Halie Wetherington
reporter@greenepublishing.com
The Next Level Baseball organization is not the only one being filled with Madison County Cowboys for the summer. Premier Baseball 16U has quite a few, including: Mike Mobley (upcoming sophomore), Kyler Richie (upcoming junior), Jackson Kendrick (upcoming junior), Gavin Bass (upcoming junior), and Fisher Pike (upcoming senior).
For the season, Premier holds a 10-9 record. Kendrick leads the way with a .364 batting average, with Mobley close behind, holding a .324 average. Richie and Mobley are tied for stolen bases with nine. Pike is slugging for .227 and Bass for .316. For pitching, Pike leads in strikeouts with 10, while Richie leads in Earned Run Average (ERA) with 1.5.
The youngest, Mike Mobley, has already started to make an impact on the Madison County High School (MCHS) baseball team, and playing with some of his teammates over the summer will help to strengthen the bond the boys have. “Mike Mobley is a heck of a ball player,” said MCHS Baseball Coach Jason Fletcher, “He is versatile defensively, there isn't much he can't do. Offensively, he hits the ball well to all fields and makes things happen with his feet. He's also a great kid and is a blast to coach.” Mobley ended his freshman high school season with a .205 batting average and .354 on base percentage.
The oldest, Fisher Pike, is expected to be a leader this year. “Fisher Pike is a guy that busts his tail in the weight room and on the field, and works hard to get better every day,” said Coach Fletcher. “He does a great job playing third base and has pop at the plate. As a senior this year, we look for him to add some leadership to our squad.”
JD Bryan is also playing travel ball, but not under Premier. He is on Gatorball 16U, and while he is the only Cowboy, there are other boys from Hamilton, Suwannee, Lafayette, and Lowndes joining him. Bryan is primarily a right-handed pitcher, and had seven wins for the Cowboys on the mound last season, with an ERA of 1.54 and 75 strikeouts in 54 innings. He will be a junior in the fall.
Coach Fletcher on the many Cowboys playing over the summer, “All of these guys will be a big part of what we are going to do this spring. They all work their butts off day in and day out and have a passion for the game and a drive to win. More importantly than that, they all are good kids who have bright futures. They are great teammates and are excellent representatives of Madison and MCHS.”