What a tremendous season it was for Orange County baseball.

Two teams — West Orange-Stark and Bridge City – advanced all the way to the Class 4A Region III semifinals while another — Orangefield — made it to the regionals quarterfinals as District 22-4A showed its might throughout the season and the postseason.

The WO-S Mustangs (27-4) had an amazing run, sparked by a stout senior class. Coach Shea Landry’s Mustangs put together one of the best seasons in WO-S history, going a perfect 10-0 in arguably one of the toughest districts in the state and advanced through three rounds of the playoffs before being turned back by a potent Robinson squad in the regionals semifinals.

The Bridge City Cardinals (21-14) and long-time coach Chad Landry grew more and more confident throughout the season and was the youngest team in the district.

The Cardinals improved throughout the season, After earning the third-place berth out of 22-4A, the young crew, filled with freshmen, sophomores and juniors dotting most of the lineup, surprised many in the playoffs, including a superb sweep of Silsbee in the regional quarters before bowing out in the fourth round to China Spring.

The Orangefield Bobcats (18-10) certainly made waves under the guidance of first-year coach Tim Erickson, caught fire to start the season and fought hard in the rugged 22-4A to nab the fourth-place playoff berth. The Bobcats went on to stun District 21-3A champion Lufkin Hudson in the bidistrict round and then Hardin-Jefferson in area before bowing out to the Mustangs in the third round.

So now that the season has drawn to a close, it’s time to pick the 2017 All-Orange Leader Baseball Team.

It’s always hard to pick the superlatives cause so many players are deserving.

WO-S’ Jack Dallas picks up Most Valuable Player honors after a superb senior campaign that wrapped up a great four-year run in a Mustang uniform.

Dallas, who will play for Lamar University, was 11-2 on the mound, striking out 119 batters in 81 innings as opposing batters managed just a .154 average against him. He also hit .364 at the plate with a home run, five triples and a team-leading 29 runs batted in.

Mustang third baseman Ryan Ragsdale is the Offensive MVP. Ragsdale hit a lofty .382 with nine doubles and 28 RBI.

For the second straight year, Bridge City catcher Schuyler Thibodaux is the Defensive MVP. Thibodaux handled a young Cardinal pitching staff well and gave them confidence and was amazing with his bat as well, hitting .446 with 13 doubles and 34 RBI.

Our Newcomer of the Year is Bridge City freshman Logan Hamm. Hamm was certainly a surprising sparkplug for Coach Landry and Co. as he hit .327 with 23 RBI and gave the Cardinals young pitching staff a boost as well.

Shea Landry is the Coach of the Year. Landry has led the Mustangs to four straight playoff appearances with a State Tournament appearance in 2015 and the perfect 10-0 mark in 22-4A play this year as he picked up his 100^th career victory along the way this season in his young career thus far.

Thanks go out to Ronnie Hughes and Caleb Adams for their help throughout the season and their input.

Congrats to all and already looking forward to what next season brings.

 

Here is the 2017 All-Orange Leader Baseball Team as selected by the Leader sports staff:

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Jack Dallas, WO-S

OFFENSIVE MVP: Ryan Ragsdale, WO-S

DEFENSIVE MVP: Schuyler Thibodaux, Bridge City

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Logan Hamm, Bridge City

COACH OF THE YEAR: Shea Landry, WO-S

 

FIRST TEAM

Ryon Stubblefield, Orangefield

Caleb Dubois, Bridge City

Chad Dallas, WO-S

KJ Miller, WO-S

Jacob Goodman, Bridge City

Michael Lee, LC-M

Mason Gonzalez, Orangefield

Justyn Romero, Bridge City

Brett Fregia, Orangefield

SECOND TEAM

Kent Michael, Orangefield

BB Tezeno, WO-S

Slade Green, LC-M

Dylan Anthony, Orangefield

Truman Franklin, LC-M

Kevin Gordon, Bridge City

Mack Patterson, Orangefield

Tre Bernard, WO-S

Seth Dronett, LC-M