When Matthew Freeman won the coin toss that gave him first pick for the MAIS AAA All-Star game, there wasn’t a moments hesitation on who the Adams County Christian School coach would select.

Freeman tapped Cathedral High School pitcher Sam Parker to anchor his team.

“That was a no brainer,” Freeman said. “(Parker’s) one of the best pitchers in the league, and you have to have good pitching to win an all-star game, so that made my decision easy.”

Freeman and Parker will travel Thursday to Jackson as the lone representatives of Natchez for a meet-and-greet and a practice with the rest of the members of the team before competing in the all-star game at noon Friday at Smith-Wills Field.

“Getting to be a head coach for an all-star game is a real honor,” Freeman said. “You get to compete with the best players from each team, and that’s going to make the game fun.”

Parker said moments like Friday’s games are why he loves the game of baseball.

“There’s going to be a lot of good competition,” he said. “You just have to keep on going right at them. It’s pretty much just the top three or four guys from every team. It’s going to be interesting.”

Hopefully, I’ll be able to do a few good things and be able to show what I can do.”

The first-year Rebels coach said he is eager to learn from the league’s top talented players while also getting the opportunity to interact with them.

“I want to see their attitudes and work ethic,” said Freeman, who was an MAIS All-Star during his prep years at Trinity Episcopal. “We’re going to be together for a full day, then play the next. When I went (as a high school athlete), we got to spend three days together. It kind of sucks because I’m not going to be able to hang out with the kids more.”

Parker earned his all-star accolade after accumulating a 10-2 record with a 1.03 ERA in helping lift the Green Wave to the state championship series. The East Central Community College signee tallied a 3-0 playoff record and was named MAIS District 4-AAA Pitcher of the Year.

Parker said he recently spoke to Freeman, and the ACCS head man indicated Parker may play an integral role in Friday’s game.

“He sounded like he was going to start me,” Parker said. “But I know the way these all-star games work, you can’t just have one pitcher go the whole game.”

And Parker said he’s just fine with that, under one condition.

“As long as he doesn’t bat me,” Parker said. “It’s really a privilege to go up there and represent not only my school but the entire town. Hopefully, I can do something good and let them know what we’re all about down here.”