Druid Hills’ baseball triplets (l-r) Nick, Cody and Dylan Akins are the core of 11 seniors leading the Red Devils in the 2022 high school baseball season. (Photo by Mark Brock)
Defense is a matter of pride for the Akins triplets (Nick, Cody and Dylan) as they take to the baseball diamond for the Druid Hills Red Devils during the high school season.
The senior trio’s first introduction to sports was to soccer at a young age by their mother. Since that time, they got involved in several other sports as they grew up including football, basketball, baseball and lacrosse as well as pick-up games at home.
Over the years they built a comradery and trust in each other that has bled over into the rest of a Druid Hills baseball team that reached the Sweet 16 in 2021 for the first time since 2003.
“They have been starters for me for three years and are a huge core of our 11 seniors and our team,” said Druid Hills Head Baseball Coach Eric Love. “They are a big part of our defense as well as offense with their quality at bats and bunting.”
Nick Akins is what Love calls his “Swiss Army Knife” that gets plugged in wherever he is needed. He has played his more comfortable catcher slot as well as the other seven defensive positions and pitching.
“I grew up playing catcher and I am most comfortable there,” said Nick. “But I have a passion for defense no matter what position I’m playing. Our entire team puts in a lot of hard work in on defense and it shows.”
Nick is 2-0 on the mound with 10 strikeouts and 5 walks in 5 innings and is batting .250 with 6 RBI, 13 runs scored and 4 stolen bases over the first eight games of the season.
Dylan Akins is mainly the starting second baseman and Love believes he is one of the most solid defensive second basemen in the county with his ability to turn the double-play.
One of Dylan’s biggest moments came when he was called upon to take the mound in their Class 4A series clinching win against Northwest Whitfield due to a shortage of available pitchers in the three-game series. He went seven innings in the win that capped the Red Devils’ rally from a 1-0 deficit in the best-of-three playoff series.
“We have all played sports together our entire lives and we know we will pull through together,” said Dylan. “We have that trust in each other built over the years. Knowing Cody is in left and wherever Nick is I can depend on them to have my back. We developed that trust with our teammates over the past four years.”
The Akins triplets playing against Arabia Mountain recently (from top clockwise) Nick Akins, Cody Akins and Dylan Akins. (Photos by Mark Brock)
Dylan is batting .278 with 5 RBI and 5 runs scored over the first eight games.
Cody Akins plays mainly left field a position he decided to try out for after seeing all the first baseman candidates. Love admires his defense as well and remembers his diving catch with the bases loaded to send them forward in the state playoffs.
“I found a home in left field and enjoy being out there with my own thoughts as the last line of defense,” said Cody. “We have the confidence in ourselves as brothers and our teammates to make the plays on defense.”
Cody has hit .353 with 5 RBI and 7 runs scored thus far on the season.
All three are enjoying finishing their careers playing and contributing to a Red Devils team that is working towards being back in playoff form and hopes of moving past the Sweet 16 in the coming months.
Druid Hills has rebounded from a slow start that including losing its first three games to Class 6A and Class 5A schools by winning six of its last seven including a Region 6-4A sweep of Arabia Mountain in the past week.
The 7-4 win in the last game against Arabia Mountain included a big two-run single by Dylan to score his brothers from second and third. Nick had walked and Cody was hit by a pitch to bring Dylan to the plate as the triplets were batting sixth, seventh and eighth in the order.
“It is really awesome to get to play together and contribute to our team in any way we can,” said Nick.
Dylan reflected on the playoff win a year ago saying, “Coming back to win that series and being able to see my brothers celebrate with our teammates was so much fun for us all.”
Cody also has fond memories of the playoff win saying, “It has been the most fun playing baseball for us as a family and a team.
The trio also probably set a team record for brothers this season in a game against Maynard Jackson. The three were hit by a pitch in order in the same inning as they batted back-to-back-to-back.
Now that is taking one for the team in triplet fashion.