Biloxi High baseball coach Hawtin Buchanan has enjoyed incredible success as the Indians skipper since taking over the program at his alma mater just over a year ago.
Under his leadership, Biloxi posted a 22-7 mark in his first year and so far in 2024, the Indians are off to a 3-0 start.
But becoming a high school baseball coach was not something the Biloxi graduate and former Ole Miss pitcher had planned.
Buchanan spent a brief career in professional baseball, playing in the Seattle Mariners organization after they drafted him in the 20th round in 2014 following his playing days at Ole Miss. A broadcast journalism major, Buchanan thought about sports writing or some part of sports media.
“I had just finished my last year of pro ball and figuring out what I wanted to do,” said Buchanan. “I took a substitute teaching job at the high school just to make money. Coach (Eddie) Lofton asked if I wanted to come hang out with the team and I started finding myself spending more and more hours with the baseball team.”
Before he knew it, Buchanan was wearing a Biloxi baseball cap and uniform again and coaching games on Tuesday and Friday nights as an assistant.
He’s been back with the program since 2017.
He took over as coach in 2023 when Lofton became the school’s athletic director.
“I was fortunate to come into a great situation,” said Buchanan. “Coach Lofton established the program and left it in a pretty good spot. I’m just picking up where he left off.”
The Indians certainly haven’t missed a step with Buchanan in charge.
Biloxi reeled off 12 straight victories to begin the 2023 campaign and won the region championship for the first time since 2019, but the Indians were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by Northwest Rankin.
The Indians are looking to build on the success from a year ago.
“The biggest thing we want the kids to understand is to remember the things that got them here from last year, but also know this is a new year and work on the things we can build upon,” said Buchanan. “In practice, we put them in competitive situations as much as possible.
“If we can get them to compete and work fast in practice, it makes it that much easier when they face guys in different uniforms.”
Biloxi returns a great deal of talent from 2023, led by the core trio of seniors Judson Byars at first base, ace pitcher and shortstop Logan Fontenelle, and catcher Robbie Hokamp.
“Those three guys have played a lot of innings for us,” said Buchanan. “We have a good group of kids as a whole who compete in practice every day, but we have a really good group of seniors.
“We’ve told them they’ve been through the wringer and to take the reins and take the lead. They’ve grown in their leadership roles and it’s really cool to see them empower our team.”
Other returning starters for the Indians are seniors Will Miles, Chase DeLaughter, and Forest Wold and juniors Shawn Gollott, Wyatt Pyron, Will Parker, and Tristain Haynes.
“Top to bottom in the lineup, we’ve got guys who compete when the lights come on,” said Buchanan. “That’s been the coolest thing to see. They don’t blink and compete no matter the situation.”
Biloxi returns to action Saturday at 1 p.m. when the Indians face two-time defending 5A state champion East Central in Hurley.
