Gary Corsair • Clay County Progress Jackson Sellers shared Pitcher of the Year honors and Coach Joe Jack Sellers received the Coach of the Year award.
By Gary Corsair
Sports Writer
Smoky Mountain Conference baseball coaches validated Hayesville’s reputation as the best hardball team in the SMC by naming nine Yellow Jackets All-Conference.
Fittingly, Yellow Jackets earned the three most prestigious honors when SMC coaches named the best baseball talent.
Hayesville second baseman Michael Mauney was named SMC Player of the Year, Jackson Sellers shared Pitcher of the Year honors and Coach Joe Jack Sellers received the Coach of the Year award.
Mauney, Jackson Sellers and Coach Sellers were joined on the All-Conference team by outfielder Peyton McGaha, shortstop Tate Roberts, first baseman/outfielder Kyle Shaheen and third baseman Chance Hughes.
Catcher Dawson Devane and outfielder/pitcher Cade Caruso were named All-SMC honorable mention.
Mauney, a junior, was named best player in the conference after batting .500 with 31 hits — including three doubles and an inside-the-park home run — posting a .605 on base percentage, .596 slugging mark and .962 fielding percentage, stealing 32 bases in 33 attempts, scoring 32 runs, driving in 20 and being part of seven double plays. “Money” Mauney made just two errors in 53 total chances and only struck out four times.
Sellers, a sophomore, dominated batters with a 2.68 earned run average, 6-1 win/loss record, and three complete games in seven starts. He struck out 45 in 34 innings. He was also a force at the plate, batting .519 and driving in 19 runs.
McGaha, a sophomore, batted .452, slugged at a .612 clip, posted a .557 on base percentage, scored 28 runs, stole 25 bases, drove in 19 runs and smacked two over-the-fence homers.
Roberts, a junior, batted .346, scored 24 runs and drove in 20. He also stole 20 bases in 22 attempts.
Shaheen a junior, had a team-best .979 fielding percentage — just one error in 47 chances — hit .367 scored 20 runs and knocked in 17.
Hughes, a junior, hit .328 and led the team in 21 RBIs with 21 and five doubles. He also stole 20 bases without being caught.