Local players make state game
Published 6:22 pm Wednesday, June 7, 2017
In a year filled with great baseball in Lincoln County, several players from the area made the baseball State Games of Mississippi in Meridian beginning Monday.
The game takes in players that make it through tryouts in each district throughout the state and the best of the crop get to play in the baseball game. Upcoming juniors and seniors are allowed to participate in the game.
Headlining the players from the area in District 7 are Loyd Star rising senior Tucker Watts, Bogue Chitto rising senior Tucker Lambert and Brookhaven rising junior Jacob Porter.
Watts was the best bat in the lineup for the 2A state champion Loyd Star Hornets and his selection to play in the state game is well deserved. The catcher batted a team-high .480 average, a team-high 11 home runs and drove in 45 runs on the season. Watts will be looked on as a senior leader in 2018 as Loyd Star looks to defend their state title.
Lambert was the main bat in a strong Bogue Chitto lineup and helped the Bobcats both at the plate and on the mound. Lambert was a big part of why the Bobcats scored a lot of runs on offense with 214 on the season and the team advancing to the second round of the 1A state playoffs.
As the sophomore catcher for the Brookhaven Panthers, Porter provided a strong bat in the middle of the lineup for the Ole Brook ball club. For the 2017 season, Porter batted a .301 average in 28 games played this season. The rising junior was a big part of the 17-game winning streak for the Panthers after a 0-5 start to the season. Porter will get a chance to showcase his abilities on a big stage before his junior season starts for Brookhaven.
Rising Lawrence County senior Gage Daley made the state game for the Cougars. Daley was impressive in the infield for Lawrence County as he batted .389 on the season in 24 games played for the Cougars.
Brookhaven Academy rising juniors Dawson Flowers and Taylor Freeny will represent the Cougars in the state game.