Pee Dee's Coward selected as SCISA Region 3-AAA Player of the Year
Brian Davis steps down as baseball head coach; Colby Richardson Region 3 Baseball Player of the Year
Mullins –Left-handed junior pitcher Maddie Coward was selected as the Region 3-AAA Player of the Year and was one of eight Pee Dee Academy softball players selected to the All-Region team.
Coward accounted for all 26 of the Golden Eagles’ victories as well as their one defeat in the circle. She worked 141 innings while leading PDA to its fourth straight SCISA state championship, sweeping Clarendon Hall in the best-of-3 AAA title series.
Coward had a 0.79 earned run average while striking out 272 of the 496 batters she faced. She allowed just 47 hits and 18 walks.
Coward also led Pee Dee in hitting with a .557 batting average to go with 10 doubles, three triples, two home runs and 19 runs batted in.
Coward was joined on the All-Region team by catcher Leah Nettles, first baseman Katie Estes, second baseman Anna Cooke, third baseman Azeleigh Arnette, shortstop Addison Hasty, centerfielder Claire Eskridge and rightfielder Savanna Baker.
Hasty batted .472 with eight doubles and five triples and led the team in RBI with 32. She shared the home run lead of six with Arnette, who had a team high 17 doubles to go with a .455 average, three triples and 31 RBI.
Estes batted .329 with seven doubles, a triple, two homers and 15 RBI, Cooke batted .280 with 15 RBI, Eskridge batted /268 with four doubles, a team high six triples, two homers and 18 RBI, Baker batted .267 with four doubles and 13 RBI, and Nettles batted .182 with a double, a triple and 12 RBI.
DAVIS STEPS DOWN AS PEE DEE BASEBALL COACH
Brian Davis, who guided the Pee Dee baseball program to four state championships, stepped down after the just completed season.
“There’s nothing wrong or anything like that,” Davis said. “It was just something I needed to do for my family.”
Davis was the head coach for nine years, winning titles his first two years in 2017 and 2018. The Eagles went back-to-back again in ‘22 and ’23.
Pee Dee was 142-41 during his tenure and won seven region titles.
One of Davis’ assistants, Danny Barker, is the new head coach.
Davis’ final team was led by senior left-handed pitcher Colby Richardson, who will play collegiately for Coastal Carolina. Richardson was selected as the Region Player of the Year.
Joining him on the All-Region team were Miles Trussell, Jamison Rogers and Bennett Causey.
