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The Atlantic Collegiate baseball program is young, but head coach Larry Prange says he鈥檚 excited about the direction that the group is building toward.

In just the charter school鈥檚 second year in operation, this is the first year that the ACA baseball program is eligible for South Carolina High School League postseason competition (in Class 2A). But even with just three seniors on the roster, Prange says the Armada is continuing to take steps in the right direction.

鈥淭he thing I have liked to see is that we really have started to play hard and play together,鈥� Prange said. 鈥淲e only have three seniors, so this is a young team. They鈥檙e still getting used to playing with each other. They鈥檙e starting to worry more about the team [more] than themselves. If we can start to do that, we鈥檙e going to have the chance to be pretty good.鈥�

Atlantic Collegiate kicked off region play with an 11-1 win over Marion on Tuesday, March 25. The Armada will continue region competition with a game at Marion on Friday before battling Lake City for a pair of Region VII-2A clashes next week.

In the 2025 season, the Armada will go as their veteran leaders go. And that group is led by a pair of standout seniors, catcher JD Murdock and outfielder Justin Sheffield.

Sheffield is widely touted as one of the top players in the area, and his numbers have shown that thus far this season. Through the first eight games of the year, he hit .435 with 10 runs scored, anchoring the ACA lineup through the early portion of the year.

After hitting a home run against Marion, Sheffield was promptly walked intentionally twice. He has game-changing talent, and those in the ACA dugout aren鈥檛 the only ones taking notice.

鈥淗is barrel to ball skills are as good as anybody,鈥� Prange said of Sheffield. 鈥淗e has great hands. He鈥檚 just a naturally-gifted athlete. Having a kid like that who is comfortable and relaxed up there, the pressure doesn鈥檛 get too much for him. He鈥檒l take his walks and when he does that, we鈥檙e going to steal bases with him. He鈥檚 a kid who has been a leader and has been at everything.鈥�

Murdock鈥檚 leadership has been a key component to early success, and Prange expects his power hitter to continue to lead by example as the year rolls along.

鈥淗e鈥檚 been a great leader,鈥� Prange said, referencing Murdock鈥檚 willingness to be what he calls a second coach. 鈥淗e鈥檚 been helping other kids out with their swings, and he鈥檒l be talking to our players about what he sees in between pitches and at-bats. He鈥檚 just a really good leader for us.鈥�

Prange understands the challenge of having a team with few seniors, but he鈥檚 embracing the challenge as the Armada try to put the anchor down on setting a culture for years to come.

鈥淭his isn鈥檛 the first time I have had to either build a program or rebuild a program,鈥� Prange said. 鈥淲inning and losing matters, and we need to take care of the little things like being at workouts and being at things on time. Being good in the classroom. Being good when you鈥檙e out of the classroom. Stuff like that, it鈥檚 been getting them to buy into the idea that those things are how we are going to be successful. That鈥檚 how we are going to be able to build a good program.鈥�

Arms like Andrew Larsen and AJ Kipybida will continue to lead ACA through region play, while others like Logan Mishoe, Gavin Street, Reed Gallup and Seth Bellamy should contribute solid innings throughout April.

While Prange and the Armada are still finding their way as a program and laying a groundwork for what things will look like over the next several years, the group is optimistic that it has the pitching staff to 鈥� with the right buy-in from the young group 鈥� stay in just about every game that is in front of them.

鈥淲e have the makings of a good pitching staff,鈥� Prange said. 鈥淎s long as we throw strikes 鈥� what every coach says 鈥� and limit walks and free bases, I think our defense is going to be good enough where that will keep us in most games.鈥�