First in a series of six

BRYAN – Ira pitcher/shortstop Jerek Pena is player of the year on the Blue Bell/Texas Sports Writers Association’s Class A all-state baseball team.

Pena was 9-1 pitching with an 0.15 earned run average with 128 strikeouts in 56.1 innings. The senior batted .538 with three home runs and 35 runs batted in in leading his team to the regional finals.

Here is the Blue Bell/Texas Sports Writers Association’s Class A all-state baseball team:

FIRST TEAM

Pitchers – Trent Gerber, Nazareth, sr.; Jerek Pena, Ira, sr.; Daelyn Gonzales, D’Hanis, jr.

Catcher – (tie) Hagan Gordon, Borden County County, soph.; Will Kazda, Abbott, jr. 

First baseman – John Ruiz, Knippa, jr.

Second baseman – Kallan Kuehler, Borden County, jr.  

Shortstop – Dylan Cole, Kennard, sr.

Third baseman – Bryton Partain, Ira, jr.

Outfielders – Luke Langfield, D’Hanis, sr.; Lexton Sly, Miller Grove, sr.; Keagan Supak, Fayetteville, soph. 

Designated hitter – Kyle Gerik, Abbott, sr.

Player of the year – Pena, Ira

Coach of the year – Todd Craft, D’Hanis

SECOND TEAM

Pitchers – Mason Adcock, Borden County, soph.; Reid Gross, Fayetteville, soph.; Nate Perez, Knippa, sr. 

Catcher – (tie) Keyton Lumbreraz, Kennard, jr.; Ethan Reyes, D’Hanis, sr.

First baseman – Brad Lemley, Graford, soph.

Second baseman – Jacob George, Miller Grove, sr.

Shortstop – Shelby Noppeney, Hubbard, sr. 

Third baseman – Jess Lemley, Graford, soph.

Outfielders – Tanner Birkenfeld, Nazareth, jr.; Layton Herrmann, D’Hanis, jr.; Emory Cooper, Ector, sr.

Designated hitter – Will Schawe, D’Hanis, soph.

HONORABLE MENTION

Pitchers – Benjamin Bullock, Graford, soph.; Logan Lackey, Dodd City, jr.; Landry Young, Kress, jr.

Catchers – Logan Fritsch, Fayetteville, jr.; Gavin Brazell, Sulphur Bluff, soph.; Carter Whitburn, Ector, jr.

First basemen – Ethan Hargrove, Borden County, jr.; Koda Bigham, Borden County, soph.; Ryan Pilkington, Kennard, sr.; Preston Pustejovsky, Abbott, jr.

Second basemen – Karsyn Johnson, Abbott, jr.; Anthony Luna, Era, soph.

Shortstops – Travis Gully, Fayetteville, jr.; Ryan Hendrey, D’Hanis, sr.; Jaden Kulms, Hubbard, jr.; Collin Morgan, Neches, soph.; Riley Sustala, Abbott, fr.; Nathan Harris, Ector, jr.

Third baseman – Kole Campbell, Kress, jr.

Outfielders – De’Marion Brown, Leverett’s Chapel, soph.

Infielders –Trevor Moore, Sulphur Bluff, sr.; Jagger Qualls, Miller Grove, sr.; Matthew Massengill, Union Hill, sr.; Raymond Espinosa, Leverett’s Chapel, soph.; Hunter Schobel, Round Top-Carmine; jr.; Kannyn Goehring, Round Top-Carmine, jr.

Designated hitters – Ryan Reed, Cross Plains, jr.; Carson Thompson, Chester, sr.; Jacob Polasek, Round Top-Carmine, jr.