Fighting through some of the worst pain in his life, Hunter Epps led the Airport baseball team to a historic 4A state championship.

Epps was one of the top players on the team as it won its first state title in program history. During the team’s postseason run, he overcame intense back pain.

While it was a grueling experience, that pain didn’t stop him from being a force on the field.

“It was bad,” Epps said. “I had a lot of ibuprofen and a lot of Tiger Balm on my back.”

Epps pitched the entirety of the championship-clinching game on Airport’s home field. He was excellent in that game, throwing six strikeouts while allowing just four hits, one walk and zero runs. He was also 2-3 from the plate and scored two runs.

Having seen the team before in game one, Epps was confident in his ability to deliver the win. As the game went on, his confidence became even more justified as batter after batter walked away failing to reach base.

“I had my mindset on, we faced them before,” Epps said. “They’re average. I mean, nothing we haven’t seen over here.”

As a senior, that was Epps’ last game in an Airport uniform. He said it was a moment he will always cherish.

“Seeing all the people up there throwing that game was heart-touch- ing,” he said. “It was incredible, and I’m never going to forget it.”

Epps has come a long way since his early days in baseball. He was introduced to the game at a young age by his parents. For them, baseball is more than a sport. It’s a way to bond.

His father played baseball at Brookland-Cayce High School, and his mother played softball there. His brother, Cash Epps, is a rising junior at Airport and was right by his side as the Eagles won the title.

“I’m loving seeing him come up. He’s going to do big things,” Hunter said.

From coach pitch to travel ball, some of his fondest memories come from spending time on the ball field with his family.

”I can go back to all-stars with my dad pitching to me and going around the state and the hotels we used to stay in. It was a good time,” Epps said. “[Baseball] has been there our whole lives.”

When not on the baseball field, he enjoys various other outdoor activities such as hunting and fishing. Being outside is his way of relaxing and having fun.

“That’s what I’ve grown up doing. That’s what I’ve always done,” he said. Epps also spends his free time working to improve on the field.

When he first arrived at Airport, Epps was a much smaller player. He focused the majority of his training on adding muscle. Throughout his four-year career, he estimates he gained anywhere between 50 to 75 pounds.

This added weight helped Epps both with pitching and hitting skills. He could now throw faster, hit harder and play longer.

“I used to be a little thing, I’m not even going to lie,” Epps said. “You’ve got to be strong coming out here playing all of these baseball games.”

His hard work has paid off. He went from a scrawny freshman on day one to an All-State selection, Region Player of the Year, state champion and future college baseball player.

He will play for the USC Union baseball team next year. He hopes to get even stronger before then and use his time at USC Union to pull his grades up and develop in hopes of transferring to a bigger school one day.

“It’s probably my biggest success in life. I mean, it’s a big step up, and I know I’m going to have to be ready for it,” Epps said.

After his baseball career, he hopes to open his own business. He has experience in landscaping from working summers and could see that translating in the future.

Whatever his plan is, Epps knows he will be outdoors.

Before focusing on the future, he has one more opportunity to play with some of his closest friends. He is a member of the West Columbia Post 79 senior American Legion baseball team.

Many current and former Airport teammates also play on the squad and are off to a solid start this season, sitting second in the league standings.

While the crowds may be smaller and the stakes may be lower, playing with his friends is what makes baseball so fun.

“I just like being on the field and enjoying the time with teammates. Hearing my dad in the stands, I don’t know. It really brings me joy,” Epps said. “I played with all them growing up, so it’s fun to be out here.”