Diamond Canes Close Season Friday at Sun Trust Park

The 2019 Monticello High School baseball season could likely best be described as “almost.”

Several games which ended in one-run setbacks will prevent the Diamond Canes for qualifying for the postseason but coach Chris Jenkins said he is excited not only about the future but for the final week of the current campaign.

Monticello will host Oglethorpe County today, April 18 at 5:30 p.m. for Senior Night. The team will then play Lamar County at Sun Trust Park Friday at 7 p.m.

Jenkins’ team swept Rabun County 3-2 and 2-1 in its most recent action on April 12. The Canes enter this week at 7-18 overall and 4-8 in region plays.

“Even if we win some of those close region games which we lost close then we could have been as high as second,” the coach said.

Depending on how the series with Oglethorpe County plays out (the teams were also set to meet Wednesday of this week) Monticello could finish fifth in the region standings just shy of the postseason.

Hunter Duke is the team’s lone senior for 2019 playing in center field as well as seeing time on the pitcher’s mound.

“The majority of our team is sophomores,” Jenkins said. “However, many of them saw varsity playing time last year. We are young but not necessarily inexperienced.”

The loss of Duke to graduation will be a void the team will have to fill for the 2020 season.

“Hunter has done a good job for us defensively and as our lead batter,” his coach said. “Losing him will leave a hole in our roster but we have some quality depth to build around.”

Jenkins said several players have been key contributors for the Canes this spring.

“In the games in which we have been successful it’s really been someone different each game,” the coach said. “We have benefited from having a solid group of players as a whole. The key is to always have everyone playing well at the same time.”

While the team is disappointed to not be in the playoffs Jenkins said Friday’s game at Sun Trust Park, the home of the Atlanta Braves, will be an enjoyable way to finish 2019.

“It’s something the players as well as the coaches are looking forward to,” he said.