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The Grace Christian Academy Cougars baseball team has excelled in District 3 Region play the past two seasons, with a combined record of 11-1. They’ve reached the GIAA Class A State Baseball tournament in back-to-back years, with an appearance in the quarterfinals to show for.  

For the 2025 campaign, the Cougars will return four GIAA Class 1A Preseason All-State selections: junior infielder and pitcher Oathen Atkinson, senior outfielder Noah Smith, senior pitcher Keith Eidson, and senior pitcher Aiden Whittaker. 

Nathan Nunez, the newly named varsity boys’ baseball manager, has a substantial baseball background, having played semi-professional baseball in Puerto Rico and the Florida-Georgia semi-pro league. He has already observed the professional demeanor displayed by those four upperclassmen.

“All those four boys, Oathen, Keith, Aiden, and Noah have a good head on their shoulders,” Nunez said. “I can tell in a couple of meetings they really want it, my expectation is to have a winning season and get to the state title and of course come out on top. This particular group  talks about how much it drives them after taking part in the state tournament before.” 

Nunez was officially named the GCA varsity baseball coach back in late October of 2024. He was enticed by how welcoming Grace was and the connections already made in the community of Bainbridge.

“When I heard they needed a head coach and were struggling to find one, it pushed me towards taking the position. I felt like if I was a player I wouldn’t want a new coach that came in without a baseball background, not just a coach for a fill-in position.” 

Expectations are high for the Cougars as they step onto the diamond with the returning talent this season, and head coach Nunez is keen to emphasize that the path to greatness doesn’t always begin with a Division I scholarship. He said, “The goal is, of course, to get to the next level. Even if you get signed by a community college, that’s a big step. Many great players come out of community colleges, go on to play Division I, and eventually make it professionally.”

Nunez’s sentiment highlights the importance of perseverance and seizing every opportunity, regardless of the starting point. This strongly resonates with many aspiring athletes who may not have the traditional pathways yet possess the talent required to succeed.

GCA will host the Westover Patriots in non-region play on Friday, February 21 at 4 p.m. for opening day.