Goshen’s Alex Edwards was named the SBC-American Player of the Year.

Goshen’s Alex Edwards was named the SBC-American Player of the Year.
By Chris Chaney
Sun staff

The Goshen Warriors baseball team may not have had the best season in the Southern Buckeye Conference finishing at 6-4, two games behind co-champions New Richmond and Western Brown, but the turnaround that head coach Mark Reed and his team concocted earned them some individual honors from their fellow SBC coaches.

Reed was named the Coach of the Year in the SBC-American and Warriors’ senior pitcher Alex Edwards was named the league’s Player of the Year.

“To be named Coach of the Year was a complete surprise for me simply because my team did not win league,” Reed explained. “For the coaches to recognize the turnaround that our program had really meant a lot to me. A lot of the other coaches in the league are veteran coaches. This is only my third year in the league as a coach, so for them to recognize the achievement we had this year does mean a lot to me.”

Reed took the Warriors from 5-14 a year ago and a last-place finish in the league to a 17-8 overall record in 2013. Reed was quick to point out that his players deserve much of the credit for applying themselves and buying into what the coaching staff was trying to get them to do.

Heading up that effort for Goshen was senior Alex Edwards. Edwards is a three-sport athlete for the Warriors, playing basketball and football the other two seasons of the year. Edwards will attend Centre College in Danville, Ky. next year to play baseball.

During his senior campaign, Edwards went 4-3 with one save in 45 innings pitched and boasted a 1.53 earned run average. From the plate, Edwards hit an even .400, scoring 23 runs and knocking in 13 more.

“He’s a four-year varsity player,” Reed said. “I saw him as a freshman and watched him develop over the years. He’s truly developed into an outstanding young man. Academically, he was the valedictorian of the school. For him to have academic success and such a great season on the playing field as well is truly remarkable.

“His senior leadership was something we definitely needed and without it, I don’t think we would have won the games that we did. He’s one of those kids that works hard all of the time and it’s great to see that work pay off.”

Along with Edwards on the First Team All-SBC were sophomores Jesse Peters and Paul Collins. Noah Billingsley and Tanner Stewart were named to the Second Team All-Conference.

Reed believes that this year was the first of many strong seasons to come for Goshen baseball. Historically a football and basketball-dominated school, Reed hopes the 2013 baseball team’s success will breed more in the future.

New Richmond landed five individuals on the First Team All-League, led by seniors Cole Bird and Tanner Wolfe. Juniors Levi Simpson, Jake Hauke and Josh Heiden were also named to the First Team. Second Teamers include Chris Lawrence and Nathan Dixon.

The Lions won their sectional final, defeating Goshen, before falling in the district title game to Springfield Shawnee in extra innings.

Bethel-Tate was represented by seniors Tyler Atkins and Russell Hartley on the First Team and Nick Marshall on the Second Team.

The Tigers finished third in the SBC-American with a .500 record in conference and a 13-12 record overall.

Finally, Amelia’s lone First Team selection was Mike Seebohm, a senior pitcher and first baseman, who pitched 30 innings and struck out 30 hitters en route to his 3.23 ERA. On the Second Team from the Barons was junior Trevor Simon.