WARREN, Pa. – Clarion claimed its first-ever PIAA baseball title when it won the Class 1A tournament last week, so it should come as no surprise that the Bobcats dominate the 2023 YDL Sports Network District 9 baseball awards.
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Clarion junior shortstop Dawson Smail is the Player of the Year, Clarion junior Devon Lauer is the Pitcher of the Year, and Clarion manager Rob Jewett is the Manager of the Year.
Joining those three in the major award category is Punxsutawney freshman Nevin Day, who is the Rookie of the Year.
A first- and second-team All-District squad was named as well.
2023 YDL SPORTS NETWORK DISTRICT 9 BASEBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Dawson Smail, Jr., Clarion
Smail, a Xavier recruit, hit .538 (43 of 80) with a season OPS of 1.500. He tied for the state lead (among players reported to MaxPreps.com) in doubles with 15 while adding a triple and four home runs. He drove 29 runs while scoring 44 runs, the most in District 9 and the third in Pennsylvania.
Photo by Paul Burdick
2023 YDL SPORTS NETWORK DISTRICT 9 BASEBALL PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Devon Lauer, Jr., Clarion
Lauer went 9-1 on the season, including 4-0 in the PIAA playoffs, with a 0.50 ERA, tied for fifth in the state. He barely allowed a base runner per inning with a WHIP of 1.04 and opponents reached base against him just 27.7% of the time while hitting .202. He struck out 52 and walked 17 in 56 innings of work.
During the playoffs – one D9 game and four PIAA games – he pitched 23 innings without giving up a run while allowing only 17 hits and three walks. He closed the season with 26 ⅓ consecutive scoreless innings and gave up just nine runs, four earned, all season.
Photo by Paul Burdick
2023 YDL SPORTS NETWORK DISTRICT 9 BASEBALL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Nevin Day, Fr., Punxsutawney
Day hit .457 (32 of 70) with a 1.167 OPS. He drove in a team-high 26 runs while scoring 24.
Day also was a top-flight pitcher for the Chucks going 6-0 with a team-leading 1.19 ERA. In 47 innings pitched, he struck out 42 and walked eight.
Photo by Andy Close
2023 YDL SPORTS NETWORK DISTRICT 9 BASEBALL MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Rob Jewett, Clarion
Jewett guided Clarion to a 21-4 overall record and the school’s first District 9 and PIAA title. The appearance in the PIAA title game was the second for the Bobcats under Jewett, who also piloted Clarion to the 2017 title game.
Clarion finished the season on a nine-game win streak.
Photo by Chris Rossetti
2023 YDL SPORTS NETWORK ALL-DISTRICT 9 BASEBALL TEAMS
2023 YDL Sports Network All-District 9 First Team Baseball
C – Tate Minich, Sr., Redbank Valley: .435 avg, 6 2B, 6 3B, 5 HR, 23 RBIs, 31 R, 11 SB
1B – Carter Savage, Sr. Punxsutawney: .411 avg, 1.065 OPS, 7 2B, 1 HR, 18 RBIs, 17 R
2B – Noah Harrison, So., Clarion: .458 avg, 1.082 OPS, 3 2B, 1 3B, 30 RBIs, 18 R
SS – Dawson Smail, Jr., Clarion: .538 avg, 1.500 OPS, 15 2B (Tied for state lead), 1 3B, 4 HR, 29 RBIs, 44 R (Led D9, 3rd in state)
3B – Nevin Day, Fr., Punxsutawney: .457 avg, 1.167 OPS, 26 RBIs, 24 R; Also 6-0 on the mound with a 1.19 ERA; 47 IP, 42 K, 8 BB
OF – Morgen Billotte, Sr., Clearfield: .453 avg, 1.210 OPS, 11 2B, 1 3B, 19 RBIs, 19 R, 10 SB
OF – Aiden Snowberger, So., DuBois Central Catholic:.429 avg, 1.069 OPS, 12 2B, 2 3B, 23 RBIs, 27 R; Was also 8-2 on the mound with a 2.41 ERA; 49 ⅓ IP, 57 K, 8 BB
OF – Zach Dinger, Sr., Punxsutawney: .362 avg, 1.117 OPS, 4 2B, 3 3B, 2 HR, 7 SB, 11 RBIs, 24 R
DH – Carter Hickman, Sr., DuBois Central Catholic: .464 avg, 1.222 OPS, 5 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 23 RBIs, 20 R; Also was 4-1 on the mound with a 3.09 ERA; 34 IP, 28 K, 19 BB
UTL – Brayden Fox, So, DuBois Central Catholic:.432 avg, 1.172 OPS, 8 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 30 RBIs, 25 R, 12 SB; Also was 5-3 on the mound with a 2.00 ERA; 28 IP, 27 K, 15 BB
UTL – Mallick Metcalfe, Sr, Karns City: .403 avg, 1.162 OPS, 8 2B, 3 3B, 2 HR, 19 RBIs, 16 R; Also was 6-3 on the mound with a 2.55 ERA; 55 IP, 58 K, 21 BB
SP – Devon Lauer, Jr., Clarion: 9-1 (9 wins led D9), 0.50 ERA (Led D9; tied for 5th in the state); 56 IP, 52 K, 17 BB; Also hit .270 with two doubles, one triple, one home run, 19 RBIs, and 20 runs scored
SP – Aiden Zimmerman, Sr., Johnsonburg: 8-1, 1.38 ERA, 50 ⅔ IP, 63 K, 13 BB; Also hit .529 with a 1.283 OPS; 5 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 14 RBIs, 29 R, 25 SB
SP –Jake Sikora, Sr., Punxsutawney: 7-2, 2.41 ERA; 52 ⅓ IP, 63 K, 18 BB; Also hit .353 with a 1.129 OPS; 6 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 21 RBIs, and 15 runs scored
RP -Derek Smail, So., Clarion: 2-1, 2 saves, 3.14 ERA; Had two saves in the PIAA playoffs, one in the semifinals and one in the championship game; 29 IP, 38 K, 23 BB; Also hit .379 with four doubles, four home runs, 24 RBIs, and 20 runs scored with an OPS of 1.154
2023 YDL Sports Network All-District 9 Second Team Baseball
C – Keagan Book, Jr., Moniteau: .444 avg, 1.169 OPS, 4 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 20 RBIs, 15 R
1B – Noah Farrell, Fr., DuBois: .436 avg, 1.108 OPS, 6 2B, 1 HR, 14 RBIs, 13 R
2B – Kaden Dennis, Sr., Johnsonburg: .362 avg, .894 OPS, 5 2B, 1 HR, 23 RBIs, 15 R, 18 SB
SS – Bretton McDowell, Jr., Smethport: .511 avg, 1.405 OPS, 6 2B, 2 HR, 25 RBIs, 13 R
3B – Blake Pisarcik, So., DuBois Central Catholic: .358 avg, .967 OPS, 8 2B, 2 HR, 31 RBIs (Led D9), 15 R
OF – Bryce Brinkley, Jr., Clarion: .404 avg, .908 OPS, 1 3B, 10 RBIs, 19 R, 17 SB
OF – Jordan Hesdon, Sr., Clarion-Limestone: .542 avg, 1,343 OPS, 7 2B, 2 3B, 15 RBIs, 21 R, 16 SB
OF – Luke Zimmerman, Jr., Johnsonburg: .378 avg, .959 OPS, 5 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 13 RBIs, 25 R, 17 SB; Also was 3-3 on the mound with a 2,36 ERA; 53 ⅓ IP, 58 L, 28 BB
DH – Cal Minich, Sr., Otto-Eldred: .448 avg, 1.121 OPS, 10 2B, 25 RBIs, 6 R
UTL – Breckin Minich, So., Redbank Valley: ,421 avg, 27 RBIs, 32 R
UTL – Max Splain, Sr., Otto-Eldred: .458 avg, 1.181 OPS, 7 2B, 1 3B, 10 RBIs, 22 R; 3.50 ERA, 52 IP, 78 K, 17 BB
UTL – Lucas Bauer, Jr., St. Marys: 3-2, 2.72 ERA, 38 ⅔ IP, 50 K, 25 BB; Also hit .298 with 0.892 OPS, 3 2B, 1 3B, 11 RBIs, 25 R
SP – Austin Shoup, Str., Cranberry: 4-4, 2.08 ERA, 40 ⅓ IP, 76 K, 19 BB
SP – Drew Evens, Sr., Port Allegany: 7-2, 1.26 ERA, 66 ⅔ IP, 110 K, 25 BB; Also hit .492 with a 1.290 OPS, 7 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 18 RBIs, 26 R
SP – Ty Carrier, Jr., Redbank Valley: 6-2, 1.96 ERA, 46 ⅓ IP, 40 K, 21 BB
RP – Tyler Chamberlin, So., DuBois: 4-4, 3 SV, 3.68 ERA, 40 IP, 53 K, 23 BB; Saves in 3 of his 5 relief appearances
