. We played three games in the State Games tournament in Clinton, three tournament games at Madison Central and four more at the Ridgeland Backyard Brawl. We got to up against Coach (Clint) Wilkerson’s team at Ridgeland, MRA and Brandon. I thought our game with Brandon was the most complete game we’ve played this summer.”

With the loss of Waddell from the rotation and with Kendrick now concentrating on football, Grey has taken a hard look at the back end of his pitching staff.

“We know Clyde and Cam are our 1-2,” Grey said. “The next three guys are what we need to find. Jekori Reed, when he keeps the ball low, has been very good and that’s all you need because of the new bats. Gabe Bufkin has looked good at times, but other times has had control issues. We’ve used Tyler Smith some and Josh Sterling, who’s normally our catcher, gave us seven strong innings in Ridgeland.”

Grey said Michael Rohrer has developed nicely at shortstop and Chris Williams continues to improve at third base.

“I guess the one area we still to find is a third and fourth outfielder when Clyde pitches,” Grey said. “We still have some guys battling there.”