TIFTON — Baseball is down to the professionals for college players from Tift County High and Tiftarea Academy, with a big exception.

Hayden Murphy’s Auburn (41-18) team is playing Coastal Carolina  (51-11) in a best-of-three super regional series beginning Friday. Those hopeful to catch a glimpse of the former Tiftarea Panther can tune in to ESPN2 at 9 p.m. Friday and 3 p.m. Saturday to see the games. A series victory sends Auburn to the College World Series that begins June 13 in Omaha.

Murphy has only been in a few games this season, but has eight strikeouts over nine appearances. His best outing was two shutout innings of relief against Vanderbilt in March.

Several other local alumni have put up stats this spring on the diamond, be it for softball or baseball.

East Georgia State’s Brady Moretz had a massive freshman year for the Bobcats, picking up from where he left off at Tift County High. Moretz hit .351 in 2025, with four homers, 34 RBIs and 33 runs scored. Besides the home runs, he had eight other extra-base hits and stole nine bags.

Opponents couldn’t keep Moretz off the bases. His OBP was .485 and he worked 30 walks and was hit six times by pitches. Though East Georgia finished below .500, Moretz’s play saw him named to the GCAA All-Tournament Team.

Bailee Williams did well in her first season playing for Alabama State. Williams hit .267, showing her power with two homers and seven doubles while driving in 15 runs. Williams scored 14 times for a Hornets team that went 18-36, though 14-10 in the SWAC.

Also at Alabama State, Tyler Holmes played in four games as a freshman. He got a hit in his first ever at-bat, against Western Illinois, and scored two runs for the season. He was also perfect in four fielding chances.

Loralee Bennett blistered the softball in her first season at Chattahoochee Valley Community College. Playing 3B and DP, Bennett hit .378 for the Pirates, driving in 42 runs and slugging .589. Bennett had three homers for the year with two coming against Andrew College.

Playing for Georgia Military College, Macy Hand drove in two runs a freshman.

Lane Cole, who played for Tiftarea in high school, made a handful of appearances for Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. Cole threw two innings this year and fanned two against Middle Georgia State. Cole allowed no earned runs and no hits. He also had chance to hit twice.

On ABAC’s softball diamond, Elli Bryan stole five bases for the Fillies and drove in a pair of runs for the year. She also had a perfect fielding percentage.