Trojan baseball champs honored; Thomas signs to AU
Aug. 5—Fall sports may be bearing down on us, but John Milledge Academy took one last look back at the spring to celebrate a first-ever achievement Wednesday.
The Trojan baseball team on May 22 completed a sweep of Pinewood to secure back-to-back state championships, a first for the program that now has four titles total. Those players and coaches were honored with a banquet Wednesday just a few days short of the new school year and last year's seniors going off to college.
With a 21-6 overall record, John Milledge was head and shoulders above its GIAA Class AAA competition. There was only one misstep come playoff time, and the Trojans righted that wrong by bouncing back to defeat Valwood 13-4 and 12-2 to clinch a finals berth. Then it was a rematch against southeast Georgia's Pinewood, the team that took JMA to three games in the 2022 championship. There would be no third game necessary this year as the Trojans took it to the Patriots, beating them 18-1 (6-0, 12-1) across two contests in what was an adventurous few days due to weather and field conditions.
How did the Trojans do it? By being good, often great, at every aspect of the game. They hit for a combined team average of .350 with a school-record 30 home runs, 14 of which came in seven postseason games. From the mound JMA pitchers posted a 2.70 earned run average and allowed just a .220 batting average against. They struck out twice as many batters as they walked and surrendered only 68 earned runs.
"I think we were just peaking once we got into the Pinewood and we could've beaten anybody in the state," head coach Chad Starley said at Wednesday's banquet. "This team was special.."
Starley and assistant coach Walter Prestwood handed out individual awards earlier in the ceremony. Best Defensive Player went to senior catcher Brady Rollins for a second year in a row. The JMA head coach called him the best catcher in the GIAA.
"I can't say enough about this guy," Starley said. "He knew me, I knew him, and that's the way it's got to be between a coach and a catcher."
Senior right-fielder Briggs Eady was named Best Offensive Player thanks to his team-high .444 batting average, 26 RBI, 5 home runs, and .571 on-base percentage. Eady was also an All-State, All-Star, All-Region, and All-County selection.
"This could have gone to a lot of guys," Starley said of the offensive honor. "We had some dudes who could really hit, and the other teams knew it. There was no way around it. [Briggs] was hot all year and he was a leader. He was a leader at practice, in games, in the field, and in the locker room, and he could hit the baseball."
Eady was also among the three players — joining classmates Cayden Avant and Landon Byrd — to share the team's Sportsmanship Award. Most Improved went to sophomore arm Kolt McMichael.
The Golden Arm Award given to the team's top pitcher was no surprise as it went to junior Cooper Wilburn. He had a great performance in the championship clincher and posted a 7-1 pitching record for the season. Wilburn's ERA was 2.39 and he struck out 60 batters across 52 2/3 innings. The rising senior was dangerous with the bat as well, hitting .411 with 4 home runs, 18 RBI, and a .557 on-base percentage. Wilburn was also Class AAA Player of the Year and Region Pitcher of the Year.
"Every time he stepped on the mound he kept us close, and that's what a pitcher is supposed to do," Starley said. "He's a competitor, he loves to win, and he's got great character."
The final award given out Wednesday, Player of the Year, went to someone who had multiple reasons to celebrate. Senior 1B/P Jackson Thomas earned the honor with his .380 batting average, 9 home runs, 30 RBI and an .830 slugging percentage. He pitched to a 5-3 record with a 2.82 ERA and struck out 57 hitters in 39 2/3 innings. Thomas was consistent, but really shined when it counted most. He took the ball in the championship opener and not only shut Pinewood out from the mound, but also launched a gargantuan home run that hit off the high-rise apartments beyond the left-field fence at the Augusta GreenJackets' SRP Park.
"The guy we decided on was a leader down the stretch," Starley said in handing out the award. "He probably pitched and played his best game at SRP Park. We're going to miss Jackson playing first, pitching, and hitting for us."
That other reason to celebrate? Thomas also signed to continue his baseball career at Augusta University. The Jaguars are a Peach Belt Conference foe of Georgia College & State University, so he'll make the occasional trip back to Milledgeville to compete against the Bobcats.
Thomas said the opportunity to play college ball means a lot because he's looking to make baseball his career and play professionally. He spoke about why AU was the place for him.
"I liked the coach," the college signee said. "He really connected with me and I already knew another player going there."
The big first baseman will give that pitching arm a rest so he can focus on hitting and fielding in the college ranks.
Thomas is one of seven seniors moving on from the back-to-back championship-winning John Milledge baseball program. Those guys will be missed, but next spring Starley will still have a good nucleus of Wilburn, Blake Bellflower, Bud Veal, and McMichael to help the team try for that coveted three-peat.
