It was another exciting year for area baseball teams as several clubs gave gutsy efforts throughout the season. Once again, Riverside was dominant as the Knights powered their way to another Four Rivers Conference title and into the fourth round of the playoffs thanks to the dynamic efforts of WDN Pitcher of the Year Kyle Leggett and WDN Position Player of the Year Matt Wisniewski.
Despite losing a lot of talent from last year’s squad, Northside was able to find a way back to the playoffs, while Washington and Southside proved to be a thorn in a lot of team’s sides this season. South Creek and Plymouth each punched a ticket to the postseason and would prove to be tough outs.
The 2013 season had several standout players and made this year’s Washington Daily News All-Area team a very talented one.

PITCHERS
RYAN ARTHUR, NORTHSIDE
A steady force on an up and down Panthers team, junior pitcher Ryan Arthur could be counted on to deliver a solid outing every time he took the mound. Armed with a quality fastball, Arthur struck out 85 batters in 70 innings and finished the season with a 1.80 ERA.

RYAN WAGNER, RIVERSIDE
A sharp pitcher with good command, Ryan Wagner teamed up with Kyle Leggett to form the best 1-2 punch around. Wagner went 6-2 for the Four Rivers Conference champion Knights while fanning nearly a batter per inning this season an ended the year with a 2.39 ERA.

AUSTIN LEE, SOUTH CREEK
Though his record may not show it, South Creek’s Austin Lee had a tremendous season for the Cougars. Lee finished the year 4-7 but that was manly a product of lack of run support as the South Creek ace had a 2.10 ERA and whiffed 73 batters in 56 innings.

CATCHER
HAYDEN BOGART, SOUTHSIDE
It was a tough season for Southside, but slugger Hayden Bogart helped the team be competitive on a nightly basis and was a feared slugger in the Seahawks lineup. The senior catcher led Southside in hits, RBIs and doubles while batting .289.

FIRST BASE
KYLE LEGGETT, RIVERSIDE
He was stellar on the mound, but Riverside’s Kyle Leggett was just as strong at the plate. Hitting in the middle of the most feared lineup in the area, Leggett batted .363 with two home runs and a team-high 33 RBIs while bringing a sure-handed glove to first base.

SECOND BASE
CALEB SHERMAN, NORTHSIDE
One of the most exciting players in the area, senior Caleb Sherman was the ideal leadoff batter for the Panthers. The Northside senior hit an eye-popping .450 this season and had a .680 on-base percentage. Defensively, the speedy Sherman covered a lot of ground and always made the heads up plays in the field.

SHORTSTOP
MATHEN ANGE, RIVERSIDE
A real do-it-all type player, Riverside’s Mathen Ange’s lightning-quick bat allowed him to hit .411 this year and club a team-high 10 doubles. The speedy Ange also drove in 21 runs and was brilliant at his shortstop position.

THIRD BASE
BRANDON BATTLE, SOUTH CREEK
Perhaps the biggest breakout star of the 2013 season, South Creek freshman Brandon Battle hit .556 this season with three home runs and 34 RBIs in his first year of varsity ball. Battle was a big force in the Cougars lineup and a big reason why the team finished 13-9.

OUTFIELD
ZACH HOWELL, RIVERSIDE
A good outfielder with a good bat, the Knights Zach Howell could always be counted on in the field. At the plate, Howell hit .377 for Riverside drove in 17 runs.

ZACH SAWYER, PLYMOUTH
A smart hitter, Plymouth’s Zach Howell helped the Vikings be one of the more peskier teams around. The Plymouth outfielder hit .330 this season and drove in 16 runs. On the base paths, Howell was also a force as he stole 12 bases for a Vikings team that finished 12-10 this year and advance to the second round of the playoffs.

WILL MUMFORD, SOUTHSIDE
A real promising young hitter, Southside sophomore Will Mumford led the Seahawks with a .362 batting average this season. Mumford mans his position well in the outfield and should be a force to deal with next year.

DESIGNATED HITTER
LAWRENCE SMITH, RIVERSIDE
In a lineup filled with great hitters, Riverside’s Lawrence Smith is right up there with the best of them as he led the Knights with a .487 batting average. Smith’s 37 hits and 21 RBIs where both the third-best totals on the Knights and a big reason why Riverside was able to capture another conference title.

SECOND TEAM
PITCHERS
PATRICK THOMPSON, WASHINGTON
HUNTER COOK, PLYMOUTH
CALEB SHERMAN, NORTHSIDE

CATCHER
SHAY LANGLEY, SOUTH CREEK

FIRST BASE
AUSTIN LEE, SOUTH CREEK

SECOND BASE
CHRIS KELLY, PLYMOUTH

SHORTSTOP
SHAWN HOLLOWAY, PLYMOUTH

THIRD BASE
RYAN WHITE, RIVERSIDE

OUTFIELD
ROSS BYRD, RIVERSIDE
BUDDY ROGERSON, SOUTH CREEK
COLE CUTLER, NORTHSIDE

DESIGNATED HITTER
JOEL WHITEHURST, PLYMOUTH

HONORABLE MENTION
NORTHSIDE
Neal Gibbs
Corbin Minor

PLYMOUTH
Matt Luton
Trequan Carter
Zack Singletary
Lazarus Barrow
Blake Holloway

SOUTH CREEK
Zach Pelt

SOUTHSIDE
Daniel Woolard
Adam Graves
Eric Vick

RIVERSIDE
Brandon Chesson
Clay Wagner

WASHINGTON
Chase Hartley
Dustin Moore