Tuesday night’s annual baseball banquet at the Bainbridge High School cafeteria honored the Bearcats varsity, J.V., and ninth grade teams along with the Bainbridge Middle School Bearcats team.

Bearcats head varsity coach Brian McCorkle presented top academic awards to Keith Lyle at the ninth and 10th grade level and Hayden Godwin at the 11th and 12th grade level.
“The academic awards are the most important award of all,” McCorkle said in presenting them to the two recipients.  “You must study hard and make good grades or you cannot be successful in baseball or any other extra-curricular activity.”

Outfielder Anderson Bailey received the John Hambrick offensive award, named for a former Bearcat player who lost his life in a drowning accident, for his .333 overall average and .378 average against Region 1-AAAA teams. Bailey also won the Bearcat Award for his great hustle, strong play and dedication to the game.

Bailey was one of four players named to the coaches All Region 1-AAAA team. He also had a .419 on base percentage drove in 16 runs and scored 17 runs.

Honored for being second team All Region 1-AAAA were first baseman Seth Hall and catcher Blake Merchant. Hall batted .277 overall, .353 in Region 1-AAAA play, had a .463 on base percentage, drove in 13 runs and scored 10 runs.

Merchant batted .295 overall, .372 in Region 1-AAAA play, had a .518 on base percentage, drove in 10 runs and scored seven runs. The pitching and defensive awards went to Stanton Long. Shortstop Keith Lyle won the coaches award, which goes annually to a player who is strong offensively and defensively and always exemplifies great spirit and love for the game. The most improved player award went to Cayden McQuaig.

Junior varsity awards went to Clark Wiggins for offense, Noah Bryant for defense and Dustin Hodge for pitching.

Ninth grade awards went to Tristan Manley for offense, Griffin Long for defense and Walt Burrell for pitching.

Middle school awards went to Sam Boutwell for offense, Myles Holloway for defense, Kaleb Varnum for pitching and Brad Mitchell for academics.