BROOKSVILLE, FL.— Hernando Christian Academy may not be a household name, but the school's baseball game is as good as anyone.

“We have a bunch of guys out here who could play college baseball,” said junior center fielder, and team captain, Matthew Biel. “The talent is there, our catcher, first baseman, shortstop. I feel like everybody could go on to the next level.”

The Lions are having one of their best seasons in over a decade. Head coach Garrett Mikkola credits the closeness of his small team.

“It’s an awesome group,” said Mikkola. “We have 12 of us this year, kind of down from the past where we would have 15, but a great group of guys and I wouldn’t trade them for anything,

The team can hit, play good defense, and, perhaps most important to high school baseball, they have an ace on the mound.

Johnny Giannie may not look intimidating at 5’7” 120 lbs., but this pitcher can bring the heat. He also enjoys dictating the pace of the game.

“Starting the game and getting my rhythm going,” said the senior. “Getting to control the game, I love it.”

“He hits his spots, he makes hitters miss, and all around he’s just solid,” said junior catcher Larson Lott.

“He doesn’t shy away,” said coach. “I will sit down with my pitchers and ask them what type of game they want to have and he always says ‘let me take the big dog’ for that week.”

Mikkola has a full squad of guys ready to step up and challenge anyone. He knows firsthand what it’s like to do big things at a little school. Mikkola went to HCA and helped the Lions win a Sunshine State Athletic Conference championship back in 2009. That was their last one until a couple weeks ago, when the Lions captured the SSAC 6A title.

“It was amazing, that feeling of doing it with these guys, with my guys, not a group of guys that were brought in from somewhere else,” said Mikkola. “To do it with the guys I’ve had for 4, 5, 6 years, it was really special and amazing to win it with them.”

The Hernando Christian Academy Lions are fine playing the underdog. They understand it’s easy to overlook them. But winning a state title changes perception.  And if someone didn’t know HCA before, they’ll certainly have to remember the name now, thanks to a small group, with a big dream, on a baseball field.