Bryson Rigsby celebrates the undefeated season

Ellis recaps JV's undefeated season

Staff Report

The Tallassee junior varsity baseball team recently wrapped up its season. In 13 games there were no losses. The Tigers were 11-0-2.

"The two ties came against our biggest rival Reeltown and a friend of mine Rusty Smith, who I graduated with. That made it even worse," head coach Justin Ellis said. "Our conversations are, 'You went undefeated, but you couldn't beat us.' We thought about getting together and going over to the Babe Ruth field. The games are timed. You only have an hour and a half or five innings. We said, 'Let's finish this game if it takes 15 innings.' It never came about."

Regardless of the two ties, it is a rarity to go a full season with zero defeats.

"The undefeated season was great. You can't expect that in baseball, honestly," said Ellis. "It starts with pitching and defense and timely hitting. That's what we had. Our pitchers were able to keep us in the game. We'd get behind a run or two runs, but we never got to a point where we were completely out of the game."

Ellis

The Tigers never gave up more than five runs in any contest. The team ERA was 1.92.

"I won't say this was the greatest team in the history of Tallassee JV, but they refused to lose. Take the last game of the year against Elmore County. We get down 4-2 and we come back and win 6-4. It was that kind of season."

Ellis is unsure if any other JV team has had an unbeaten season.

"I have no idea about JV teams in the past," he said. "We were 4-0-2. When we got to eight wins and ten, it's like, hey, let's finish this thing undefeated."

The team closed the year with eight straight victories. Carter Sayers picked up the win in the finale in Eclectic.

"I just had to step up," Sayers said. "We never stopped playing defense. We started hitting."

Sayers, Brody Wisener and Jack Butler combined for 52 of the team's 69 innings on the mound allowing just nine earned runs.

"It's really about throwing strikes and letting my defense work," Wisener said.

2023 Tallassee JV Tigers (kneeling, left to right): Braxton McLain, Jack Butler, Bradley Smith, Nolen Addeo, Patrick Ernest, Mason Battles, Mason Henderson, Brody Wisener. (Standing, left to right): Coach John Goodman, Brandon Goodman, Avery Brantley, Walker Oliver, Aiden Butler, Troy Kelley, Clay Ingram, Bryson Rigsby, Carter Sayers, Kaden Peters, Coach Justin Ellis, Coach Jacob Gibson. LifeTouch Photo.

At the plate, Aiden Butler batted .421. Sayers led the team in RBIs with 12 finishing with a .371 average. Bryson Rigsby was tops in runs scored with 13.

"It just felt good to complete an undefeated season," Rigsby said. "We all worked very hard."

Ellis expects a bright future as players continue to progress in the program.

Sayers in the season-ender vs. Elmore County

"When you combine this group of kids on JV with the group of young kids that we have already on varsity, they will be fun to watch for the next couple of years. I'm very proud of this team and their commitment to doing the things that are necessary to be successful on the field. We were fortunate enough to have a group of kids that wanted to win for their teammates, family and THS and laid it all on the line every single pitch and every at bat. They showed toughness and resilience all year."

Tallassee JV Baseball Records (2020-'23)

2023: 11-0-2
2022: 12-9
2021: 13-4
2020: 8-4