The Jay High School Royals baseball team is adjusting well in their second year under head coach Brian Moye.
After losing the first two games, the Royals had a three game winning streak before losing to South Walton High School on Friday.
Moye said his team is adapting well to his coaching style.
“This team has totally bought in so far and we have not run into any issues,” Moye sad. “The attitudes have been great. The kids have done everything I have asked them to.”
While the team is still adjusting to new players in the outfield and infield, Moye has been impressed with how the team has performed on the pitching mound.
“I have been real pleased. We have five good players that we could put out there at any given time and I have no problems pitching any of them,” Moye said. “That is a luxury to have.”
Moye said his pitching lineup includes a good mixture of talent including two seniors, one junior and two sophomores.
One of those pitchers is Jay Carnley, who also plays first base. Moye said he has been impressed with how Carnley has progressed from last season.
The senior classman said he along with his teammates have already bought into Moye’s system.
“Last year was our first year and we were learning everything. This year we pretty much already know what he is going to say,” Carnley said.
Fellow teammate Marcus Crutchfield agreed, adding this year’s team is much improved.
“I knew we had the bats and the defense to do it,” Crutchfield said. “Our bats are a little bit slower than we thought, but we are getting back into it and our team will pull it together and pull it off.”
Crutchfield said the key to success is keeping a positive attitude throughout the season.
“Stay up and stay positive. Every now and again you will get to bat and you will get a bad hit and you just want to get down and be negative, but you can’t do that,” he said.
As an example, Crutchfield said the positivity and energy allowed the Royals to blow past district rival Baker School 5-0 in a recent matchup.
“We are all picking up on that when you stay positive and loud, that we are going to pull through,” he said.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Royals baseball seeing improvements in Moye's second year