By BY BRUCE HIXON – sports editor
T.R. Miller Tigers senior shortstop/pitcher Baxley Raines was given Honorable Mention on the Alabama Sports Writers Association's Class 4A All-State Team for the 2007 season.
Raines, who also received Honorable Mention All-State recognition last year at the Class 3A level, was selected as the team's Utility Player. Raines hit a team best .424 with five homeruns and 23 RBIs for the Tigers this spring. That average also consisted of seven doubles and two triples.
As a pitcher, Raines compiled a 7-2 record with a 2.34 earned run average that included 61 strikeouts in 54 innings of work.
Jackson's Jon Jacobs was named the 4A Pitcher of the Year, while Childersburg outfielder Bryan Wheeler was named 4A Player of the Year. Childersburh skipper Chad Slaten was named 4A Coach of the Year after he guided his to the state championship.
Other pitchers on the First Team included Justin Bryant of Oneonta, Jeff Pool of Jacksonville and Matt Wolfenbarger of Northside.
The rest of the First Team position players included catcher Josh Owens of Childersburg, first baseman Dustin Chambers of Priceville, second baseman Blaine Joyner of St. James, shortstop Jake Overstreet of Thomasville, third baseman Kent Meyer of Jackson, outfielders Matt Croft of Priceville, Davis Hooper of Trinity and Wheeler.
The First Team also included designated hitters Mitch Lawrence of St. James and Kyle Thompson of Dora along with utility players Jordan Connell of Childersburg and Wes Holley of Lawrenceburg.
Among the Honorable Mention selections along with Raines was Andalusia pitcher Matt Mellown. Mellown's Andalusia squad won the Class 4A Area 2 championship with a 6-0 record, while T.R. Miller and W.S. Neal tied for second place.