Winning the second-most games in Bartow County last season, Adairsville High's baseball team enjoyed a great run that carried it into the first round of the playoffs, where the Tigers hosted Buford.

The hope for coach Eric Bishop is for his team to continue building on that success.

"Hopefully, we can feed off of last year," Bishop said. "21-5 is a pretty impressive regular-season record. We lost some key players but, at the same time, we return eight seniors that have all seen three playoff appearances."

Brandon Blome, Logan Tant, Cody Beemiller, Jamey Barnes, Michael Gwin, Caleb McCreary, Trent Gulledge and Ta-Li Martin represent the Adairsville baseball team's senior class. Five of them started last season -- Blome, Beemiller, Barnes and McCreary -- while two players, Tant and Gwin, saw considerable playing time.

"They're not only impressive in what they do on the field, but also in the classroom," Bishop added of his senior group. "I don't know if I've ever had eight seniors that were as good in both areas."

The goals have not changed for the Tigers, who hope to return to the Georgia High School Association state tournament while getting past the first round, where they were swept a year ago.

"You go into [the season] every year with the same goals: You want to, first, play for a region championship and [then host] in the first round of the playoffs," Bishop said. "If you can do that, you increase your chances of moving on."

"They really don't want to be a one-and-done team as far as the playoffs go," he added.

A player like Beemiller, the team's catcher, could play a vital role in determining how far Adairsville does go.

"He [provides] a strong stick for us," Bishop said of The Daily Tribune News' All-County Team selection. "[I'm] expecting big things out of him in terms of run production."

Beemiller hit .407 last season with eight home runs and 38 RBIs. Also a great defensive presence, he has looked good thus far.

"He's done a great job and had a great preseason," Bishop added.

Beemiller will catch pitches from Barnes and junior Cody Kremer, who head up the team's pitching staff.

"On the mound, Jamey Barnes, him and Cody Kremer ... they'll kind of anchor our pitching staff," Bishop said.

Blome, who along with Beemiller signed with Northwest-Shoals (Ala.) Community College, returns to his starting spot at shortstop.

"[I] can't say enough about that kid. He's a competitor [and] does a great job in the leadoff spot," Bishop said.

Tant and Gwin are slotted in at second and first base, respectively, as their first positions, but could play anywhere.

"Michael Gwin and Logan Tant, they're kind of like utility players. They can move all over the field [and] play anywhere defensively; they're two of our best situational hitters," Bishop said.

Adairsville makes a move to a different sub-region this season, though it remains in Region 7-AA.

"We do go into the south sub-region [this year], and we will actually have a region playoff series before our seeding is decided," Bishop said. "I think it should add a little excitement to the last week of the regular season."

While the Tigers do not occupy the same sub-region as archnemesis Calhoun any longer -- a crossover game is scheduled for March 8 -- it will be hard to avoid the Yellow Jackets come region playoff time. The two could face off as potential No. 1 seeds.

"That would be real exciting," Bishop said of the potential matchup. "We really don't get away from [Calhoun] seeding-wise. ... Until somebody upsets them, they are the region champs."

Meanwhile, another runner-up finish for Adairsville, 18-4 in region play last season, still proves a difficult task in Region 7A-AA.

"It doesn't get any easier on our side," said Bishop, referring to the teams like Coosa and Rockmart, who have great pitching staffs, and Pepperell, which could surprise some teams.

"I really think the sleeper on our side is Pepperell," the Tigers' coach continued. "I don't think they lost a single starter. They're the sleeping giants."

Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe, North Murray and River Ridge are the "three unknowns" in the sub-region, Bishop said.

Adairsville begins its attempt for a fifth-straight playoff berth today with a 5:30 p.m. game at county rival Woodland, who it played Friday in a scrimmage at Tiger Valley.

"It's always fun and it's a fun ballgame because both programs are on the rise somewhat," Bishop said. "Coach [Corey] Gochee and his staff do a great job over there, that's why we like doing the scrimmage with them. We emphasize some of the same things, so it ends up being a great matchup."

The Wildcats also present a good early-season test for the Tigers, who must replace the firepower lost with the graduation of last year's player of the year, Bo Edwards, who is now at Northwest-Shoals in Muscle Shoals, Ala.

"It's going to be a good test for us because we know they [Wildcats] are strong on the mound. ... They can run five or six guys out there [and] there's not any drop-off," Bishop said.