Pike Lib’s Will Austin named 2A Coach of the Year
Published 3:24 pm Saturday, May 31, 2025
- Pike Lib's Will Austin was named 2A Coach of the Year. (Josh Boutwell)
The Alabama Sports Writers Association (ASWA) released the 2025 All-State Baseball Team and a number of local athletes made the cut, along with Pike Liberal Arts School head coach Will Austin being named Coach of the Year.
Austin was selected as the Class 2A Coach of the Year after he led his Pike Patriots to the 2A State Championship series for the first time since the school moved to the Alabama High School Athletic Association. Austin’s players Luke Barron, Garrett Whitaker and Kade Brookins were also named to the 2A All-State Team.
Luke Barron struck out five batters against Vincent in the state championship. (Josh Boutwell)
Barron earned First-Team honors as a pitcher. Barron was stellar on the mound for Pike this season and saved his best for the postseason, boasting a 1.54 ERA with 26 strikeouts in the playoffs. For the season, Barron held a 1.726 ERA with 48 strikeouts and a 1.027 WHIP. He also held a 7-2 record with two saves on the mound. As a batter, Barron earned a .342 batting average with 11 doubles, two triples, three home runs, an area-leading 42 RBIs and 38 runs.
Whitaker made the Second Team as a designated hitter. Whitaker held a .354 batting average with a .458 on-base percentage, eight doubles, one triple, three homers, 34 RBIs and 28 runs. Brookins also earned Honorable Mention as an outfielder, while Jackson Bowen earned Honorable Mention as a designated hitter. Brookins boasted a .336 batting average with 14 doubles, three triples, a home run, 16 stolen bases, 23 RBIs and 38 runs. As a pitcher, Brookins also earned a 2.80 ERA with a 1.317 WHIP, an area-high 79 strikeouts and 8-1 record. He also held a .926 fielding percentage in the outfield.
Bowen boasted a team-high .370 batting average, .508 on-base percentage, six doubles, 17 RBIs, an area-leading 42 runs and 17 stolen bases. He also held a .984 fielding percentage on defense.
Tyler McLendon had a big series for the Goshen Eagles against Pike County. (Josh Boutwell)
Additionally, Goshen’s Tyler McLendon earned Second-Team honors as a catcher. McLendon held an area-high .554 batting average with 27 runs, 17 stolen bases, seven doubles and two triples. In the field, he held a .930 fielding percentage with 102 putouts, 17 assists and one double play. He also caught nine runners trying to steal.
Ariton’s catcher Wells Ganey was named to the first-team. Ganey was one of the top hitters in the area, boasting a .447 batting average with a .538 on-base percentage, 14 doubles, three triples, three home runs, 40 RBIs, 34 runs and 17 stolen bases. He also earned a .993 fielding percentage.
Charles Henderson’s Chase Vaznaian bunts against Montgomery Catholic. (Photo by Dan Smith)
Pitcher Austin Evans earned second-team honors. Evans held a 2.19 ERA this season with a 1.14 WHIP. He went 5-2 on the mound with two saves, while striking out 50 batters in 54 1/3 innings pitched.
Utility Easton Kilpatrick also earned second team honors. Kilpatrick earned a .362 batting average with a .442 on-base percentage, four doubles, one triple, two home runs, 40 RBIs, 32 runs and 15 stolen bases. He also earned a .982 fielding percentage in the infield. Kilpatrick also pitched 38 and 1/3 innings and fanned 45 batters, while holding a 2.01 ERA and 1.23 WHIP. On the mound, he earned a 6-1 record with three saves.
Charles Henderson infielder Chase Vaznain earned Class 5A Second-Team All-State. Vaznain tallied six doubles, two triples, a home run, 28 RBIs, 28 runs and six stolen bases with a .443 batting average and .563 on-base percentage.
The Messenger’s All-Messenger Baseball Team will be released on June 7.
