All-MED baseball team is chosen

ALL-MED BASEBALL ANNOUNCED
By JERRY SCOTT/Staff

The Mountain Empire District has announced its All-District selections for the 2008 baseball season.
Voting was conducted by the MED head coaches at their annual end of season coaches meeting and results announced at the conclusion of the tournament final on May 22.
Regular season champion Grayson County and runner-up Fort Chiswell captured the MED’s top two honors as outfielder Adam Bedsaul of the Blue Devils was named as player of the year and Derrick Jackson of Fort Chiswell was named as the district’s top coach for 2008.
Five additional members of the Grayson County team were named to the All-MED first team, including pitcher Zach Jones, catcher Chris Anders, shortstop Jessup Lambert, outfielder Jesse Blizzard, and utility player Josh Farmer.
Joining the Grayson County sextet are pitcher Blake Musick of Fort Chiswell and three-quarters of the Pioneers infield as first baseman Mark Gallimore, second baseman Hody Viars, and third baseman Andrew White were named. Bland County outfielder Josh Pennington and Galax designated hitter Todd Nichols were also voted to the first team.
Pennington was one of Bland County’s (7-12) most consistent performers during the season. He collected 20 hits in 61 at-bats for an average of .329. He also hit four home runs and drove in 19 runs while stealing three bases. Twelve of his 20 hits went for extra bases.
Named second team All-MED were pitchers Bo Pollard of Grayson County and Matthew Holder of Galax, catcher Corey Lowe and first baseman Jon Martin of Narrows, Bland County second baseman Nathan Cox, Fort Chiswell shortstop Josh McNeil, third baseman Tyler Houk of Galax, outfielders Dakotah Crouse of Bland County, Cody Poole of Fort Chiswell, and Tyler Rutherford of Grayson County. Jacob Underwood of Fort Chiswell was tabbed as designated hitter and Bland County shortstop Jacob Lambert was second team utility player.
Nine additional players were named All-MED honorable mention and the list included Bland County’s Eric Harless and Cody Blessing. The remaining seven were Jacob Woodell, Drew Burnette, and Scott Alouf of Galax, Narrows’ Dale Jones, Fort Chiswell’s Tyler Akers and Michael Dunford, and Grayson County’s Jhas Robinson.