Baseball: EJCHS baseball award winners announced Thursday

Caleb Hardy, who is headed to Savannah State to play college baseball, took Most Valuable Player honors. Hardy pitched (throwing 35 innings); played catcher, second base and shortstop; and was a valuable bat in the Eagle offense at the leadoff spot for most of the season. He hit .345 with a .507 on-base percentage.

“The numbers only tell part of the story,” East Jackson coach Matt Pruitt said. “I can’t imagine where we would have been without his leadership and his passion. This was an easy call — nobody meant more to a team anywhere than Caleb meant to our team this year.”

First baseman Josh Valles, who hit in either the no. 3 for 4 spots most of the year, earned the Silver Slugger award after hitting .300 with 14 RBIs and a .463 on-base percentage.

“Josh is really better known for his defense around our program, but he was definitely one of our most consistent hitters this year,” Pruitt said. “He finished strong, and we’ll look for him to continue to be a big bat in our lineup for the next two years.”

Lefthander Robert McKay took home Cy Young Award accolades as the team’s top pitcher. He led the Eagles in innings pitched and wins.

“He was easily our most consistent pitcher,” Pruitt said. “He gave us quality innings and a chance to win every time he took the mound, and it’s hard to ask for more than that. I’m glad we’ve got him for two more years.”

Trey Mimes won the Coaches Award.

“Trey is the ultimate program guy,” Pruitt said. “He’ll do whatever is best for the team and do it with everything he’s got. We were happy to get him into the lineup more as the season went on. He’s a good ballplayer and the kind of young man you enjoy coaching.”