Baseball: Three Panthers sign

Standout catcher Trey Sorrells moving on to Andrew College

NOW THAT he’s officially a college baseball payer, Trey Sorrells couldn’t help but look back on all the time spent getting to this point.

“It’s a big day,” the Jackson county senior said Thursday at a signing ceremony. “Playing every summer and everything, I’m just kind of relieved to know that I finally did what I went out to do — to play college baseball. I’m happy it’s over with.”

Sorrells, an all 8-AA South catcher, chose Andrew College over Middle Georgia and Louisburg (N.C.) College.

He could see immediate playing time.

“He (the Andrew coach) told me I was the first catcher signee,” Sorrells said. “And he said that was a big role, so he’s told me that I should go be in there and be the starting guy hopefully.”

Sorrells hit .342 this past spring with 18 RBIs and was outstanding defensively, throwing out 25 of 27 would-be base stealers.

“Trey, just defensively, is a tremendous catcher that I have no doubt will continue that playing against some of the best junior colleges in the nation in their conference,” Jackson County coach Tommy Fountain said.

Sorrells was part of a Jackson County core of 11 seniors that put together a school-best 16 wins this year. Sorrells said he hopes this group has started something meaningful for the program.

“Coming up as eighth graders, we all knew we had a pretty decent class,” Sorrells said. “So knowing that we did something that’s never been done at Jackson County is exciting. We hope that we can help (future) groups come up and do the same thing. Each year they get better and better. Hopefully, we started that.”

The signing ceremony Thursday honored Sorrells and two of his fellow seniors — Jalen Banks and Kolin Zimmer — who have also signed college scholarships.

“I’m just proud of them,” Fountain said. “You work hard to do things the right way. It pays off, and for these three guys, it did. To be able to do this all at the same time, it’s got to be fun for them and our school. It’s a good day all-around.”

Banks going to Maryville as combo player

JALEN Banks is headed to Maryville (Tenn.) College primarily as an outfielder, but the Scots may have landed a quality pitcher as a bonus.

Jackson County baseball coach Tommy Fountain wouldn’t be surprised if Banks — who posted a 1.47 ERA this past spring — ultimately factors into Maryville’s pitching plans.

“I don’t think Maryville really knows what they’re getting with Jalen, and I mean that in a positive way,” Fountain said. “They’ve been recruiting him as an outfielder, and the joker got it done on the mound this year. And I have no doubt that he can pitch at that level as well.”

Banks chose Division III Maryville over Piedmont as he became one of three Panthers to sign a college scholarship this spring. A joint signing ceremony was held Thursday for Banks and teammates Trey Sorrells and Kolin Zimmer, who will also play college baseball.

Banks said he chose Maryville because of the opportunity to play early.

“Maryville said I’d have an opportunity to compete for a starting job my first year there,” Banks said. “So I decided to go there.”

Though recruited as an outfielder, Banks said he will get a look at pitcher. After all, he finished with a 5-2 record this season with 46 strikeouts in 43 innings. Banks also held opposing batters to a scant .139 average. He was named to the All-Region 8-AA South team as a pitcher.

“He (Maryville’s coach) said he’d look at me for pitching, too, because I had such a good year this year,” Banks said.

Fountain said Banks’ versatility is part of the reason he drew Maryville’s interest.

“That is one of the thing that they liked about him, that he could play multiple spots,” Fountain said. “But I’ve got a feeling that in a couple years that we may hear that he’s doing a little more throwing it up on the bump than maybe what they even thought going in.”

Jackson County was certainly able to use Banks’ pitching services this past year as he earned the program’s Cy Young Award, which goes to the best pitcher on the team.

Banks’ campaign on the mound helped Jackson County win 16 games this past year in what was the best season in memory at the school. Banks said he was happy to be a part of that and pointed to the closeness of the program’s big senior class.

“It’s been exciting because I think our senior class has gotten close because we’ve played together for five years now in this program,” Banks said. “We’ve just got a tight-knit group of kids that are on the field everyday. We only had two kids that weren’t seniors starting. It’s been nice to play with the same guys every year.”

Plans change for Zimmer as he signs baseball scholarship

THROUGHOUT high school, Jackson County’s Kolin Zimmer envisioned a college future of draining three-point shots.

But he’s replaced his hoop dreams with a commitment to throwing strikes, signing a baseball scholarship with Division III Oglethorpe University in Atlanta.

“My goal has always been to play basketball in college,” the Panther pitcher said Thursday at a signing ceremony. “And then baseball just kind of happened.”

Zimmer, who added that he’s very happy that opportunity came about, chose Oglethorpe over Berry.

He played his first two years of prep ball in Ohio, then transferred to Jackson County and fit in perfectly, Jackson County coach Tommy Fountain said. He called Zimmer’s situation “a neat story.”

“Because we weren’t really sure if Kolin wanted to play college baseball versus basketball,” Fountain said. “And early this year, he said, ‘hey, this is what I want to do,’ and we got on the ball and got to work. He was able to find a place that he fit in and is going to be able to go in and play early.”

Zimmer, who threw a no-hitter this past spring against Clarke Central, said he’ll likely come out of the bullpen his freshman year for the Stormy Petrels of Oglethorpe and then have a chance to compete for a spot in the starting rotation his last three years.

“Kolin is going to be able to eat some innings for those guys and throw strikes and pound the zone and keep it low,” Fountain said.

Zimmer is part of a senior signing class that includes Trey Sorrells and Jalen Banks. All three where honored at a Thursday ceremony at the school.

“I’m proud of all of them,” Fountain said. “They’re all going to bring something different to the table.”

Zimmer leaves his two-year stint with the Panthers having helped Jackson County post 16 wins this spring — a total that’s believed to be the best in school history. Though Zimmer is a relative newcomer to the program compared to his senior cohorts, he still took pride in helping the Panthers get to another level.

“Oh yeah, I liked coming down here and getting close to these guys,” Zimmer said. “I felt like I fit in. I just kind of wanted to do my job, whatever that was, every year. Just help the team win and help start something and keep something moving that was started before I got here.”