Few center fielders can cover as much ground as Vicksburg’s Delmon Robinson. In practice, however, he’s been trying another position.

Whenever the Gators have taken infield, Robinson has made a habit of sneaking in a few grounders at third base and shortstop. VHS coach Jamie Creel is usually quick to shoo him out to center field, but Robinson’s efforts to play the infield have become a running joke during practice. Robinson hasn’t played anywhere other than the outfield this season.

“That’s Delmon being Delmon. He’s carefree. I wish he would concentrate on center field, though,” Creel said with a smile.

On the netFollow all the action as the Vicksburg Gators shoot for a state baseball championship atwww.vicksburgpost.comThe VHS spring football game scheduled for Thursday has been moved to Friday at Memorial Stadium. The game will begin at 6 p.m.

Robinson said taking infield was both an attempt to keep his teammates loose and stay sharp in the unlikely event he’s needed there.

“I do it every practice. When I was younger I played the infield. I didn’t start playing the outfield until high school,” he said. “It gives me something to do, waste time, get the kids laughing so it’s not so uptight.”

Three seniors set for final games

VHS’ roster contains only three seniors, albeit key seniors.

Second baseman Andrew Brown, center fielder Delmon Robinson and pitching ace Stanton Price will be suiting up for the final time as Gators starting Thursday in the Class 4A state championship series.

Price shows off rubber left arm

VHS senior pitcher Stanton Price has made a name for himself with his herculean pitching efforts this postseason. In seven appearances over the course of a month – six starts and one in relief – the left-hander has thrown 38 1/3 innings. More impressive is the short rest he’s had between outings.

In four playoff series so far, Price has pitched twice in all but one. In the first round against Neshoba Central, he threw a 100-pitch complete game on a Saturday, then came back on Monday with another 100-pitch performance. In the second round against Oxford, he won Game 2 with a strong seven-inning effort, then closed out the series with 1 1/3 innings of relief the next day. After getting a break in a two-game sweep of New Albany, Price threw 10 innings in Games 1 and 3 of the semifinals against Tishomingo County.

Despite the workload, Price is not worried about wearing down.

“As long as you take care of yourself, you can be fine. I’ve done it a long time. I’ve been throwing on Friday and Monday in tournaments since I was 12, so I know how to get ready,” Price said. “There’s been a lot of talk about, ‘It’s crazy,’ or, ‘They’re going to wreck his arm.’ If it’s fine, I’m going to go out there. If it’s not I’ll let someone know and tell them I can’t go.”

Trustmark almost like home for Gators

Ever since a severe storm wrecked Bazinsky Field on April 4, Vicksburg High has been a nomadic team. Not only has it played its home games at Warren Central, but its four playoff series have all been long drives. The shortest of the four postseason road trips, to Neshoba Central, is about a 2 1/2-hour bus ride.

Compared to that, or the seven-hour trip to Tishomingo last week, playing the Class 4A championship series at Pearl will almost feel like playing at home. Strangely, though, VHS coach Jamie Creel said the Gators have used the long road trips to their advantage.

“They love the bus rides on the yellow dog or the chuckwagon, whatever you want to call it,” Creel said. “They collect their thoughts. I don’t see it as being a big factor at all.”

Gators get warm welcome home

As they neared home after last Saturday’s long bus ride from Tishomingo County, the Gators were awakened by a strange sight – flashing lights and a crowded parking lot.

Warren County sheriff’s deputies gave the team bus an escort from the county line to the field house, and a crowd of more than 100 people welcomed the Gators home well after midnight.

“I saw the escorts and was real impressed,” Price said. “It was a lot like a movie. It was really special.”