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What to know about 2024 Jackson area high school baseball season: Top players, storylines

austin chastain, jackson sun
·3 min read

Baseball is back in the Jackson area.

The TSSAA baseball season is under way with some of the state's best teams and players back in action in West Tennessee.

Here are the top storylines and top players for the 2024 season.

Milan aims to return to state championship game

The Bulldogs put themselves in the state Class 2A state championship game but came up just short with an 8-3 final against Union County in eight innings.

Players like senior Rye Maxwell and junior Colin Milligan hope to lead the Bulldogs (33-10 in 2023) back to a shot at the program's second state title.

Dyer County, McKenzie, Peabody among top contenders

Three Jackson area teams advanced to the state final four last season.

Dyer County lost to Upperman, 5-2, in Class 3A. In Class 1A, McKenzie lost a tough game to East Robertson, 5-2, and Peabody lost to eventual state champion Eagleville, 9-4.

Those three teams return some of their top players and hope to make their way back to the state tournament and make an even deeper run.

Adamsville, Riverside, South Gibson potentially sneaky teams

Eight teams from the Jackson area advanced to the TSSAA state tournament last season.

Adamsville, Riverside and South Gibson fell short of the semifinals but lost to the top teams in the state.

Some of the top players in the area are on these teams' rosters and expect to break out and make their way back to the state tournament again this season.

MORE: From Haylen Ayers to Jay'Len Mosley: Here are 24 Jackson area athletes to watch in 2024

Top players for Jackson area baseball

Ashton Duke, Adamsville, Jr.: Duke hit .396 last season and struck out 50 batters in 44 innings pitched.

Isaac Howard, Adamsville, So.: Howard drove in 25 runs with a .344 batting average last season.

Trey Dooley, Camden, Sr.: Dooley went 6-2 last season with a 1.81 ERA and a school-record 105 strikeouts.

Hunter McLemore, Chester Co., So.: In limited action last season, McLemore hit .500.

Kole Fenton, Dyer County, Sr.: Fenton led Dyer County with a .438 batting average while driving in 25 runs and stealing 19 bases.

Breyden Turnage, Dyersburg, Jr.: A 6-foot-8 first baseman, Turnage hit .500 last season.

Daniel Green, Jackson Christian, Sr.: Green had two home runs and two doubles while collecting 19 RBIs.

Rye Maxwell, Milan, Sr.: Maxwell hit .310 with six doubles, two home runs and 34 RBIs.

Colin Milligan, Milan, Jr.: Milligan batted .427 last season. He scored 52 runs and drove in 20.

Peabody's Jett McAlister (27) celebrates his home run against Eagleville with Peabody's Guillermo Collazo Cruz (28) during the TSSAA Class 1A State Baseball Tournament at Eagleville, on Thursday, May 25, 2023.
Peabody's Jett McAlister (27) celebrates his home run against Eagleville with Peabody's Guillermo Collazo Cruz (28) during the TSSAA Class 1A State Baseball Tournament at Eagleville, on Thursday, May 25, 2023.

Guillermo Cruz, Peabody, Sr.: Cruz struck out 75 batters with a 1.60 ERA while hitting .440 with 13 doubles and a home run.

Alan Torres, Peabody, Sr.: Torres hit .390 with two home runs and 21 stolen bases while striking out 65 batters over 54 innings pitched with a 1.90 ERA.

Stone Wallace, Riverside, Sr.: Wallace hit .344 last season with 15 doubles, three triples and 16 RBIs and stole 32 bases. He also racked up 70 strikeouts while pitching.

Aiden Creasey, Riverside, Sr.: Creasey hit .339 with 10 doubles, two home runs, 33 RBIs and 12 stolen bases.

Cade Allen, South Gibson, So.: Allen racked up 75 strikeouts with a 5-1 record last season.

Rylee Austin, South Gibson, Sr.: Austin hit for a .369 average last season with 23 RBIs.

This article originally appeared on Jackson Sun: TSSAA baseball: Jackson area storylines, players to watch for 2024