Marty Gordon
Auburn High School’s dream of another state baseball title came to a halt in the playoffs this season in a 3-0 loss to eventual champion Rappahannock.
Brody Hensel was dominant for Auburn, pitching 50.1 innings to finish with a 9-1 record allowing only six runs and having 95 strikeouts and a 0.70 earned run average. At the plate, he hit for a .441 average with 27 RBIs. He also stole 18 passes.
For his effort, he was named both the Mountain Empire District and Region C player of the year. This week, the honors continued as Hensel was named the 2014 all-county/all-city player of the year.
His coach, Eric Altizer was named co-coach of the year along with Blacksburg’s Dave Dunstan.
Auburn pitcher Josh Givens was named the all-county/all-city co-pitcher of the year after posting a 7-0 record and only allowing six runs all season. He finished with 93 K’s and an unbelievable 0.30 ERA.
The other co-pitcher of the year was given to Radford player. Mason Murphy was outstanding on the mound this season with 110 strikeouts and two no-hitters. Both of those marks were school records.
Blacksburg also rolled in the state playoffs this spring with the help of first baseman Brice Abbott, who was named all-county/all-city at that position.
Eastern Montgomery’s Cam Sutphin was the squad’s second baseman. He had 15 RBI’s and was 20 runs scored.
He was joined by Freshman teammate Marshall Tate at third base who hit for .365 average with 17 RBI’s and a homerun. Christiansburg’s Gavin Dow was this year’s shortstop after stroking a .367 batting average.
The outfield was manned by Reese Tyson of Blacksburg, Jeremiah Thompson of Christiansburg and Jared Lavergne of Auburn. The latter, Lavergne posted team highs with a .517 batting average and 22 stolen bases. He also had a stretch of reaching base in 20 consecutive plate appearances.
Mathew Altizer of Auburn was this year’s all-county/all-city catcher. He led the team in extra bases hits, 12 doubles, two triples, a homerun and 25 RBIs enroute earning the title of “most consistent.”
The pitching rotation included Hensel and Murphy along with Eastern Montgomery’s Austin Tate and Christiansburg’s Mason Cullop.
Tate finished with a 7-2 mark with 77 K’s. He was named to the Pioneer District’s first team, and the Region C second-team.
Cullop, who was both an all-district and al-region selection, with 32 K’s in 37 innings pitched.
Colton Conner of Eastern Montgomery was named the utility player after hitting .340 with 10 stolen bases.
