COLUMBUS, Ga. | The University of North Georgia baseball team was well represented in the Peach Belt Conference annual awards announced tonight at the PBC Banquet on the eve of the league tournament in Columbus. Head coach
Tom Cantrell was named Coach of the Year while newcomer
Connor Hoover earned Freshman of the Year honors.
In addition to the two headlining honors, Sam Tidaback was selected as the catcher to the PBC All-Conference first team, while Brandon Agar, Jacob Beauchamp and Tremayne Toorie were selected to the second team.
Hoover’s stellar rookie campaign earned North Georgia its first PBC Freshman of the Year since Craig Brisson won the award in 2007. The Appling, Ga., native has made an immediate impact for the Nighthawks leading the team in doubles (13) and ranking second on the squad in runs batted in (41). His 45 walks are the second most in the nation.
The Coach of the Year honor is the first for Cantrell since he was named GJCAA Coach of the Year in 1998 when he guided Georgia Perimeter College to the JUCO World Series. The Nighthawk skipper collected his 750th career victory last weekend against Emmanuel.
Tidaback, who was the only first team All-Conference selection for UNG, has been a much-welcomed addition to the North Georgia team this season. After transferring from Ball State, the Plainfield, Ill., native led the Nighthawks at the plate this season with a .329 clip and a .553 slugging percentage. His nine home runs are third best on the team this year.
North Georgia landed three at-large selections on the second team with centerfielder Tremayne Toorie and starting pitchers Brandon Agar and Jacob Beauchamp. Toorie was the leading run producer for the Hawks in the regular season with 45 RBI. Agar and Beauchamp made up the best one-two punch in the PBC this season helping lead the team to its first ever Peach Belt regular season title. The duo has combined for 10 wins on the year and over 150 strikeouts.
The Nighthawks will begin play in the single-elimination Peach Belt Tournament tomorrow with a quarterfinal game against Georgia College. North Georgia is seeking its second PBC Tournament title since joining the league.