RON WOMACK
SCHOOL/YEARS: South Effingham, six years
ACHIEVEMENTS: South Effingham entered the Class AAAAA state playoffs as a No. 4 seed and had to travel to Fayetteville to face Starr’s Mill, the No. 1 ranked team among Class AAAAA teams in Georgia. Starr’s Mill had only lost twice all year, but the Mustangs came in and won the first game 2-1 in eight innings and then swept by taking game two in a 14-13 slugfest. South Effingham then took a three-game series from Alexander before the Mustangs fell in three games to Gainesville, dropping the deciding game 8-6. The Mustangs finished 23-10, and Womack has a 112-58 record in six years as head coach. Womack said the Mustangs have reached the Final Four four times since he started as a Mustang assistant in 2008.
DEFINING MOMENT: Womack said the win at Starr’s Mill was the best memory. “We knew we had a really good team — we had flashes of it, but we just hadn’t played our best until the state playoffs.
WHAT’S NEXT: The Mustangs graduate five seniors, two who were everyday starters. “We’ve got a great nucleus coming back,” Womack said.
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING
WOMACK ON THE SEASON: “I tried to stress to the kids not to worry about individual numbers but to do everything together and win as a team. The guys did it when it counted in the playoffs.”
SENIOR CARLTON REDDING ON WOMACK: “I see coach as a father figure,” Redding said. “He’s always going to have your back. Coach knows a lot about baseball. He tries to get the most he can out of every player, and he pushes us to be the best we can be.”
— Dennis Knight
2015 ALL-GREATER SAVANNAH BASEBALL TEAM
MARK FRASER, Savannah Christian, senior, 1B/P
The Savannah Morning News player of the year has signed to play at Cornell.
CHIPPER WILEY, Benedictine, junior, P/1B
Wiley had another excellent season for the Cadets. He hit .329 with a .500 on-base percentage, with nine doubles, 11 RBIs and 22 walks. He went 6-2 on the mound with a 1.66 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 42 innings.
STEVIE POWERS, Benedictine, senior, P/OF
Powers has signed a letter of intent to pitch for Southern Mississippi. He posted a 5-2 record with a 1.58 ERA and struck out 61 batters in 40 innings. He was also a key player offensively with a .323 average and a .429 on-base percentage. He scored 19 runs and stole 12 bases in 14 attempts.
BRAD STEWART, Benedictine, senior, OF
The standout center fielder has signed to play football at Georgia Tech. He hit .380 with a .456 on-base percentage. He had seven doubles, two triples, five home runs and 23 RBIs with 21 runs scored. Stewart stole nine bases in 11 attempts and didn’t commit an error in the field.
CHASE MARINI, Benedictine, junior, SS
Marini became an everyday starter and had an excellent year for the Cadets. He hit .373 with a .438 on-base percentage, with six doubles, a home run, 18 RBIs and 27 runs scored. He stole 12 bases in 12 attempts.
BRANDON DEAL, Savannah Christian, senior, 2B
Deal was a key at the plate and in the field for the Raiders, who reached the second round of the Class A Private state playoffs. He hit .417 with a .510 on-base percentage and had 12 doubles, two triples, 24 RBIs and 30 runs scored. He stole eight bases in 10 attempts.
BEN JACKSON, Savannah Christian, sophomore, SS
Jackson formed a solid double play combination with Deal and hit .410 with a .565 on-base percentage. He had three doubles, 24 RBIs and scored 23 runs. He was hit by pitches 11 times and drew 16 walks.
JUSTIN HENLE, Richmond Hill, senior, C
Henle, who has signed with Darton State College, was named the Region 3-AAAAA player of the year. He hit .488 with a .600 on-base percentage, with six doubles, a triple, two homers, 27 RBIs and 12 runs scored. He anchored Richmond’ Hill’s defense and pitching staff from behind the plate.
CHAISE PARKER, Richmond Hill, senior, SS
Parker had another great season for the Wildcats, who won the Region 3-AAAAA title and finished with an 18-7 record. He hit .411 with a .452 on-base percentage. He had 27 runs scored and 17 RBIs.
BRIAN EICHHORN, Richmond Hill, senior, P
The senior right-hander went 6-1 for the Wildcats and was named the Region 3-AAAAA North player of the year. He had a 1.52 ERA and struck out 51 batters in 50 2/3 innings.
BRENNAN JAMAR, Richmond Hill, junior, infield
An All-Region 3-AAAAA first-team pick, Jamar hit .408 with a .456 on-base percentage. He scored 31 runs and drove in 25 runs on the season.
CARLTON REDDING, South Effingham, senior, pitcher
The senior lefty has signed to play for Georgia College & State University. Redding posted a 2.95 ERA and a 9-4 record, striking out 65 in 71 innings and helping the No. 4 Mustangs reach the Class AAAAA Elite Eight.
DALTON GRIFFIN, South Effingham, junior, OF
The junior center fielder has committed to South Carolina. He hit .355 with six doubles, two home runs and 22 RBIs for the Mustangs — playing a pivotal role in an upset of Starr’s Mill, ranked No. 1 in the state, in the first round of the Class AAAAA playoffs.
ZACH DUKE, Calvary Day, senior, OF
Duke hit .359 with a .468 on-base percentage for the Cavaliers, who finished 15-8. He had 24 RBIs, 18 runs scored and stole nine bases in nine attempts.
SALIK WILLIAMS, Jenkins, sophomore, OF
Williams was a key player in the Warriors’ run to the Class AAA playoffs. He hit .451 with 17 runs, 10 RBIs and just four strikeouts. He stole 18 bases in 20 attempts and had seven outfield assists on the year.
CHRIS BASHLOR, Calvary, junior, C
Bashlor, who has committed to Lipscomb University in Tennessee, hit .333 with a .539 on-base percentage. He had 17 RBIs and 20 runs scored. He stole 12 bases in 13 attempts and didn’t commit an error behind the plate.
GARRETT HODGES, South Effingham, junior, P/OF
Hodges pitched a gem in a 2-1 win over No. 1-ranked Starr’s Mill in the first round of the playoffs, as the Mustangs went on to upset the No. 1 ranked team in the state. A Kennesaw State commit, Hodges went 4-3 on the year with a 1.32 ERA. He was also a big contributor offensively during the regular season and playoffs.
CHANDLER WILKINSON, Islands, senior, DH
Wilkinson, who has offers from several colleges including Savannah State, was an All-Region 1-AAA first-team pick. He hit .351 with a .518 on base-percentage.
WILL HODGES, Effingham, junior, OF
Hodges, a top prospect in the area, hit .365. with eight doubles, three homers and 22 RBIs for the Rebels.
SECOND TEAM
Ben Haeussler, Savannah Christian
Al Pesto, Benedictine
Shane Alberino, Benedictine
Chris Bell, Bradwell
Kyle Luigs, Richmond Hill
Matt Culberson, Calvary Day
Dusty Baker, Effingham
Corey Horne, South Effingham
Ryan Woiwode, Benedictine
Jacari Roberts, Liberty County
Colby Rhea, Liberty County
Turner Davis, South Effingham
Evan Crystal, Bradwell
Brandon Shreck, Jenkins
Zach Balcomb, Richmond Hill
Bryce Dunn, Savannah Country Day
Matt Jackson, Johnson
Vincent Brunelli, Liberty County
Wade Benton, Savannah Christian
Scheldon Paulk, Coastal Home School
Charlie Harrell, Islands
Honorable Mention
Benedictine—Phillip Moore
Bradwell—Stephen Felton, Ryan Desbians
Bryan County—Nathan Leggett, Dillon Pittman
Calvary—Bryson Smeltzer, Chris Drauker, Tristan Triplett
Coastal—Tate Robinson, Daniel Mills
Islands—Caleb Barnes, Nick Miller, Jeffrey Pearce, Kole Newman
Jenkins—David Dyal, DJ Tinsley
Johnson—Michael White, Okwili Odimgbe
Liberty County—Quinndon Montgomery, Aric Albertson
New Hampstead—Sam Carrillo, Telvin Patterson
Richmond Hill—Dominic Montalto
Savannah High—Eric Newton, Dez’mond Brinson
Savannah Christian—Zack Brockman, Josh Chamblee, Ryan Langston
Savannah Country Day—William Hornesby
South Effingham—Austin Thompson, Timothy Head
St. Andrew’s—Nate Mayo, Ryan Wollenberg