By Garrett Kroeger

The Natchez Democrat

FERRIDAY — The Delta Charter School Storm baseball team has played 12 games this year. During that time, it has yet to find an ace pitcher — one that is more than willing to take command of a game once his feet reach the mound.

On the year the Storm currently sits at 4-8 — it has lost four of its last five games. With that record coach Jarrett Hoffpauir is getting concerned Delta Charter might not find that ace in time to turnaround its season.

“We have to build our pitching,” Hoffpauir said. “We have to have someone step up. We have to have somebody who wants to go out there and pitch. We have to have that bulldog on the mound. Right now, we don’t have it.”

Although the Storm has yet to find that bulldog, fate has not been kind to Delta Charter’s pitching rotation. This year, Hoffpauir said some of the Storm’s upperclassman pitchers have experienced injuries that have forced them to the dugout.

However, there are no excuses in his mind.

“Our older guys have to step up,” Hoffpauir said. “We need those guys to do what juniors and seniors are supposed to do: lead.”

While Hoffpauir is looking for leaders to embrace that top pitching role, he has seen some freshman and sophomores step up and take charge this year.

Two freshman, Eli and Andrew Brown, have both been productive pitchers for Delta Charter this season, along with sophomore Landon Davis. Hoffpauir is happy that those three — along with the rest of the young pitchers — have shown the will to fight and win.

“We are running out freshman and sophomores every game,” Hoffpauir said. “Those young guys are competitors.

“Our young pitchers are very good. They know the game very well and compete from the first to last inning.”

At the end of the day, Hoffpauir knows the Storm cannot rely upon 14- and 15-year-olds when they are facing 17- and 18-year-olds night in and night out.

Hoffpauir also said Delta Charter isn’t showing a winning flare or a desire to win ball games. He knows if the Storm was to find that winning edge and figure out their pitching rotation, it could make some noise in the back half of its schedule.

“We could be really good,” Hoffpauir said. “We have seen sparks there that make me think that we could compete with any (LHSAA) Class 1A team in the state. I really do. But like I said, it all comes back to that want to. You have to have guys that truly want to win and truly want to take over a game. That mentality is hard to come by these days.”

Hoffpauir said he doesn’t know if it is a mental block or a confidence issue that is barring his players stepping up to pitch and showing a will to win. If Delta Charter cannot figure out what the issue is before it is too late, Hoffpauir knows it will be a grueling season.

“Something has got to change,” Hoffpauir said. “If not, it is going to be a long year.”