Effingham County High School's Tucker Wilson makes impact in limited baseball chances

SPRINGFIELD — It’s Senior Night at Effingham County High School, and Tucker Wilson’s name is penciled into the baseball team's starting lineup Wednesday against Brunswick.

Wilson is a great football linebacker but a role player as an outfielder and designated hitter on the baseball squad.

Limited by a quad injury, he had only seven at-bats in the team’s 28 previous games.

But you’d never know it.

“I’ve loved baseball all my years I’ve played. It’s been in my heart, kind of like football,” Wilson said. “Whether it’s my job to cheer on (my teammates) or be on the field, I trust God and trust my coaches that they’re going to make the right decisions.”

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The stat sheet (according to GameChanger) reads Wilson went hitless in three at-bats against Brunswick. What’s not recorded on the stat sheet is hustle.

Twice, Wilson’s hustle down the first-base line after ground balls created hurried throws for Brunswick infielders. Twice, Wilson reached base. The second time, he eventually scored on a sacrifice fly to break a 2-2 deadlock, and the Rebels pulled out a 4-2 win to clinch a GHSA Class 6A state playoff berth for the first time since 2019.

“That’s what we get from Tucker all the time,” ECHS coach Shane Ramsey said. “He’s a coach’s dream. He’s always early to practice and stays late. He does everything you want. He hustles and has a great attitude. He’s the energy guy.”

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In football, Wilson was the leader of a squad that showed significant improvement on defense — surrendering about 27 points a game in 2020 to about 15 in 2021. By cutting opponents’ points almost in half, the Rebels doubled their wins from three to six.

Wilson was selected all-region by the region's football coaches, then first-team all-state by the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association.

In February, he committed to play football at Mercer University.

But that didn’t change Wilson’s commitment to ECHS baseball.

“My role is different, but I never thought about giving up baseball,” Wilson said. “It’s a team sport and you play your role, whatever that is. It’s good to be out here with my friends.”

Wilson is finishing his last few high school weeks with a bang. He’s a male finalist for the annual Vince Dooley Award, presented in late May by Athletes for a Better World. The criteria are outstanding individual character, teamwork and citizenship.

Classmate Candace Kieffer is a female finalist.

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“Tucker is going to be successful in anything he does, but to see his work ethic …,” Ramsey said. “I appreciate him. You don’t win baseball games without people like him. He’s the definition of what a championship ballplayer is.”

Wilson has played in eight games this season. An opportunity for a ninth would be welcomed — just like the rare start against Brunswick.

“I’m hoping we have another chance to play a home game (in the playoffs),” Wilson said. “(The Brunswick game) could possibly be my last home game so it was special to be out here.”

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Effingham County football star Tucker Wilson plays baseball