Collins and Kearson receive Top Honors

The last baseball awards were given out a few days ago with one Bulldog coach and one player receiving top honors. Head baseball coach Brooks Collins was selected at the Georgia Dugout Club Class A Division II Coach of the Year and Bryce Kearson was honored as Class A Division II Player of the Year.

After playing baseball for ECI, the home-grown Bulldog, Brooks Collins, became assistant coach in 2009. Collins took over the head coaching duties in 2018 after long time head coach Chad Harper relinquished his head coaching position to become an assistant coach. Both Collins and Harper took their teams to the championship game as head coach. Collins led his pack of Bulldogs to a 31-10 record, ending the season as the number two ranked team in Division II. The 2023 Bulldogs were one win away from capturing their first state championship, losing the third and deciding game to Charlton Co. in the championship series at Georgia Southern.

Byrce Kearson was a 4-year starter for the Bulldogs on the mound and at shortstop. Bryce had a .420 batting average last season with 41 RBI. Kearson was also trouble for opposing teams on the bases with 30 stolen bases in 2023. On the mound for the Bulldogs, Bryce had a 1.54 ERA with 125 strikeouts, throwing 6 shutouts with 2 no hitters including one in the state playoffs. The senior hurler gave up just 20 earned runs pitching 90.2 innings with a 11-2 record with 3 saves. Bryce also fielded his two positions at short and on the mound with a .918 fielding percentage.

Currently, Bryce is playing baseball for South Georgia State University, signing with them last spring. Bryce played pitcher and middle infield for the Hawks during their fall ball season and will be at those positions when the season starts.