The Airport Eagles, 2025 SCHSL 4A Baseball State Champions: 1 Brayden Dunlap; 2 Gabe Ingram; 3 Charlie Jackson; 4 Ayden McCauley; 5 Isahia Clemons; 6 Landon Jeffcoat; 7 Hunter Epps; 8 Sundiata Anderson; 9 Harrison Shoffner; 10 Cash Epps; 11 Caden Hatfield; 12 Brice Gillette; 13 Braden Gross; 14 Matthew Perry; 16 Justin Sightler; 17 Sean Feliciano; 19 Rodrigo Rizo; 20 Caleb Eubanks; 21 Cooper Chavis; 22 Daniel Butts; Assistant Coaches Kris Kirkland, Jeremey Epperson, Nick Gooding, Brandon Caughman, Taylor Bundrick, Ryan Ohora, Layne Turner, and Cameron Zimmerman; Head Coach Casey Bradwell; Athletic Director Shane Fidler; and Principal Matt Schilit. Photos by Mike Maddock
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The Airport Eagles scored five runs in the fifth inning and three in the sixth to defeat the Seneca Bobcats 10-0 Saturday, May 31 and sweep the 4A Baseball State Championship Series. Airport’s Braden Gross ended the game in the sixth inning with a two-run single.
“Look at this place,” Airport head coach Casey Bradwell said of the packed Airport stands. “This is for a lot of people. We lost some good ones this year. L.G. (Lawrence Gardner) worked here for 50 years. He was a good friend of mine. Coach (Kris) Kirkland’s dad was at all of our games, even when I played. We’re playing for the community and friends. It was good.”
This is Airport’s first state championship in baseball. The Eagles had previously played in the finals in 2013, losing to the A.C. Flora Falcons, and in 2018, losing to the Chapin Eagles.
Adding to the moment is that Bradwell is a 2006 Airport graduate and was a longtime Eagles assistant under former head coach Tim Perry.
Airport’s Braden Gross hits a game-ending two RBI single against Seneca.
Bradwell’s Airport squad never trailed in Saturday’s game due to a strong performance from pitcher Hunter Epps, who threw a complete game shutout, scattering four hits while striking out six.
Epps only faced nine Seneca batters through the first three innings. He gave up two hits in that span and struck out three.
In the bottom of the third, Epps got some offensive help. Brice Gillette singled and Landon Jeffcoat reached on an error. Then Gross laid down a sacrifice bunt. However, on the play at the plate, an errant throw allowed Jeffcoat and Gillette to score and put Airport ahead 2-0.
Epps battled through some tough innings, especially the top of the fourth. A single from Kade Scruggs and a walk to William Cutshall put two on with no outs. Epps rebounded to strike out the next three batters to get out of the jam.
Seneca threatened again in the top of the fifth. Rafael Little was hit by a pitch, Cullen McGhee hit into a fielder’s choice, and Grant Duvall singled to put two on with two out. However, Epps got Scruggs to pop out in foul territory to end the threat.
Airport’s Hunter Epps threw a complete game shutout. He scattered up four hits and struck out six.
“That dude is never in trouble,” Bradwell said of Epps. “He does what he does. He throws the ball over the plate. He’s the best competitor I’ve ever coached. I’m proud of him.”
The Eagles broke the game open in the bottom of the fifth. Epps hit a leadoff single, Jeffcoat drew a walk, and Gross loaded the bases with a bunt single. Justin Sightler singled to left field, scoring Epps and Jeffcoat to increase the Airport lead to 4-0. Gross would later score on a wild throw as the Eagles led 5-0. Dunlap then hit into a fielder’s choice and Isahia Clemons walked to put two on with two out. Matthew Perry roped a single to right field, scoring Dunlap to increase the Eagles lead to 6-0. Clemons then came home on a balk to give Airport a 7-0 lead after five innings.
“We wanted to put pressure on people,” Bradwell said. “That’s our approach all of the time. We want to put pressure on people. Make them make plays. We did that. We put enough balls in play to make them make some mistakes. We capitalized on them.”
Airport’s Justin Sightler went 1-for-3 with two RBIs against Seneca in Game 2.
Airport finished the game off in the sixth. Epps blasted a double to left field. Gillette singled to bring in Epps and increase the lead to 8-0. Jeffcoat walked and moved to second on a wild pitch. Gross then smashed a single to left field, scoring Jeffcoat and Gillette to close out the game.
“I was looking for a pitch I could hit,” Gross said. “He threw me three balls. Coach gave me the green light. I was just trying to hop on something I could hit. I just did what I had to do.
“It means a lot in a state championship game. I couldn’t have done it without them.”
Gross led the way at the plate for Airport going 3-for-3 with three RBIs. Epps was 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Sightler went 1-for-3 with two RBIs. Perry went 1-for-1 with an RBI, and Gillette went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Airport’s Matthew Perry smashes an RBI single to right field in the fifth inning against Seneca.
Airport finishes the season with a 27-6 record.
Airport’s Brice Gillette slides home safely during a two-run bottom of the third against Seneca.
Airport’s Landon Jeffcoat (r) and Hunter Epps celebrate after Jeffcoat scored against Seneca.
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