MACON, Ga. — When the Bacon's away, the boys still play.
That's exactly what happened last Saturday night at Luther Williams Field, as a different group of Bacon faced the Macon Eggs in a game that featured Central Georgia's best young talent playing together one last time.
“It was pretty cool just to play in front of people from Macon with people from Macon,” Mercer University commit and Stratford Academy grad Micah Takac said.
The opportunity came about as the college-level Macon Bacon vacated Luther Williams Field for the night, traveling to Savannah for a road game against the Bananas.
Saturday night's breakfast battle wasn't so much about what happened on the field, but rather about just being on the field at all.
“It was very special to me,” Perry High School grad and University of Georgia commit Tanner Knowles said. “Just getting to play with these guys, it means a lot. I figured the last high school game was going to be it but I was just excited because we got to play again, especially my Perry guys. We've played together so much we almost know what each other is thinking, so it was just fun to guess what pitches they were going to throw and what not.”
More than 20 of Central Georgia's top recruits had the chance to wear the Bacon or Eggs uniform before they put on their college uniform next spring.
From the talent on the field to the atmosphere, Saturday was a warmup for what comes next in every way.
“A lot of fans. Definitely the most people I've played in front of in my life,” Perry grad and ABAC commit Carson Bryant said. “Playing against a lot of guys I knew and playing with a lot of guys I knew, it made it fun.”
It was indeed a special night however you cut it, but maybe more so for Takac, who, gave fans an early look at what they'll see next year around the corner at OrthoGeorgia Park.
“Hearing them announce, ‘playing for your hometown Mercer Bears’ it's just cool because everyone is a little louder,” Takac said. “It’s just cool because many of the fans there may become fans (at Mercer).”
Takac also got to be on the field together with his brother, Noah, for the first time ever.
The current Bacon pitcher and newly minted national champion at North Greenville University decided to stay back in Macon and help coach up his younger brother – for the better or worse.
“It's fun but annoying at times because he's trying to tell me what to do, how to pitch, how to hit, and he’s not actually doing it” Micah said. “If it was coming from a coach I'd be like, ‘yes sir,’ but since it's my brother, I'm like, ‘I could beat you in this.’”
It was a family affair to be sure, but also a reminder that Central Georgia's standouts are only getting started
The Bacon and Eggs will face off one more time this summer at Luther Williams Field, on Saturday July 9 at 7:00 p.m.
Below is a full list of rostered athletes from Saturday night’s game, with their chosen college.
Macon Eggs
- Lane Smith (Undecided)
- DJ Willis (Mississippi Valley State)
- Caleb Carr (Undecided)
- Brandon Bowen (Francis Marion)
- Chasen Lewis (Prairie State)
- Jaden Bankston (South Georgia State)
- Chris Hill (Rust College)
- Chandler Mitchell (Emmanuel College)
- JT Carter (University of the South)
- Brian Crooms (South Georgia State)
- Luke McCart (East Georgia State)
- Judd Puckett (Undecided)
Macon Bacon
- Tanner Knowles (University of Georgia)
- Kentavious “Tay Tay” Veal (Clark Atlanta)
- Dylan Butler (South Georgia State)
- Grey Branner (Northwest Florida)
- Tyler Gilbert (Rust College)
- Carson Bryant (ABAC)
- Micah Takac (Mercer University)
- CJ Seymour (Prairie State)
- Bo Fricks (Western Carolina)
- Fernando Washington (Undecided)
- Wyatt Dole (ABAC)
- Jude King (Gordon State)