South Pointe baseball seniors proud of program’s upward trajectory

South Pointe baseball is on the rise, thanks in part to senior duo Bo Taylor and Stephen Thompson.

The Stallions have spent much of their baseball existence on the wrong side of the win-loss column and in the shadow of Rock Hill High and Northwestern, but they’re ranked statewide in 4A this spring and the program’s goals are growing after a 15-13 season last year.

"Last year we had a solid run," Thompson said. "And we didn't lose anybody. The senior leadership is pretty strong."

Taylor will almost certainly have to lead from the dugout. Before last Thursday’s game against Northwestern, the Stallions got news that he broke the hamate bone in his left hand during batting practice and will require surgery. The operation actually removes the bone. He will be able to make a complete recovery but won't be back until at least the playoffs and could have played his last game as a Stallion.

"It happened in January and the doctors told me eventually it would break all the way through, but 'you can play as long as you can,'" Taylor said. "And right before the game I took a swing and I just kind of knew it. It brought me to tears a little bit knowing that might be my last game. But the Lord has a plan, and it's a plan to prosper me and not harm me. That's all that could run through my mind."

Taylor is the son of Stallions' coach, Joel Taylor, and is the top-ranked catchers in the state of South Carolina. He is headed to Coastal Carolina next year to play for the defending national champion Chanticleers.

"Right when I got down there I told my dad 'this is where I want to go,'" Taylor said. "It was amazing sitting down with Coach (Gary) Gilmore. He's just the kind of guy you want to play for. I'm definitely excited to get down there."

Coastal has been a strong program for a long time but winning a national title has raised the expectations and set a standard for recruits to try and live up to. Taylor acknowledges that but he is not shying away from it.

"It was humbling (watching Coastal win the CWS)," Taylor said. "I hugged my dad afterwords and I said 'I'm going to the national champions.' The Lord blessed me with that and I'm grateful. I'm excited to put on the teal and black. It's a perfect fit."

Thompson is one of the state's top-ranked third basemen, and he is headed to Annapolis, Md., and the Naval Academy next season.

Thompson hit .378 his junior season with 17 RBI and also went 3-1 on the mound with a 3.00 ERA. He was also named All-Region 3-3A and Herald All-Area. The Naval Academy will be more of a challenge and a lifestyle change than just going to a typical university and playing college baseball.

"Baseball got my foot in the door,” Thompson said. “I started talking to the coaches in the fall of this past year. I went to a camp, and they got a lot of video of me playing in Florida in different tournaments."

Thompson said he is prepared for the rigors of military life in addition to college baseball.

"It's a completely different experience since it is a hundred percent military school," Thompson said. "We knew it was going to be different. I've talked to guys that have played there and went to school there. I feel pretty good about it."

It's not just a short-term commitment for baseball, he is in it for the long haul.

"There's a mandatory five-year active duty when you graduate, but I want to enlist after college," Thompson said. "If I'd have gone somewhere else, I probably would have gone to officer candidate school."

Taylor, who has started for the Stallions since his freshman year, hit .412 last season with 15 RBI and 18 stolen bases. He threw out 47 percent of the runners who tried to steal on him. He was also named All-State and All-Area.

The Stallions edged Rock Hill 1-0 last week behind a four-hitter from pitcher Daniel Lipe, before falling 2-0 to the Trojans. It was a sign that there is still work to do for South Pointe’s No. 9-ranked team.

"Rock Hill is a really good team," Taylor said. "But we want to beat the purple too. It's always fun playing them because I played with a lot of them and against them growing up. And they know they're No. 1 in the state. We have that underdog, chip-on-our-shoulder, scrappy team and that's how we've always been. It's a good rivalry and it's gotten better as our program has progressed."

This story was originally published March 14, 2017 at 11:24 AM with the headline "South Pointe baseball seniors proud of program’s upward trajectory."