HANCEVILLE — Wallace State baseball coach Randy Putman acknowledges he feels reinvigorated, entering his 23rd season at the helm of the program he has formed into a perennial contender.

“Even though I’m 57, I feel like I’ve just started coaching all over again,” the NJCAA Hall of Fame coach said. “I’m excited as I’ve been in a long time about this baseball team. When I quit being excited, I’ll probably try my hand at something else. I love it and I’m excited about it. I always love competition and teaching guys about baseball and life lessons as they progress during their two years here.” 

Last season was an aberration for Wallace State baseball, ending a string of 21 consecutive trips to the Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC)/Region 22 Tournament since Putman arrived in 1990.

That’s in the rearview mirror as the Lions begin the 2012 season Friday at the third annual Gulf Coast First Pitch Classic on the campus of Gulf Coast Community College in Panama City, Fla. Wallace State, making its third straight appearance in the tournament, played Darton (Ga.) Community College at 3 p.m. Friday and has games scheduled against Meridian (Miss.) CC and Gordon (Ga.) CC on Saturday and Sunday respectively.

“Opening Day is always a fun time, no matter if you’re in little league, high school, junior college or the big leagues. Baseball is a game that is meant to be fun, but it’s also a business and you’ve got to coach it like a business once kids get out of high school,” Putman said. “Our baseball team this season is going to take it day by day and game by game and let the chips fall where they may. The sophomores I brought back are not only good guys, but players I felt were a good base to return this program back to the championship caliber it was, where we dominated the state for so many years.”

Wallace State’s last ACCC/Region 22 state championship/NJCAA Division I World Series appearance was in 2006, one of seven state championships and six national tournament berths under Putman.

This season, sophomore pitcher Cade Medley, an East Limestone graduate, has a chance to be Wallace State’s ace after finishing with a 6-3 record and 3.07 ERA as a freshman and earning 2nd-team All-ACCC honors.

Mississippi native Jake Smith will add sophomore experience to the rotation after a string of strong outings last season and a solid fall.

Freshmen Josh Rouse and Jacob Croft are expected to provide a substantial lift to Wallace State’s pitching depth.  Rouse, an All-State performer at Sumiton Christian, finished high school with 35 career wins and 409 strikeouts. Croft was the Class 3A Player of the Year at Sylvania High as a junior in 2010, finishing 9-1 with a 0.72 ERA and 145 strikeouts in 58 innings.

“Jake Smith has turned the corner for us on the mound. We feel he’s going to be a quality pitcher for us,” Putman said. “Josh Rouse was excellent for us in the fall and a guy we are counting on. Jacob Croft hasn’t missed a beat, and we’re excited about the potential of (Mississippi State) transfer Bret Marks and glad to get Corie Henderson back from his injury.”

Sophomore Mike Tandy will also crack the starting rotation at the outset, while Cody Jones seeks to solidify an important bullpen role for the second straight year.

Outfielder Conner McCain and first baseman/catcher Jud Sherrill return to anchor the middle of the Wallace State lineup. McCain, a Gardendale native, led the Lions last season in stolen bases (21) and runs (37), while hitting .286 with four homers and 16 RBIs. Sherrill hit .314 with three homers and 24 RBIs.

Freshman catcher Andrew Dennis should supply a bolt to the lineup after earning All-State honors at Huntsville High, where he clubbed a state-high 16 homers last season and led the Panthers to the Class 6A state championship.

Putman also believes infielder Jake Montgomery, a former draft pick of the Atlanta Braves from Marietta, Ga., and Canadian Brodie Jeffery, a freshman center fielder, should be offensive mainstays.

“I think we’re going to be able to score more runs than we have the last couple of years,” said Putman, a seven-time ACCC Coach of the Year. “The hitters are always behind the pitchers early in the season, but once it’s all said and done I believe we’re going to be capable of putting up a lot of runs on the scoreboard.”

Wallace State’s home opener is Saturday, Feb. 4 against Motlow State, and the conference opener is March 1 at Snead State.

Wallace State baseball had three former players in the major leagues during the 2011 season: Atlanta Braves closer and 2011 NL Rookie of the Year Craig Kimbrel, Texas Rangers left-hander Derek Holland, the World Series Game 4 winner, and Oakland Athletics pitcher Graham Godfrey. Five additional former Lions played professionally last season.

“It’s been proven if you play at Wallace State, you quite possibly have a chance to make it to the major leagues one day,” said Putman, a winner of 820 career games at WSCC. “We use those names in recruiting, plus we’ve got a couple of other players getting close to making it to the major leagues.”

Joining the Wallace State coaching staff is first-year assistant Adam Scott, a former Alabama pitcher and Hueytown star.