A player and coach from Twin Counties high schools have been awarded special honors as part of the annual Big East 2A/3A Conference all-conference selections for the 2024 season.
Colby Lewis from Nash Central was named the league’s pitcher of the year, while Northern Nash’s Joey Keefe earned co-coach of the year honors with Bunn’s Patrick Warren.
Lewis, a senior right-hander, went 6-3 overall with a sparkling 0.68 earned-run average for the Bulldogs this season.
Nash Central finished 15-12 overall and reached the second round of the Class 2A state playoffs before falling to Bunn. The Bulldogs also reached the finals of the conference tournament before falling in eight innings to Northern Nash.
In 12 appearances, Lewis had four complete games, four shutouts and two saves. He pitched 62 innings and allowed 36 hits and 19 runs (only six were earned runs) with 100 strikeouts and just 21 walks. He threw 959 pitches, and opponents batted just .155 and had an on-base percentage of .228.
Keefe helped direct the Northern Nash baseball team to a share of the Big East 2A/3A Conference championship with Bunn this season despite having several key losses to graduation.
Keefe’s Knights ended up with a 17-7 overall record (10-2 in conference play), won the league tournament over Nash Central and advanced to the second round of the Class 3A playoffs before falling to Croatan.
Despite him not being sure where his offense was going to come from, Keefe’s squad scored 145 runs this season (6.04 per game) while the defense allowed 120 (five per game). The Knights were also 8-3 in one-run games.
Northern Nash landed five players on the all-conference team: Peyton Clay, Logan Denton, Tristan Murray, Marquis Nicholson and Brady Jenkins.
Nash Central had three (Lewis, Landyn Holt and Shea Whitley), while Southern Nash put Blake Strickland and Keegan Wallace on the list and Rocky Mount had one selection, Jack McKellar.
The all-conference list is as follows. Twin Counties’ players have statistics included, as posted to their team’s MaxPreps pages.
ALL-CONFERENCE
Bunn: Elijah Austin, Jared Alligood, Ethan Pearce, Owen Mitchell, Caleb Johnson (Player of the Year)Northern Nash: Peyton Clay (.319, 23 hits, 21 runs, 21 RBI, seven doubles, three home runs), Logan Denton (16 hits, 12 runs, 14 RBI, four doubles, one home run), Tristan Murray (20 hits, 21 runs, 12 RBI, seven doubles), Marquis Nicholson (.296, 21 hits, 18 runs, 18 RBI, two doubles), Brady Jenkins (.347, 26 hits, 15 runs, 21 RBI, seven doubles, three triples)Roanoke Rapids: Collin Elias, Wil White, Shep Fowler, Maddox BullockFranklinton: Pete Honse, Aiden Nash, Ethan LeblancNash Central: Colby Lewis (Pitcher of the Year, 6-3 record, 0.68 ERA, 62 innings, 36 hits, six earned runs, 100 strikeouts, 21 walks), Landyn Holt (.321, 27 hits, 15 runs, 20 RBI, three doubles), Shea Whitley (.324, 24 hits, 16 runs, 10 RBI, four doubles)Southern Nash: Blake Strickland (.321 batting average, 25 hits, 20 runs, 10 RBI, four doubles), Keegan Wallace (.288, 19 hits, 20 runs, 13 RBI, three triples, two home runs)Rocky Mount: Jack McKellar (.282 batting average, 11 hits, six RBI, 11 walks,seven doubles)
Honorable Mention
Bunn: Keagan PriceNorthern Nash: Dominick RobbinsRoanoke Rapids: Carson DuncanFranklinton: Luke WilsonNash Central: Landon DillaneSouthern Nash: Jeremiah BattleRocky Mount: Christian Buck
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