Glenwood baseball players set for AISA All-Star Games

Nearly one month after winning the state championship at Paterson Field in Montgomery, several Glenwood baseball players will be back for more baseball.

Eight Gators will be participating in the 2017 AISA Junior and Senior All-Star Games on Monday, June 5. Nick Adams, Slade James, Jalen Williams and Blake Rawls will play on the National team in the Junior Game, while Daniel Holley, Carson Allison, Chase Dennis and Jarrett Carter will suit up for the National squad in the Senior Game.

The Junior Game will be played at 5:00 p.m. EST, with the Senior Game following at 8:00.

“We are really excited to have such a great representation in our state association All-Star game,” Glenwood head coach Tim Fanning said. “It gives our seniors another opportunity to put on the Glenwood uniform and represent our program while allowing these juniors to showcase their talent at a great venue.”

The Gators’ seniors were part of a productive class at Glenwood, especially in their final season.

Holley led the way on the mound, throwing a team-high 72 innings while posting a 12-1 record, a 0.68 ERA and 117 strikeouts. Carter posted a 6-1 pitching record while also hitting .422 with 7 home runs on the year. Allison posted team highs with a .443 batting average, 24 stolen bases and 26 RBIs, while Dennis hit .339 and had 35 RBIs.

As for the juniors, Adams ended up second on the entire team in RBIs (35) and batting average (.414). James also came through in pitching and batting, going 8-3 on the year and compiling a .323 batting average. Williams hit .378 in 34 games, and Rawls delivered 13 RBIs in 27 games.

The Gators found themselves against the wall throughout their latest postseason run, losing the first game of all three playoff series. However, the team answered with consecutive victories in all three series, including a 10-0 victory in Game 3 of the state title series.

For the four seniors in the game, the exhibition will offer a chance to return to the site of several of their biggest victories, including their last one as Gators.

“It’s great, especially for the seniors, to give them one last time to kind of walk through the gate and remember what it was like,” Glenwood assistant coach Josh McConnell said. “There’s not a whole lot of teams in the country that make it to the playoffs and are able to win their last game. To be able to go back out there and relive that moment is a special time.”

McConnell said the players’ selections to the All-Star game speaks to not only each individual’s ability and play in the 2017 season, but also Glenwood baseball as a whole.

“It means a lot to the program from the standpoint of these kids worked extremely hard,” McConnell said. “For them to be recognized for their hard work and dedication is a testament to not only them, but also to the program. It provides recognition to the program for the hard work for all the people before us built and we’ve been able to sustain.”

This story was originally published June 3, 2017 at 1:33 PM with the headline "Glenwood baseball players set for AISA All-Star Games."