Sports

Leaders of the pack
Part I

• Deerfield’s Justin Lott looks to direct the 18-1 Knights right into the state title game.

Derek Barichello

ALBANY — Justin Lott is a shining example of everything gone right for the Deerfield-Windsor baseball team.

Lott is one of four seniors that have led the Knights, holding an 18-1 record and the top-seed in the GISA AAA playoffs. They hold home-field advantage throughout the tournament as the best-of-three first round series starts today at 6:30 p.m. at Augusta Prep, with a doubleheader scheduled Saturday at noon (a third game played only if necessary).

Lott, who signed with Middle Georgia, set school records with a .540 batting average and 38 runs batted in. That includes a 5-0 record on the mound, a 2.10 earned run average and 64 strikeouts in seven starts.

With numbers like that, it is no wonder the Knights look up to the 6-foot-4 first baseman/pitcher in more ways than one.

“We feed off him,” junior shortstop Evan Boyd said. “He’s our ace and he’s our leader.”

That became apparent in Deerfield’s first matchup against Region 3-AAA rival Southland in Americus — one of two games that turned the tide in the region season.

Lott went the distance on the mound, pitching all eight innings and holding the two-time defending region champion Raiders to just one run. Then he added the crucial hit, ripping a grand slam to win the game, 5-1.

“We’ve all had our time to step up,” Lott said, referring to the rest of his Knights teammates. “That was mine.”

With performances like that, the Knights are hoping to get past the second round of the playoffs — where they lost last year to Stratford.

But Lott’s leadership goes beyond performance on the field.

“When anything goes wrong, he keeps the peace on the team,” Boyd said. “He makes sure he talks to everyone and keeps us motivated and focused.”

With it being his senior year, Lott’s motivation is to bring home the first GISA state championship to Deerfield since 2003.

“This has been the best team I’ve been on in my four years,” Lott said.

“I’m not the only leader. We have so much chemistry. We have five other guys on this team that can lead it.”

Those guys include pitcher Kevin McCrary, catcher Culin Brown, Steven Mann, Boyd and Grant Massey.

But ask Murray who they look up to and he’llrespond immediately with Lott’s name.

“They all follow him,” Murray said. “Justin sets a good example because he works hard and he’s not selfish. It’s easier to look up to him because he’s not selfish. He cares about the team.”

Part II>>
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