Scott Nickerson
Elmore Autauga News
Baseball fans from Elmore County got to see one of their own playing on the biggest stage in college baseball when Sean Darnell took the field for Troy as the Trojans competed in the College World Series. Darnell graduated from Elmore County High School in 2022. He played two seasons for Wallace-Dothan Community College before transferring to Troy for his final two college seasons. As a junior, he started 60 games for the Trojans at 2nd base. In his senior season, he started all 68 games. For Darnell, playing in the College World Series in his last college season was about as awesome as most people would expect.
“Playing in the College World Series is a child’s dream,” said Darnell, “and being able to experience it is an opportunity of a lifetime. The competitive atmosphere, the new fans, and the kids, who view us as superheroes, made the weekend amazing. The crowd erupting with excitement after the national anthem and flyover, in anticipation for the first pitch, is a moment I will always remember.”
Darnell made the most of his opportunity, hitting a game tying home run in the 2nd inning of an elimination game against Ole Miss. The Trojans would go on to win the game and survive another day.
“To be able to get a big hit to tie the game like that on the biggest stage was unforgettable. Not only did it help my team win that day, but also gave the fans in Omaha, in Troy, and in Elmore County something to celebrate,” said Darnell.
It wasn’t the only big hit Darnell had for the Trojans. He went 3-3 on the day with 4 RBIs, as the Trojans won 12-8.
Darnell also helped the Trojans get to Omaha. They traveled to Gainesville for the Regional Tournament, and they defeated Florida, the #8 national seed, in two consecutive games to win the regional and move on to the super-regional. In both of the Trojans’ wins over the Gators, Darnell scored two runs and had an RBI.
“The most memorable team moment was being able to grind through the Gainesville regional after losing the first game and beating Florida twice to give Troy an opportunity to host a super-regional,” said Darnell.
The Trojans went on to sweep Little Rock in the Super-Regional to advance to the College World Series.
“If there is one thing that this season taught me and the team, it was how to overcome adversity. ‘Failure’ isn’t just a word that describes not achieving, but it is a mandatory side effect of being challenged. Throughout our season, we were challenged time and time again, and we saw failure. We saw success, also. Overcoming adversity has nothing to do with physical adjustments and everything to do with culture. As individuals, we believed in something bigger than ourselves. We believed in God, our teammates, our coaches, and we believed in Tory. Culture prevails over all else,” said Darnell.
Darnell isn’t sure what his future holds but is considering a career in coaching.
“I have always wanted to make an impact on people’s lives. I want to give people the structure they need to improve physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually. Coaching would be an avenue to achieve this goal because coaching is not just about helping people develop physically, but it is an opportunity to impact young men at a time when they need it the most. I do not know what God has in store for the future, but I know there are big things coming,” said Darnell.
