Brevard’s Blackwell named T-N Player of the Year

Andrew Blackwell put in a lot of work over the offseason to make sure that his final season of baseball at Brevard High School would be one to remember. Mission accomplished.

The Western Carolina signee hit .391 and scored 31 runs for the Blue Devils this spring. But it was his power numbers — a state-high 12 home runs and 42 RBIs (fourth-best in the state) — which earned him the 2008 Times-News All-Area Baseball Player of the Year award.

“We expected it and he expected it coming into the season,” said Brevard coach Jason Brubaker. “He hit fourth in the lineup for the first part of the season and we moved him up to third mid-way so (All-Area performer Nathan Hyatt) could protect him. He wasn’t seeing any pitches to hit.”

Perhaps Blackwell can credit one early-season performance against Pisgah for the shyness of opposing pitchers. On April 1 in Canton, to co-Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year blasted four home runs — one shy of a state record — had 10 RBIs — also one away from the record — in a 16-7 win.

“It was weird but we weren’t really paying too much attention to it,” Brubaker said. “They took the lead and we came back behind (Blackwell). Then they starting hitting again and you got caught up in the game. It didn’t really set in until after the game was over. I don’t expect to see something like that ever again.”

In Blackwell’s next at-bat against Pisgah later in the season, he hit another homer.

The right-hander also pitched well in limited action. He compiled a 4-1 record and a 2.56 ERA while striking out 31 batters in just 19 1/3 innings.

“He had some issues with his arm and we tried to protect him.”

Brubaker lauded Blackwell’s leadership, which is why the senior moved back behind the in the 2-A playoffs.

The Blue Devils beat perennial WAC power West Henderson in the teams’ first meeting of the year, establishing itself as the league favorite. But a stunning loss at East Henderson and a loss in the rematch at West denied them an elusive title.

“It wasn’t so much that we lost to West,” Brubaker said. “It was the loss to East. Lex Justus threw really well and we couldn’t catch a break. They deserved to win but it’s one we felt like we let get way. You split with West and you feel like you’ve done your job.”

Despite the disappointment, Brevard advanced to the second round of the 2-A playoffs to meet another perennial power, East Rutherford. With the score tied at 4-4 in the bottom of the seventh inning, East Rutherford’s Seth Baldwin launched a walk-off home run and the Cavaliers would go on to appear in their second straight state championship series.

“We had a lot of high expectations and unfortunately we ran into East Rutherford and played one of the best games I’ve seen,” Brubaker said.

The All-Area team is selected by the Times-News sports staff from public school students in Henderson, Polk, Transylvania and southern Buncombe counties.