Fairview has hired Zak Blakney as its new pitching coach. 

Blakney played high school baseball at Mortimer Jordan, where he set multiple school and state records, including a 21-strikeout performance in a single game. 

He later earned All-Conference honors at Montevallo before spending time as a minor leaguer in the Phillies organization. He also played independent league baseball.

The Aggies won 21 games last season — most since 1997 — under coach Nick Dumas and advanced to the Class 5A playoffs.

“I’m beyond excited to add Zak to our coaching staff,” Dumas said. “When the position came open, he was the first guy I thought of to fill that vacancy. He pitched at very high levels of baseball and the wealth of knowledge he will bring will be instrumental in us achieving our goal of becoming an elite baseball program.”