Springer to take over Culleoka baseball as Hunter resigns

By Maurice Patton

Vince Springer has been named as interim baseball coach at Culleoka, replacing Chad Hunter after one pandemic-shortened season.

Culleoka athletics director Doug Sharp confirmed the coaching change Wednesday, citing scheduling issues on the part of Hunter, who was coaching on a non-faculty basis.

“He’s got a construction business, he’s having to work a lot of late hours,” Sharp said of Hunter, who played at Riverdale and briefly at Walters State. “After Christmas, he hasn’t had the time.

“He’s stepped aside, but he’s going to try to be there for games to help Vince. Vince has been doing the paperwork, all the administrative duties. With it being so close to the season, we needed to go ahead and do that, so that’s what (Culleoka principal Penny Love) and I decided to do.”

Hunter, the son-in-law of Culleoka assistant principal Mallory Hubbell, succeeded Adam Hendrix following the 2019 season. He guided the Warriors to an 0-3 start last spring before the COVID-19 global outbreak forced a stoppage of all athletic activities.

“The guys are excited to get on the field and start doing something,” said Springer, who served as Hunter’s assistant last year. “Monday (Feb. 15) is the first day we can officially practice. We’ve got a great bunch of guys; we only had one senior last year. We’ve got two seniors this year, Carson Lovell and Colton Tullis. We’ve got a lot of good talent. We’ll see what we can do.”

Clayton Harris, Culleoka’s middle school baseball coach, is also expected to help with the varsity, according to Sharp.

Culleoka is scheduled to open its 2021 season March 15 at Community, before hosting the Vikings on March 16.

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