South Georgia - In The Game High School Sports Magazine

Kaleb Cowart and D.J. Johnson are two of the best pitchers in Georgia. Both throw over 90 mph (Kaleb has been clocked at 97 and D.J. has hit 93) and are excellent hitters to boot. In the first round of the playoffs, which took place on Friday, May 8, the Hornets defeated Brantley County in a double-header in Adel. To say both figured prominently in the outcome would be a bit of an understatement.

Consider this: Cook won both games in five innings, 10-0 in game one and 12-1 in game two. In the first game, Kaleb threw a no-hitter and went 3 for 3 with a home run. In the two games, he was 4 for 5 with five RBI and two walks. He had three singles to go with the homer. D.J. pitched the second game and went the distance, striking out 11. He was 1 for 3 in game one and 2 for 3 in game two with a home run. The one run he gave up was unearned.

That’s exactly what Kaleb and D.J. have done all year long. And they’re both juniors.

Kaleb, who has been playing baseball all his life, is considered the ace of Cook’s staff. He had a perfect regular season, going 8-0 with a 0.60 ERA. His offense is pretty solid as well; he hit .542 with 11 home runs and 36 RBI. He also stole 20 bases and had 10 doubles and two triples.

When he isn’t pitching, he’s playing short or third. As valuable as he is as a starter, he says he would rather play on the infield. “I like going in the hole or up the middle to make a play. I enjoy making a strong, accurate throw,” he says.

With the kind of production he’s put up over the years, it’s no surprise that college and pro scouts have come calling. He had a list of colleges he would consider but he trashed that list when Florida State showed interest. “FSU has always been my first choice,” he says.

Kaleb’s high school baseball career started in dramatic fashion and hasn’t slowed down yet. He homered in his first varsity at-bat, a two-run shot against Irwin County. Later that season, Cook was playing Calhoun in the quarterfinals of the state playoffs when Coach Owsley sent Kaleb to the mound in relief in the second inning. Calhoun was loaded that year and had a powerful lineup anchored by Brody Pullen and his 25 home runs. Kaleb finished the game, striking out 10 while giving up just one hit. He struck out Pullen, who ended up getting drafted by the Cincinnati Reds, twice. “That’s my favorite baseball moment,” he says.

According to Coach Owsley, Kaleb is more of a power pitcher who really goes after opposing batters. He has a devastating fastball but mixes it up with a good curve, change-up and slider. “He’s been around quality competition all his life, and he’s benefited from that. He knows how to establish both sides of the plate,” says Coach Owsley.

After his freshman year, Kaleb began thinking that he could play in college. His father, Renee Cowart, saw the talent a little earlier. Renee, who played football and baseball at Cook, says he noticed that Kaleb was better than the other kids his age when he was about 10 years old. “Kaleb was playing with 11- and 12-year-olds, and he could hold his own. I thought then that we might get a college education out of this,” he says.

Renee was right. In fact, Kaleb had his choice of any number of schools from all across the country. During the summer, Kaleb plays with the East Cobb Astros, and they travel all over the United States to play. The Astros have played in the Southeast but have also headed out west to Nebraska, Minnesota (in the Metrodome) and California. The exposure paid off – Kaleb received letters from Southern Cal, the University of Nebraska, Oregon, Cal State Fullerton and Rice.

As sexy as some of those schools are, they couldn’t pull him away from Tallahassee. That has made his dad happy. “I’ve always wanted him to go to FSU. It’s a great school and it’s close to home. I can see him play,” says Renee.

Kaleb has also maintained his grades and is in the top 10 in his class. He’s self-motivated to excel in the classroom and knows that athletics will only carry him so far. It’s his academics that really impress his mother, Tammy. “I’m amazed at how he balances school and sports. He’s always been a good student and he does a good job in the classroom,” she says.

As one might expect, the attention he has received through baseball can be a distraction. But Renee and Tammy have done a good job of keeping Kaleb grounded and focused on school and baseball. “I didn’t really expect him to be such a good athlete. But we’ve always stressed to him where the gift came from. He’s very down to earth and laid back,” says Tammy.

Kaleb will almost certainly get drafted following the 2010 season. However, he says unless he gets taken in the first round, he will go to college. His dream is to play professionally, and in 10 years he hopes to be in the major leagues. If that doesn’t work out, he would like to be working as a physical therapist. Kaleb knows what he wants to do, but he’s also trusting in a higher power to guide him as he moves into the next phases of his life. Philippians 4:13 is one of his guiding principles: “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.”

D.J. is on a similar track as Kaleb. He’s a formidable hurler (9-1, 0.64 ERA in the regular season) and potent hitter (.459, three home runs, 15 stolen bases from the lead-off spot) who has also played baseball all his life. His career began at age three, and that’s about when his mother, Sabrina, noticed that he had a future in athletics. A serious future. “He was always outside with a bat and a ball. He could throw and hit from an early age. He was always good,” she says.