Science Hill had a terrific baseball season, and right in the middle of its success was Nate Conner.
The senior pitcher and first baseman was chosen Wednesday as the Times News/Johnson City Press Super 22 player of the year. Conner helped his team win 31 games and reach the TSSAA Class 4A sectionals.
He’s the staff ace and slotted in the No. 3 spot of the honorary batting order.
It was the fourth straight year a Hilltoppers player was chosen for the top honor and the 16th time in the past 23 seasons.
Conner is joined in the lineup by West Ridge senior Drew Hoover, Providence Academy sophomore Nathan Eisfelder, Cherokee junior Cole Putnal, Tennessee High senior Andrew Dingus, Unicoi County senior Valentin Batrez, Science Hill junior Jackson Berry, Daniel Boone senior Brogan Jones, and University High senior Garrett Gentry.
Complementing Conner in the pitching rotation are Hoover, Providence senior Tyner Simpson and Science Hill senior Ryan Smith. Tennessee High senior Payne Ladd is the setup man and Sullivan East senior Tyson Mitchell is the closer.
Leading the second team is Cherokee senior Aidan Webb. He’s joined by Johnson County senior Isaiah Krupsky, Providence senior Caleb Cross, Hampton junior Chance Point, Dobyns-Bennett senior Tanner Kilgore, West Ridge senior Wade Witcher, Science Hill junior Landon Smelser and Science Hill senior Major Osbolt.
THE BATTING ORDER
Leadoff — Drew Hoover
It’s easy to make an argument for Hoover as the area’s top hitter after he batted .548 and posted a 23-game hitting streak. The first baseman also helped West Ridge put together a solid 19-9 record.
No. 2 — Nathan Eisfelder
Still growing into his game, the outfielder batted .421 and put up nice power numbers: nine homers and 40 RBIs. He also was successful 22 times in 23 stolen-base attempts.
No. 3 — Nate Conner
The Hilltoppers worked deep into the postseason thanks in part to Conner’s monster numbers: .466 batting average, nine homers, 45 RBIs, 49 runs and 16 doubles.
No. 4 — Cole Putnal
One of the area’s most dangerous hitters, the defensive standout at catcher finished with 10 homers and 40 RBIs while batting .436 for a team that won 23 games.
No. 5 — Andrew Dingus
The Vikings were in Murfreesboro once again, riding the strong performances of the center fielder. He batted .440 with five homers and 46 RBIs.
No. 6 — Valentin Batrez
A standout throughout his career, the catcher capped it by hitting .443 with six homers, 32 RBIs, 17 doubles and 30 runs.
No. 7 — Jackson Berry
The defensive whiz at third base batted .395 with four homers, 34 RBIs and 18 doubles among his 25 extra-base hits. He scored 52 runs.
No. 8 — Brogan Jones
The East Tennessee State signee hit .443 and scored 34 runs. He was flawless in stolen bases, going 20-for-20, and had a .542 on-base percentage.
No. 9 — Garrett Gentry
The catcher helped his team reach the 1A tournament by batting .360 with seven homers and 36 RBIs. He also had eight doubles and five triples.
THE STAFF
Ace — Nate Conner
The left-hander dialed up a 10-1 record with an ERA of 2.72 and struck out 65 batters in 64 innings.
No. 2 — Drew Hoover
The lefty posted a record of 4-1 with four shutouts while striking out 83 batters. He also had a stretch of 27 consecutive scoreless innings and finished with an ERA of 0.98.
No. 3 — Tyner Simpson
No team was able to beat the right-hander this season and he finished 9-0 with an ERA of 3.20. He piled up 72 strikeouts in 50 innings while helping the Knights get within one win of the state tournament.
No. 4 — Ryan Smith
In a strong year, the right-hander went 8-3 with a 2.40 ERA. He struck out 85 batters in 55 innings.
Setup — Payne Ladd
The impressive left-hander went 7-1 and posted an ERA of 1.69. He struck out 67 batters in 58 innings.
Closer — Tyson Mitchell
It was another good season for the right-hander, who racked up 88 strikeouts in 61 innings while going 4-3 with a 1.72 ERA.
THE SECOND TEAM
Aidan Webb
The shortstop hit .426 with five homers, 38 RBIs and 24 stolen bases.
Isaiah Krupsky
The outfielder batted .398 with 15 doubles, 38 runs and stole 37 bases.
Caleb Cross
A defensive whiz at shortstop, he hit .353 with 32 runs and drove in 24 while stealing 12 bases.
Chance Point
The third baseman had sparkling batting average of .494 with 11 doubles. He was successful 35 times in 38 steal attempts.
Tanner Kilgore
A very good defensive catcher, Kilgore batted .443 with four homers and 30 RBIs.
Wade Witcher
The infielder was a solid stick throughout the season, finishing with an average of .490 to go along with 22 RBIs.
Landon Smelser
At the forefront of Science Hill’s attack, the center fielder hit .389 with 12 doubles, three triples, 22 RBIs and 39 runs. He was also one of the area’s best defensive players.
Major Osbolt
Coming on strong as the year progressed, the infielder totaled 37 RBIs while posting a .430 batting average with eight doubles and a .504 on-base percentage.
