PIEDMONT – Piedmont baseball coach Matt Deerman said senior shortstop/pitcher/outfielder Austin Estes is a kid he knows what he’s going to get from every time he steps on field.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s practice or a game, whatever. Whatever position he plays at, he’s always thought ‘I can be the best at this.’ If he’s not, he’s always been the kid to try and get to that.
“He’s hard-nosed, 100 percent all of the time.”
That hard-nosed, 100-percent all of the time attitude has helped Estes reach the next level.
Estes signed a scholarship with Chattahoochee Valley Community College of Phenix City on Thursday. He batted .364 with nine doubles, two triples, a home run, 27 stolen bases, 24 walks, 48 runs and 36 RBIs for the Bulldogs (34-7) last season. He was also 8-0 on the mound with two saves in 44.3 innings pitched with 58 strikeouts and a 1.11 ERA.
He will be joining Deerman’s nephew Brant Deerman in Phenix City after graduation.
“When I went down there last summer for a workout, Brant went down there and he literally made it feel like home,” Estes said. “He let me look around the campus, the baseball field. It felt like my ninth and 10th grade year, taking ground balls. I loved it. He had an impact on it (decision) for sure. Not only that, but Coach (Hunter) Vick, he loves his players. He was strong on me. He was texting me, calling me, calling my parents. I love to see that. That had a big part in it.”
It hasn’t been the easiest of years for Estes. His family’s home burned last Christmas Eve. Their family lost almost everything, but that hasn’t stopped Estes’ desire to keep working hard for the chance to play college baseball.
“It’s not something you look forward to, moving into another home again, but it’s very fun (to sign a scholarship),” Estes said. “It’s been difficult driving from Jacksonville to Piedmont every day. Gas is getting higher. I’m not paying for it, but I know it’s hard on my parents, plus they’re trying to buy a new house, things like that. It’s just things you’ve got to do. Tragedies happen.
“I know they’re paying for a lot of stuff, but the community gave a lot of donations and things like that. Besides the stuff I got this year for baseball season, everything was replaced.”
Speaking of replacing things, Deerman said the Bulldogs were in need of a player to play shortstop last season, and he “took it to heart.”
“He said ‘We’re going to have a quality shortstop,’” Deerman recalled. “That’s the way he’s been his whole career, whatever we’ve needed. His freshman year, he came out and we went to the state championship (series). He found a way to get himself in the starting lineup. He’s super competitive. I think that’s what gets him to where he’s at.”
And where Estes is now is right where he wants to be.
“I’m blessed to be able to sign here with Chattahoochee Valley. It means a lot,” Estes said. “I don’t have to worry about it anymore. As soon as I went to Chattahoochee Valley, I knew it was something I was going to call home for the two years I’m going to be there. I went ahead and signed just to get things off my shoulders.
“Now I’m ready to go win state in football. I’m going to wrestle this year, so we’re going to go win state in wrestling. Then we’re going to go do it in baseball. I’m excited.”