The 2017 baseball season has closed for the majority of our local programs, with only Rabun and Banks still alive in the state playoffs after advancing to the 2A Sweet 16.
That is unusual in the fact that both reside in the same region (8-AA) and both were on the road in the first round of the GHSA State Playoffs. Local teams that also made the playoffs, but fell in first round action, included state-ranked Dawson County, Commerce, Towns County and Stephens County.
This season featured loads of talent on the diamond, and BLITZ announced Tuesday morning the 2017 Baseball Player of the Year nominees and Honorable Mentions.
NOMINEES (in order by school name)
BANKS CO
- Dylan Nix (SR P #12) 8-4, 2.69 ERA, 77 K, 62 IP
- Judd Roberts (SR #10) .310 AVG, 35 RBI, 17 R, 4 2B, 2 3B, 10 SB, .410 OBP, .477 RISP
- CJ Thomas (JR P #2) 7-7, 1.60 ERA, 56 K, 74 IP
.250 AVG, 12 RBI, 20 R, 4 2B, 3B, 9 SB, .324 OBP, only 12 K
DAWSON CO
- Connor Bearden (JR P/IF #20) .344 AVG (31/90) 39 RBI, 22 R, 8 2B, 2 3B, 8 SB
5-3, 1.40 ERA, 38 K, 40 IP, 16 BB - Palmer Sapp (JR SS/P #3) .444 AVG (40/90) 5 HR, 29 RBI, 31 R, 7 2B, 2 3B, 12 SB
3-0 (1 save), 4.20 ERA, 17 K, 18.1 IP, 12 BB
HABERSHAM
- Jarred Jones (JR P/OF #10) .481 AVG (39/81) HR, 28 RBI, 22 R, 7 2B, 5 3B, 21 BB, .604 OBP, .728 SLG
3-3, 6.13 ERA, 32 K, 30.2 IP, 18 BB - Brandon Mitchell (SR SS #21) .363 AVG (37/102), HR, 20 RBI, 30 R, 11 2B .427 OBP, .500 SLG, 2 Saves
RABUN CO
- Josh Sego (SR OF #4) .412 AVG (28/68) 12 RBI, 20 R, 6 2B, 3 3B, 10 SB
STEPHENS CO
- Kooper Briley (SR SS #7) .427 AVG (38/89) 10 HR, 30 RBI, 37 R, 12 2B, 33 BB, only 8 K, .899 SLG
- Dawson Sorrells (SO P/3B #8) 9-2 (1 save) 1.72 ERA, 51 K, 65 IP
.303 AVG (33/109) HR, 17 RBI, 19 R, 5 2B
TALLULAH FALLS
- Trey Wilcox (SR SS/2B #3) .522 AVG (24/46) 16 RBI, 7 2B, 2 3B, 10 SB
TOWNS CO
- Will DeVries (SR P #15) .432 AVG (38/88) 2 HR, 24 RBI, 25 R, 9 2B, 3B
4-2 (1 save) 3.26 ERA, 73 K, 68.2 IP, 23 BB - Jackson Taylor (SR C #34) .349 AVG (30/86) 6 HR, 29 RBI, 11 R, 6 2B
UNION CO
- RJ Banton (JR 1B/P #26) .415 AVG (27/65), HR, 18 RBI, 11 R, 4 2B
5 W, 3.83 ERA, 21 K, 42 IP, 27 BB
HONORABLE MENTIONS
- Patrick Baggett (Union Co JR SS #7) .376 AVG (32/85), HR, 14 RBI, 21 R, 6 2B, 3B
- Seth Blackburn (Habersham SR #7) .366 AVG (34/93) 18 RBI, 26 R, 3 2B
- Kolton Brumbelow (Dawson Co SR OF #16) .313 AVG (26/83) 6 HR, 25 RBI, 31 R, 6 2B, 16 SB
- Candler Colwell (Union Co JR OF #4) .382 AVG (29/76), 15 RBI, 16 R, 6 2B
- Crawford Colwell (Union Co JR 3B/SS #17) .333 AVG (25/75), HR, 16 RBI, 12 R, 2B
- Zach Davenport (Towns Co JR #23) .347 AVG (33/95) HR, 13 RBI, 21 R, 5 2B
5-5, 5.30 ERA, 32 K, 37 IP, 21 BB - Hunter Ingle (Habersham JR OF #2) .329 AVG (27/82) 17 RBI, 23 R, 5 2B
- Austin Jones (Rabun Co SO P/OF #2)
- Cameron Robinson (White Co SR P #22)
- Walker Rogers (Banks Co SR #15) .350 AVG, 11 RBI, 28 R, 3 2B, 3 3B, 13 SB, .450 OBP, .985 FLD, .321 RISP
- Hudson Sapp (Dawson Co FR OF/P #2) .358 AVG (34/95) HR, 21 RBI, 29 R, 3 2B, 3B, 6 SB
1-2, 3.39 ERA, 12 K, 10.1 IP, 13 BB
