Bill Murrell had come close to a state baseball championship several times in his 35-year head-coaching career before the 2008 season—four to be exact. But each time the Trojans fell short, having to settle for a runner-up trophy. But on May 14, Murrell and his team got what they worked hard for all season long—a state championship.
“I knew entering the season that we had the potential to have an excellent year,” Murrell said. “We had all of our starters returning from the previous year. After they got beat by Hackleburg in the semifinals the year before, they believed they could go one more round. They believed they could accomplish that and they did.”
Down 5-4 in the fifth inning, the Trojans came back, scoring seven runs on five hits to secure an 11-7 win over Providence Christian and give Athens Bible its first Class 1A state baseball title in the program’s history.
“Anyone out there who has ever been on a state championship team will understand what it means to be able to put into words the hard work and dedication it takes to win one,” Murrell said. “It’s something that these guys will be able to remember for awhile.”
The Lady Trojan softball team had success as well.
Just three days after the boys won a Class 1A state baseball title, the girls cruised through the state softball tournament at Lagoon Park winning four consecutive games to claim the Class 1A state softball title.
For the first time since 2006, Athens Bible advanced to the Class 1A state championship game. knocking off top-ranked Millry in the winners bracket.
The Lady Trojans finished the season at 32-18.
“For our school, the excitement of winning both in the same season has to be one of the highlights of these students’ careers,” Murrell said, who also serves as the school athletic director. “They may not realize how special it is until they realize how rare it is. Having a school win a baseball and softball championship in the same season doesn’t happen that often.”
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