Cobras heading into final tournament of season in Vicksburg

Published 12:01 am Thursday, July 25, 2013

Concordia Cobras infielder Will Mabry Jr., center, throws the ball back towards home plate during fielding drills at the beginning of a team practice on the fields behind Vidalia Lower Elementary School on Wednesday evening. (Jay Sowers \ The Natchez Democrat)

Concordia Cobras infielder Will Mabry Jr., center, throws the ball back towards home plate during fielding drills at the beginning of a team practice on the fields behind Vidalia Lower Elementary School on Wednesday evening. (Jay Sowers \ The Natchez Democrat)

VIDALIA — The Concordia Cobras look to end their season on a high note with the Governor’s Cup this weekend in Vicksburg.

The Cobras have had two weeks off since the 2013 Mississippi USSSA Baseball State Championship in Ridgeland, and head coach Will Mabry said practice this week will consist of oiling them up again.

“They have chemistry, and right now we’re just trying to knock the dust off,” Mabry said. “We just have to get some reps in to get back into the groove of things.”

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Mabry said this year has been a big improvement from last year, but they are hoping to keep building on their success.

“We’ve already played 34 games this year,” Mabry said. “We went 20-13-1, which is much better than the 2-23 we were last year. This is our first year playing against kids our age. We’ve always played older kids.”

Concordia Cobras infielder Rives Reynolds, left, prepares to throw a baseball across the infield during fielding drills. (Jay Sowers \ The Natchez Democrat)

Concordia Cobras infielder Tanner Wimberly, left, prepares to throw a baseball across the infield during fielding drills. (Jay Sowers \ The Natchez Democrat)

Cobras’ player Will Mabry Jr. said he has confidence that the team will do well after two weeks of rest.

“We’re going to be better than we were before the state tournament,” Mabry Jr. said.

Mabry said this 7- and 8-year-old coach-pitch team knows what they need to do in order to succeed in the Governor’s Cup.

“They have to play defense and hit the ball,” Mabry said. “It usually comes down to who makes the least amount of errors and gets the most hits. At this age, that’s asking a lot.”

Mabry Jr. said he believes in his father’s system and if they follow his instructions, they will come out of the tournament successful.

“We have to hit the ball well and go out and play our best,” Mabry Jr. said. “We’re going to have a good time in Vicksburg, too.”

The winner of the Governor’s Cup will receive a signed baseball by Governor Phil Bryant.

After coming from the Governor’s Cup, the Cobras’ coach-pitch season will be over, but it will be the start of their children’s pitch league.

Mabry said he is steadily getting his team ready for the big changes.

“We’ve had a few practices where kids have pitched,” Mabry said. “It’ll be a good transition for them.”

Cobras’ player Rives Reynolds said in their few practices of children pitching, he notices the difference from coach pitch.

“We’ve been practicing, but we need to get better,” Reynolds said. “When kids pitch they throw a lot faster than the coaches.”

The Cobras will play the Vicksburg Pirates at 6 p.m. Friday and the Mississippi Jammers at 10:30 a.m. Saturday.