SPRING NOTES: Former Hayneville coach Baker passes; local HS teams ready for state

COMBINED REPORTS

The Lowndes community and school system are grieving the loss of a former player and coach.

With over 21 years in education, Toriano “Tito” Baker wore many hats throughout his career. Baker coached athletics for more than 15 years and led Central-Hayneville to the Class 4A state championship in 2002. He also took the Lions to three other state semifinals in his tenure.

Baker played college basketball at Faulkner for coach Jim Sanderson.

He taught at Lowndes Middle School, R.E. Lee High School, and Central as a physical education teacher for 13 years. He was also the athletic director at Central for six years and then moved to a principal assistant position and then principal. After three years as a principal with Central, Baker transitioned to Lowndes Middle School and continued his administrative career.

Baker was also an active member at Beulah Baptist Church in Montgomery and served on their Board of Trustees, president of the Beulah Laymen, and co-taught the Intermediate Sunday School class with his wife, Kimberly Baker.

Funeral arrangement were not made available.

Local softball teams open AHSAA Softball tournament

Tallassee and Elmore County open the 2021 AHSAA state softball tournament beginning Tuesday in Oxford.

The Tigers will face Ardmore beginning at 9 a.m. while Elmore County will play Hayden in 5A first-round action. Tallassee’s games will be featured on WTLS 106.5 FM and 1300 AM and on www.1300wtls.com

Alabama Christian Academy and LAMP will open tournament play in 4A beginning Wednesday. The Eagles play Etowah while the Golden Tigers face Cleburne County. Both games begin at 9 a.m.

In Class 3A, Prattville Christian will face Fyffe beginning at 10:45 a.m. on Friday.

Alabama leads contingent of SEC teams into NCAA Softball tourney

Alabama won the 2021 SEC Softball Tournament on Saturday. On Sunday, the Crimson Tide was named one of the top eight seeds in the NCAA Tournament.

The SEC earned seven national seeds, including five of the top eight. Alabama (45-7), the 2021 SEC Tournament Champion, earned the No. 3 seed. Florida (42-9) and Arkansas (40-9), the SEC Regular Season Co-Champions, was awarded the No. 4 and No. 6 seeds, respectively. LSU (32-19) is the No. 7 seed, and Missouri (38-15) captured the No. 8 seed. Tennessee (41-13) garnered the No. 9 seed, and Kentucky (39-13) was tabbed the No. 14 seed.

In addition, Auburn (27-22) earned a spot in the Tallahassee Regional, and Georgia (29-21) will host the Athens Regional. Ole Miss (34-20) is headed to the Tucson Regional, and Mississippi State (33-23) is set to compete at the Stillwater Regional. Texas A&M (31-21) was selected to play at the Norman Regional.

Alabama will be the host to two other in-state teams including Alabama State, which will face the Crimson Tide in the tournament on Friday at 5 p.m. Troy also received a bid and will play Clemson, the ACC champion, in the first game on Friday at Rhodes Stadium.

Auburn will face Central Florida in the regional opener on Friday.

Regionals will be held Friday-Sunday on 16 campus sites. Super regionals for the championship will be held May 27-30 on eight campus sites. The winners from each super regional advance to the NCAA Women’s College World Series (WCWS) from June 3-9 at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium – OG&E Energy Field in Oklahoma City.