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WE HAVE IT COVERED IF ITS PLAYED
^Reporter
IB
June 8, 2022
Coach Pitts inducted into S. Ga.
College Sports Hall of Fame
The late Dan Pitts, the
legendary Mary Persons
football coach, was post
humously inducted into
the Sports Hall of Fame
at South Georgia State
College in Douglas on
Thursday, June 2. His
grandson Kip Burdette,
now the head coach at
West Laurens, accepted
the honor for Pitts, who
died April 20,2021 at the
age of 88. Burdette recalled
that his grandfather used
to share stories about how
he didn’t have a car when
he went to South Georgia
College would hitchhike or
get a Greyhound bus back
home to Lincoln County
Burdette said it was notable
that Pitts’ two daughters
and grandchildren all
followed him into teach
ing and coaching. South
Georgia College gave Pitts,
an All-State quarterback
at Lincoln County High, a
scholarship to play football
in 1951-52. He would fin
ish his college education at
UGA. It was the 3rd induc
tion ceremony held at the
college’s Hall of Fame.
At the ceremony, from left,
are Bob Mitchell, Penny
Pitts Mitchell, Deck Evans,
Carolann Pitts Evans, Anni
Horne, Kip Burdette and
Dano Burdette.
Eric Snow
Jake Grant
Thomas Brooks
Brady Christman Gage Hopper
Eight Bulldogs
named All-State
Eight Mary Persons base
ball players were named to
the All-State team for 2022.
The list was created by the
Georgia Dugout Preview.
Senior short stop Eric
Snow was named first team
All-State for Class AAA.
Snow will play for South
Florida next year. Senior
Aric Mock was named to
the second team All-State.
Honorable Mentions were
Thomas Brooks, Brady
Christman, Jake Grant,
Gage Hopper, Ryan Jenkins,
and Ian Lewis. MP coach
Clae Mathis said MP would
probably have had more
players on first and second
team if they had gone fur
ther in the playoffs.
Meanwhile, the team
celebrated its season with a
banquet in May. Eric Snow
was honored for setting
seven school records for
hits (70), doubles (18),
homeruns (17), batting
average (.660), RBIs (48),
runs (63) and on-base
percentage (.705). Freshman
catcher Brady Christman set
two new school records for
runners caught stealing (21)
and runners picked off (9).
The team also set a new
MP record for wins (26),
team batting average (.420),
hits (350), doubles (75) and
home runs (29).
Meanwhile MP had 10
players make All-Region,
including Snow who was
named the Region 2-AAA
Player of the Year. Joining
Snow on the first team All-
Region were catcher Brady
Christman, utility player
Tristan Hunt, third base-
man Gage Hopper, second
baseman Aric Mock and
outfielder Ryan Jenkins. Sec
ond team All-Region were
pitchers Ian Lewis and Jake
Grant and designated hitter
Thomas Brooks. Honorable
mention was outfielder Jake
Gore.
Also at the banquet Mathis
honored varsity Scholar
Athletes Eric Snow (98.27),
Ryan Causey (98.00), Ian
Lewis (97.83), Jake Gore
(97.50), Jake Causey (97.00),
Aric Mock (95.88), Brady
Christman (95.53), Zack
Grizzard (93.68), Jake
Grant (92.35) and Tristan
Hunt (91). The JV Scholar
Athletes were Shivan Patel
(101), Drew Mixon (97.43),
Ayden Ussery (96.20), Nick
Howard (96.17), Camden
Pippin (94.70), Cole Carr
(93.33), Cohen Day (92.53),
Nick Arnold (90.37) and
Hagan Balfour (90).
JUNE 9-10-11 * \
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9:00-12:00 ,
$100 /
EMAIL COACH MATHIS TO REGISTER
MARYPERSONSBASEBALL@CMAIL.COM