When reviewing the 2022 Lindsay Lane Lions baseball season, it will be remembered for the players moving on to college, the bond they have amongst themselves and the records they set along the way.

Head baseball coach – and Alabama’s 1A coach of the year – Charles Morrison and the Lindsay Lane team have titled their season a “A year to remember” after hurdling obstacles, getting over multiple humps and going on a deep postseason run.

“We wanted to make sure we enjoyed the journey,” Morrison said. “These group of boys really enjoyed the journey. We wanted to be loose and free (every game), and we always played well with a loose mindset.”

This deep postseason run included four straight sweeps – Meek in the first round, Ragland in the second round, Appalachian in the quarterfinals and Donoho in the semifinals.

The victory over Donoho represented a large milestone in the timeline of Lindsay Lane’s success, as Donoho was the team that put the Lions out of the playoffs the previous season, when the Lions also felt they had a championship-caliber team.

Their season was also highlighted by milestones, such as ace pitcher for the Lions, Ray Anderson, throwing a no-hitter against Priceville earlier in the season.

Their season also included eye-popping stats. According to Morrison, their team batting average on the year was .355.

This included five players who ended up having a batting average above .350.

Star catcher Sam Hogue hit .446 on the season with 51 RBIs, while Micah Perkins hit .430 on the year with 29 RBIs, 33 stolen bases and 60 runs scored while hitting in the leadoff spot.

Hogue won hitter of the year for the state in Class 1A.

Max Morrison, son of Coach Morrison, hit .358 on the season with 27 RBIs and 21 stolen bases.

On the mound, the stats were equally as dominant. Anderson posted an Earned Run Average of 1.78 on the season, with a strikeout-walk ratio that saw him strikeout 100 more batters than allowing bases on balls. He ended the season with a record of 11-2.

While Ben Fraser, no. 2 pitcher for the Lions, posted fewer innings than Anderson, his ERA was a whopping 0.84.

Perkins also served as the no. 3 pitcher for the Lions, and Morrison chose to use him as the no. 2 option in the state playoffs, just in case they needed Fraser for game 3.

However, despite the high winning percentage and doing well enough to bring home a red map as the state runner-up for 1A, Morrison says their success is not defined by wins and losses, focusing on the bond the team formed.

“It is one thing to have talent,” he said. “It is another thing to have talent and chemistry. You remember developing those relationships with the guys. I want to see them be future fathers.”

Additionally, as good as the Lions were this past season, the talent they are returning for next season should put north Alabama and the rest of the state on high alert.

To name a few, the Lions are returning key contributors such as Anderson, Fraser, Morrison, Seth Mitchell, Jackson Carter, Alex Cook and Trey Perkins, younger brother of Micah.

When asked about returning players who made a deep state championship run, Coach Morrison said he “feels pretty good.”

Lindsay Lane ends the year with four players receiving first team all-state honors for Class 1A.