Patrick Henry's Brown happy with baseball season's team

            Estill – The Patrick Henry Academy baseball team was unable to defend its SCISA AA state championship this year. The Patriots lost to Calhoun Academy in the semifinals.

           All of that being said, PHA head coach Wayne Brown was pleased with the season.

           “We finished undefeated in our region (1-AA) for the second year in a row, and we had six players make All-Region for the first time at PHA,” Brown said. “Of course, we all want to win the state championship, but success can be measured based on the success these players had this year and in their careers. Our program is healthy and full of talent that should keep us competitive for years to come.”

           The six players selected to the All-Region team were senior twin brothers Hugh Fairey and Forest Fairey, senior Nathan Corley, junior Andrew Searles, sophomore Rylin Brunson and sophomore Jacob Corley.

           The Faireys were Co-Region Players of the Year as well as the team’s Co-Most Valuable Players. Brown couldn’t find enough superlatives for the brothers.

           “Hugh and Forest Fairey have started on the varsity baseball team since the ninth grade,” Brown said. “Both are stellar 3-sport athletes. Not only are they fantastic in the field but also in the classroom. Both will be attending USC (University of South Carolina) Honors College and both will be missed at PHA. The teams that they have been a part of have never had a losing season and all four years made the playoffs They’re great teammates and great leaders who will no doubt succeed in life.”

           Hugh Fairey had a .444 batting average and led the team in runs scored with 30 and doubles with 10 to go with 13 runs batted in. Forest Fairey batted .441 and led the team with 30 hits and 22 RBI to go along with nine doubles, a triple and the team’s only home run.

           Pitching-wise, Hugh was 6-0 with a 1.12 earned run average with 51 strikeouts in 37 1/3 innings pitched. Forest was 5-2 with a 1.68 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 41 2/3 innings.

           Jacob Corley led in hitting with a .467 average and triples with three to go with 21 runs and 15 RBI. Nathan Corley batted .245 with 18 runs and 16 RBI, Searles batted .269 with 11 RBI and 14 runs, and Brunson batted .262 with 14 runs and 14 RBI.

`          The Faireys were also selected to play in the AA North-South All-Star Game along with Nathan Corley and Searles. Other team award winners were catcher Nathan Corley as Defensive MVP, Jacob Corley as Offensive MVP and both Searles and Bryton Peeples won the Coaches Award.