Co-Big 10 champions Bridgeport and Liberty shared top billing with five first-team selections each as the 2000 All-Harrison County baseball team was announced.
In addition, Bridgeport coach Robert Shields was selected as the Harrison County coach of the year. Shields guided the Indians to the Class AA state championship and 27-9 overall record despite replacing six starters from last season's team.
Leading the way for the Indians is freshman first baseman Jason Glisson. He took over first base and made an immediate impact for Bridgeport with a team-high .427 batting average, while driving in 23 runs. He is joined by sophomore pitcher/shortstop Mike Honce, junior pitcher/outfielder Paul Graeber, senior outfielder Chris Cunanan and junior outfielder/pitcher Chris Liebig.
Honce batted .343 for the Indians and had 25 RBIs. On the mound, he went 7-4, including a four-hitter in the state semifinals. Graeber, meanwhile, batted .330 while going 6-0 with 60 strikeouts. He tossed a complete-game, four-hitter in the Indians' state championship win. Cunanan batted .360 and was tied with Liebig (.358) with a team-high 28 RBIs.
For Liberty, senior catcher Trey Adams finished with a .432 average, while driving in 31 runs and hitting five home runs. Senior outfielder Justin Nutt, who was named the Big 10's Offensive Player of the Year, also was selected to the first team. Nutt batted .391 with 26 RBIs. Joining them are teammates pitcher Chad Southern, senior infielder Nick Matheny and senior infielder David Patterson.
Southern, a junior, established himself as the team's ace, going 6-3 with 55 strikeouts. Patterson batted .422 with 34 RBIs, while Matheny hit .379 and drove in 29 runs.
Notre Dame and Robert C. Byrd each had three selections, while South Harrison placed two on the first team.
The Irish's Jeremy Wright did nearly everything for his team. Wright was second in Harrison County with a .473 average, drove in 43 runs and belted eight home runs. On the mound, he went 7-2 and led the county with 77 strikeouts. Joining him are junior infielder Jake Minges and senior catcher/first baseman Mike Nicholas. Minges batted .424, while Nicholas hit .409 with 33 RBIs and six home runs.
Robert C. Byrd is represented by senior pitcher Justin Wright, junior infielder Andy Wilhelm and junior catcher James Funk.
Wright, who was selected as the Big 10 Pitcher of the Year, was 7-2 for the Eagles with 50 strikeouts, and gave up 25 hits in 45 innings. Wilhelm led Robert C. Byrd with a .405 average, while Funk made the unit for the third consecutive year, batting .383 with seven home runs and 32 RBIs.
South Harrison teammates Ben Hall and Jerred Novotny had two of the biggest offensive performances of the season and were honored on the first team.
Hall hit a Harrison-County best .506, while driving in 38 runs and hitting eight home runs. Novotny followed at .465 and led Harrison County with 10 home runs and 47 RBIs.
The Harrison County Baseball Player of the Year will be announced Wednesday night at the One Valley Bank Athlete of the Year Banquet.
Sports writer Mike Nutter can be reached at 626-1444.
