GRAY DEYOSports Writer

The lights were back on at Grider Stadium, shining down on a new look Tullahoma High School baseball team, and marking the start of the 2026 regular season. Tullahoma won in a defensive war over an uber-talented Rossview High School team in their home and season opener, 2-0.

It was great to see the THS baseball program back in action. Over the past two seasons, they have brought home tons of hardware, including the likes of a 2024 state championship and a 2025 regional championship. Along with these trophies, they have also brought some of the best sports memories to the town of Tullahoma in a long time. This 2026 Wildcat group, while lacking players who had high-impact roles in generating this level of success, still looks to be a talented squad. And that visible talent that was already present in game one of this season began on the mound with the starting pitcher for Tullahoma against Rossview, Lukas Taylor.

Taylor’s last outing in a non-scrimmage for Tullahoma can be dated back to May 20, 2025. There, he took the mound in the 3A state tournament against White House High School, and he dominated. He allowed just one run against the opposing Devils through 5.2 innings, and with his pitch mix, he got nine strikeouts. This level of play from Taylor was clearly not a one-off, as on Mar. 2, he was wheeling and dealing against Rossview.

Taylor, in this contest, also pitched 5.2 innings, allowed just three hits, and had eight strikeouts. This elite pitching display was followed by a shutout performance in 1.1 innings from JD Schmisseur. The senior designated hitter allowed no hits and had a strikeout in his time on the mound. The combined scoreless pitching from both Taylor and Schmisseur got the necessary run support from the Wildcats offense to get the win on opening day, and it all came in the second inning.

In a game where it was hard for either team to get a hit–both teams combining for six–Tullahoma in the bottom of the second got one of their three in the game. This came from Schmisseur, who flared a ball into right field.  The next batter for Tullahoma, Xander Pogue, got on base from a walk. The opposing Hawks then made a couple of mistakes.

A wild pitch advanced both Schmisseur and Pogue to second and third in the next at bat, and a dropped third strike sent Schmisseur to home, making the score 1-0.

Blake Melton, who was the previous batter despite striking out, was able to reach first base safely due to the dropped strike. Hawks pitcher, Jayden Gaylor, after facing Melton, got another one of his 10 strikeouts for the game in the next at bat, but another wild pitch sent Pogue home, who was on third during the AB, giving Tullahoma a 2-0 lead.

This was a gritty game between the two 2025 state tournament qualifying teams. And although this bout did not have offensive firepower, it showed that this Wildcats squad has the trait of being able to find a way to win even when not all aspects of their game are going for them.