Athlete of the Week: Thompson baseball’s Ma’Kale Holden

ALABASTER, Ala. ( WIAT ) – Imagine being a young baseball player, dreaming of a scenario where all bases are loaded with two outs and you hit a walk-off grand slam to win the game.

That dream became a reality for Thompson High School’s Ma’Kale Holden.

In the rubber match of a three-game series against Spain Park, the Warriors trailed by three runs and needed a rally to keep their season alive.

When Holden stepped up to the plate, the junior faced a full count with bases loaded and blasted a shot over the left field wall – hitting the game-winning play as Thompson defeated Spain Park, 13-12, in nine innings.

“Going to the plate, I was trying to stick to my approach, and not try to do too much. I was trying to give my teammates a chance to win,” Holden said. “It was really special for the fans to come out and support us … it’s been a lot to this community and team.”

Thompson head coach Frankie Perez felt confident when Holden hit to the plate. Perez told his team to be patient in the final inning, but he gave Holden a separate agenda before he stepped into the batter’s box.

“We knew it was a good matchup for us, but we also knew he needed to be patient,” Perez said. “At that point, I told him to take strike two, because with a full count, they’re going to have to throw you a strike. As soon as the ball hit the bat, I knew the ball was gone.”

Holden is the ultimate utility player for Thompson. He plays both corners of the infield, flashes his glove in the outfield and is part of the Warriors’ pitching staff. He plans to continue his baseball career in the college league and exchange the red and black for crimson and white – playing for the Alabama Crimson Tide’s baseball team.

“It’s a perfect fit for … being close to home. I really love what the coaches are doing there. It’s a positive community in Tuscaloosa, and I really love the school,” Holden said.

The Warriors (28-10) will take on Bob Jones in a trip back to the Class 7A semifinals for the second year in a row. Last year, the two met at Bob Jones and the series went three games with the Warriors winning a 6-5 thriller in game three.

“I’m just proud of this team; our whole model this whole year is to never give up – just be ourselves. I really feel like (last weekend) showed who our team really is, and I’m really proud of these guys,” Holden said.

Holden’s determination and legendary achievement on the field make him our CBS 42 Athlete of the Week.

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