Science Hill baseball off to impressive start

Spring hasn't yet sprung, but Science Hill's baseball team is busy mowing down opponents. The Hilltoppers improved to 4-0 on the season with a 7-2 defeat of Brentwood Academy on Wednesday. Science Hill has outscored teams, 36-7, during the hot start. The onslaught includes two games against Providence Academy, a reigning state tournament team with former MLB catcher Jeff Reed at the helm. Straight-laced Hilltoppers coach Ryan Edwards isn't at risk of wearing himself out by boasting or forecasting the future, but his optimism appears apparent, if not audible. "Yeah, we've got a chance to be all right," Edwards said, "but you never know what could happen with injuries and all that." The 'Toppers have four players committed to Walters State, a perennial national power in the junior college ranks. Seniors Nate Stoots, Cole ReSue and Sam Royston intend to become Senators, as does junior Cooper Greer. Stoots, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound first baseman, led Science Hill in a number of categories last season, including RBIs (55), home runs (five), doubles (18) and slugging (.613). "And I think he's definitely improved," Edwards said. "He just continues to make his game better. He's right in the middle of our lineup, and we've got Haydon Smelser hitting either in front of him or behind him, just depending on when Cooper Greer's in there." Greer, a catcher/left fielder who hits cleanup, has been slowed by a knee ailment, but is expected back as early as the end of the week. Caden Wells went 2-for-3 with a double, triple and three RBIs against Brentwood Academy on Wednesday. "He's played a lot of games for the 'Toppers," Edwards said. "He's hitting in the five hole. He's pitched a lot of innings for us. In the last three years I'd say he's got 120-some innings." Edwards is known for deep pitching staffs, and this season shouldn't soil that reputation. ReSue was 8-for-8 in save opportunities in 2025, compiling a 2.64 ERA with 58 strikeouts in 45 innings. Hagen Gibson was the league pitcher of the year in 2025 after going 9-5 with a 2.15 ERA. Royston finished 2025 with a 1.24 ERA. He went 8-2 and struck out 54 in 45 innings. Sophomore Levi Torbett has also won Edwards' trust on the mound. Torbett got the win against Brentwood Academy. The pitchers have a proven catcher in senior Aiden Vermillion. Vermillion, who drove in 32 runs in 40 games last season, has been behind the plate since his freshman season. Other weapons in the field include center fielder Carter McKinney and shortstop Bryson Carver. "Max Brian can also play center field and right field," Edwards said. "It's a good mix of guys. Darren Hill probably started 75 percent of the games last year at third base, or at least half of 'em, and he's improved. "Anderson Craft's come back from some arm issues. He'll be more than just a DH. He's playing left field for us." A number of Hilltoppers are capable of wowing with their gloves. "Both of the juniors in the lineup right now, Bryson Carver and Carter McKinney – and Max Bryan – I mean, all of those guys, if you come out here and watch practice, it looks like we're in a real game," Stoots said. "They're playing as hard as they can every single play. They're just so gritty, and that's what you've gotta see." Experience and depth, Stoots says, give these Hilltoppers more upside than last year's team. "There's like two guys that really didn't play much last year, but everyone else – it's people who played every single day last year," he said. "So I feel like being in that situation, being there before and just having the confidence to trust the guy behind you, trust the guy in front of you, trust the guy on base – we're getting there." Science Hill's stringent schedule includes showcases in Alabama and Murfreesboro. "I feel like we've got a really tough schedule," Edwards said. "We've got back-to-back weekend tournaments (beginning next week). We go play some teams down in Oxford, Alabama, and then the week after that we'll go play five games down in Murfreesboro. So by the time we get to April we'll have played 20 games if we get 'em in, and at least five of those are against Alabama schools that are pretty good. And there are some Murfreesboro schools and some good teams around here." Science Hill concluded a 32-15 season last year by getting swept in the best 2-of-3 sectional with Oak Ridge. The Hilltoppers don't want to get ahead of themselves, but it's clear there are aspirations of advancing beyond the sectional this year. "I feel like coming off last year – the way we went out – we just all saw we didn't want to go out like that again this year, especially with 12 seniors," Stoots said. "We all went to work this offseason and all saw what we could be. We're not there yet, but I feel like we have a lot of potential with this team."