All-Middle Georgia Baseball Team
Player of the Year
Tanner Hall, Houston County
Co-Coaches of the Year
Jason Brett, Houston County and Joey Hiller, Tattnall Square
First Team
IF Josh Card, Northside, Jr.
Co-player of the year in Region 2-AAAAA; hit .430, 12-of-13 in steals to share region lead; also went 3-1 with 1.03 ERA on mound
IF Tyler Daughtry, Veterans, Sr.
Returning second-teamer; improved average 99 points (.414) and 2 HRs (five) for Class AAAA semifinalist; Florida State commit
IF Kalen Puckett, Upson-Lee, Jr.
Versatile athlete; batted .434 and went 15-16 in steals with 3 triples against a tough schedule and quality region
IF Blake Simmons, Tattnall Square, Sr.
Returning second-teamer; hit .416 with 4 triples and 31 RBI for Class A private champion; signed with Georgia Southern
IF Drew Smith, Taylor County, Sr.
Hit .526 with 10 doubles, 48 steals and 50 runs for upstart 22-8 Vikings
OF Cole Brannen, Westfield, Jr.
Returning second-teamer; batted .450 with 7 homers, 33 RBI and 13 steals; getting plenty of offseason attention, including Under Armour game this summer
OF Nick DiPonzio, Tattnall Square, Sr.
Returning first-teamer; Wake Forest signee batted .427 from leadoff spot with 8 doubles and 4 homers; stole 25 bases
OF Austin Hittinger, Houston County, Jr.
Averaged jumped from early slump to .350; OBP of .465;19 RBI; team leader with 15 steals; led team with .465 OBP; Rutgers commitment
OF Teldrick Ross, Jones County, Soph.
Multi-sport athlete batted .442 with 15 doubles, 41 RBI and 9 steals
C Leyton Pinkney, Veterans, Soph.
Returning second-teamer; All-Region 2-AAAA; hit .330 with 5 HRs and 37 RBI
C Jordan Miller, Jones County, Jr.
Batted. 387 and fielded .980 for the 21-7 Greyhounds
P Cory Bartholemew, Tattnall Square, Sr.
Returning first-teamer; went 11-2 with .97 ERA, 90 Ks in 86 IP; also batted .357 with 5 HRs
P Matthew Deloach, Taylor County, Soph.
All-Region 4-A; went 6-1 with 5 saves, .97 ERA, .138 opponents average, 91 Ks in 51 innings
P Andrew Ellison, Veterans, Sr.
Right-hander was 6-1 with 1.55 ERA and 67 Ks in 49-2/3 IP
P Tristan Cone, Treutlen, Sr.
Returning first-teamer; helped Class A public champion with 11-1 record, 1.15 ERA, 129 Ks in 79 IP, .143 opponents average
P Tanner Hall, Houston County, Sr.
Major weapon in every game; was 9-1, 6-for-6 in save chances, 79 Ks in 60-2/3 IP, .127 opponents avg.; also hit .368 with 2 HRs
UTIL Cal Gentry, Perry, Sr.
Returning first-teamer; went 4-1 with 1.16 ERA and save in region play while batting .415
UTIL DL Hall, Houston County, Jr.
The pitcher-outfielder, as versatile and valuable as anybody in area, went 6-1 with 3 saves, 89 Ks in 58 innings; batted .348 with team-high 22 RBI; Florida State commit
UTIL Kendrick Johnson, Peach County, Jr.
Region 2-AAA pitcher of the year, going 8-1 with a save and 1.91 ERA; batted .370 with 24 RBI and 9 steals
UTIL Gunnar Watson, Taylor County, Soph.
Versatile athlete batted .529 with 10 doubles and 37 RBI; All-Region 4-A; had 13-game hitting streak
Second Team
IF Korbin Hollensteiner, Veterans, Jr.
Batted. 483 with 10 steals, fielded .984 for Class AAAA semifinalist
IF Gabe Holt, Veterans, Jr.
Returning first-teamer; hit. 376 with 3 HRs, 25 RBI and 18 steals; fielded .961; Winthrop commit
IF Luke Laskey, Tattnall Square, Soph.
Versatile player who hit .333 while playing multiple positions for GHSA Class A private champ
IF Logan Simmons, Tattnall Square, Soph.
Third on team with .382 average, shared team lead with 5 HRs from shortstop, second on state champ with 30 RBI
IF Brooks Veal, Jones County, Jr.
Shortstop batted .360 with 2 HRs, was 15-for-16 in steals; fielded .939
OF Titus Benjamin, Treutlen, Sr.
Returning second-teamer; superp multi-sport athlete hit .387 with 12 doubles, 2 HRs and 24 RBI
OF Jake Nobles, Hawkinsville, Sr.
Returning second-teamer; improved average to nearly .400
OF Blake Dawson, Houston County, Sr.
Hit .352 moving from low in order to leadoff; 9 steals, fielded .963 playing LF and CF
OF Parker Stahlman, Perry
All-Region 2-AAAA; batted .400 with 11 steals at top of lineup for the Panthers
P Garrett Houston, Tattnall Square, Jr.
Was 12-2 with a 1.42 ERA, striking out 107 in 79 innings; also batted .296 with 9 doubles
P Tony Locey, Houston County, Sr.
Georgia signee was 9-4 with 2 saves; 120 Ks in 81- 1/3 IP and 14 starts; .179 opponents' average
P Zach Hughes, Treutlen, Sr.
Went 10-2 with 3 saves and 1.00 ERA in 83 1/3 innings for Class A public champion; fanned 85, opponents average of .194
C Connor Bookout, Northside, Jr.
All-Region 2-AAAAA; batted .380 with 22 RBI, had 2 game-winning hits; fielded .984
C Jack Sawyer, FPD, Sr.
Batted .418 with 12 RBI and 11 steals; also was designated hitter
UTIL Jake Adams, Northside, Sr.
Batted .312 with six steals; went 2-1 with 1.96 ERA, 48 Ks in 46 1/3 innings; All-Region 2-AAAAA pitcher; played three positions
UTIL Austin Langford, Houston County, Jr.
Outfielder/designated hitter; led GHSA Class AAAAA champ with .368 average
UTIL Adam Leverett, Mount de Sales, Soph.
Returning first-teamer; batted .329 with a triple and 20 steals; fielded .966; had a 3.72 ERA and 69 Ks in 56 IP
UTIL Brock Carter, Piedmont, Jr.
Pitcher/shortstop batted .424 with 6 HRs and 41 RBI for GISA Class AA champ; was 9.1 with 1.29 ERA and 124 Ks in 62 2/3 IP
Honorable Mention
CFCA: OF/P Thomas Prestridge, Soph.; SS Cody Thompson, Soph.; P Noah Takac, Soph.
Central Georgia Athletics: C/P Marshall Thompson, Sr.; CF Josh Gonzalez, Sr.; 1B Tim Howard, Sr.
FPD: 2B Gavin Bloodworth, Soph.; 1B Garrett West, Soph.
Gatewood: SS/P Tanner Brackett, Sr.; 1B/P John McMillian, Sr.
GMC: IF Cory Bivins, Soph.; P Cody McCrary, Soph.; CF Scott Niblett, Sr.
Hawkinsville: IF Tyler Brown, Sr.
Houston County: 3B Jake Fromm, Jr.
Howard: 1B/DH Beau Roberts, Jr.; 2B Bennett Smith, Sr.
John Milledge: P Trevor Evans, Jr.
Mary Persons: 3B Tyler Skelton; OF Justin Stroud.
Mount de Sales: C/P Jack Lipson, Jr.; CF Tres Hattaway, Sr.; SS Brady Pool, Jr.
Northside: 2B Noah Walker.
Perry: IF Jacob Hunt, Jr.; OF/P Drew Martens, Sr.; OF Andrew Tarrer, Sr.;
Peach County: P/SS Britt Davis, Soph.; OF Eric Johnson, Fr.; UTIL Hunter Johnson, Jr.
Piedmont: UTIL Mack Brady, Jr.; Michael Edwards, Jr.; 3B Noah Quick, Sr.;
Rutland: OF Malik Bond, Sr.
Tattnall Square: 1B Logan Fink, Soph; OF Austin Marchman, Soph.
Taylor County: CF Cade Windham; 3B Jake Pounds.
Veterans: P Logan Arnett, Sr.
Warner Robins: Ryan Wood; Connor Johnston.
West Laurens: C Bill Leroy.
Windsor: OF Joshua Brooks, Sr.; 3B/P Tyler Christian, Jr.; OF/P Landry Rustin, Jr.
Key: IP - Innings pitched; HR - Home runs; Ks - Strikeouts;
About this team: It was compiled based on nominations solicited from area schools, along with all-region teams that were received. Nominations were received from CFCA, Central Georgia Athletics, Gatewood, FPD, GMC, Houston County, Howard, John Milledge, Jones County, Mount de Sales, Northside, Peach County, Perry, Piedmont, Tattnall Square, Taylor County, Treutlen, Upson-Lee, Veterans, Warner Robins, Westfield, and Windsor.
This story was originally published June 16, 2016 at 10:02 PM with the headline "All-Middle Georgia Baseball Team."