Four Loyd Star players named to first team
Published 9:16 pm Wednesday, May 17, 2017
- Sophomore James Beard of Loyd Star crosses home plate in their 4-0 win over East Union Wednesday afternoon. Beard and three other Loyd Star players were named to the Mississippi Association of Coaches’ first team. (Photo by Dylan Rubino)
Junior Cade Hodges, senior Parker Flowers, junior Tucker Watts and sophomore James Beard of Loyd Star were named to the Mississippi Association of Coaches’ first team Tuesday afternoon. Hodges was named the 2A MAC Player of the Year.
Hodges, Flowers, Watts and Beard have all been integral parts of the Hornets during their amazing run in the 2017 season.
As the top pitcher in the rotation, Hodges has shined under the spotlight. The junior owns a 10-1 record with an impressive 0.98 ERA. At the plate, Hodges is batting .370 on the season with 36 RBIs.
Flowers, the senior captain, is batting .311 on the season with 36 RBIs and eight home runs on the season. Flowers has also pitched well for Loyd Star as the number two pitcher in the rotation. Flowers owns a 8-1 record with a 2.80 ERA.
Watts has been the vocal leader on the team behind the plate at catcher and also has been the best bat. Watts has crushed baseballs all season with a .495 batting average with 45 RBIs and a team-high 11 home runs.
As the leadoff hitter, Beard has excelled in the role and has made an impact on the base-paths. The sophomore is batting a .427 average with a team-high 47 hits and 58 runs scored.
Six players from the Lincoln County area were named to the MAC second team, including three from West Lincoln, two from Enterprise and one from Loyd Star.
Senior Konner Allen was the lone player named to the 2A second team. Allen is batting .343 on the season with 37 RBIs to go along.
Seniors Nathanael Addison, Seth Bivens and junior Kylar Fielder of West Lincoln were named to the MAC second team. Addison finished the season with a .388 batting average with a team-high 46 runs scored. Bivens was second on the team with a .463 batting average and led the team with 35 RBIs and four home runs. Bivens also went 5-3 as a starting pitcher with a 1.84 ERA on the season. Fielder led the Bears with a .493 batting average and second on West Lincoln with 33 RBIs.
Sophomore Landon Gartman and junior Tanner Waldrop of Enterprise made the second team for the Yellow Jackets. Gartman was second on the team with a .405 batting average and led the team with 28 RBIs. Gartman was great on the mound as well, owning a 4-0 record as a starter and a 3.22 ERA. Waldrop led Enterprise with a .410 batting average and 43 runs scored on the season.