Baseball teams honored Thursday
Published 1:02 pm Friday, May 18, 2012
BAINBRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL BEARCATS varsity baseball players display their awards. Shown are: front row, left to right, Rion Murrah, Tate Lambert, Jake Goodson and Jackson Jones; back row, left to right, Blake Voyles, Jordan Massey and Gunnar Griffin.
The Bainbridge High School Bearcats varsity, junior varsity and middle school baseball teams were honored for their outstanding 2012 achievements at Thursday night’s annual baseball awards banquet at the school cafeteria.
Before presenting the varsity awards, Scott Miller, who is stepping down after nine years as Bearcats head coach, said it has been an honor and a privilege to lead the program.
“I have always considered my 18 years of coaching as a ministry,” he said. “I am looking forward to following the plans the Lord has for me in the future. My wife Michelle and I plan to stay in Bainbridge, because we want to raise our children here.”
Mrs. Miller opened the night’s award recognitions by honoring the Diamond Dolls, who kept score books, worked in the concession stand, operated the scoreboard and performed other important duties for the team.
Coach Miller honored junior catcher Blake Voyles and sophomore outfielder Tate Lambert as co-winners of the John Hambrick Varsity Batting Average Award, which is named for a former Bearcat who lost his life in a drowning accident.
“It was difficult to give the batting average award to just one player because we had two young men who were very deserving,” Miller said. “Blake Voyles had a lot of big hits for us in key situations, and Tate Lambert also had some big hits and a high batting average.”
Voyles had three singles, 10 doubles and a home run, and Lambert had 15 singles, a double and a home run.
Among those receiving varsity pitching awards were junior left-hander Jake Goodson, who posted a 4-3 record and had a 2.77 ERA, junior right-hander Rion Murrah who had two wins, no losses and a save, senior right-hander Jordan Massey, who had a 5-4 record and a 2.63 ERA, and junior right-hander Gunnar Griffin, who posted a 3.59 ERA.
Murrah also won the academic award, for having a 95.75 GPA, the highest on the team. Junior third baseman Jackson Jones won the Gold Glove award for outstanding defense.
JUNIOR VARSITY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL baseball players hold the honors they received. Shown are: front row, left to right, junior varsity honorees Jordan Davis, Grant McDonald, Shawon Gardner and Ben Day; back row, left to right, middle school honorees Drew Leverette, Carson Inlow and Matthew Green.
Seniors Trevor Watts, Jordan Massey, Brandon Bates and Jordan Cox received wooden bats engraved with their name and number.
The middle school Bearcats pitching award went to Matthew Green who had a 4-3 record, a 1.83 ERA and struck out 49 batters and walked just 14. Green also won the middle school academic award and the most improved player award.
Middle school awards were presented by coach Brian McCorkle.
The middle school hitting award went to Carson Inlow. Second baseman Drew Leverette won the middle school Gold Glove Award, for his outstanding defense.
Junior varsity awards were presented by coach Kevin Bearden. The hitting award went to sophomore infielder Grant McDonald, who had a .343 batting average, a .486 slugging percentage and a .548 on-base percentage.
The Golden Glove Award was won by sophomore center fielder Shawon Gardner for his outstanding defense, and the pitching award was won by sophomore Jordan Davis. Sophomore shortstop, outfielder and pitcher Ben Day received the academic award for having the highest grade point average on the team.
Bearden presented a special motivation award to team bus driver Carlos Thomas, for his strong support at all road games.