College Baseball

Matt Honchel of Harrodsburg has been named to the 2012 Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America team selected by Collegiate Baseball newspaper. Honchel, a Mercer County graduate, was the Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year and a first-team all-MAC selection after hitting a league-high .395 with 92 hits in 233 at-bats. He currently ranks 14th overall and first among freshman in the NCAA's national statistics rankings. He played outfield and designated hitter in his first year at Miami, where his hit total was the fourth-most in a single season at Miami, just four shy of the school record, and he struck out only one every 17.9 at-bats.

Brandon Weir graduated from Lincoln County High School last Friday, but he’s not given up being a Patriot. The LCHS senior confirmed that fact when he signed his letter of commitment to play for the University of the Cumberlands baseball team – also called the Patriots. Weir, the son of Steve and Kim Weir of Stanford, had been courted by several other schools, including Pikeville, Alice Lloyd and Union, and had considered Eastern Kentucky University, but it was the Cumberlands that Weir was sold on. “It’s a mixture of all the components,” said Weir.

Duran Elmore of Danville was named to the Ohio Valley Conference All-Freshman Team following his first season at Morehead State. Elmore, a 2010 Danville graduate who was redshirted last year, tied for third in the OVC in stolen bases with 16 steals in 18 attempts this season. He hit .234 with 33 hits in 141 at-bats, and he had six doubles, three home runs and 14 RBIs for the Eagles, who were 28-27 overall and tied for fifth place in the league at 15-9. He walked 27 times, one off the team lead.

LEBANON, Tenn. ? Danville native Steve Green will be one of six members inducted into Cumberland University's athletic hall of fame Friday at the school's 23rd annual ceremony. Green is perhaps the most decorated athlete in school history, and is the only three-time All-American in baseball history. He earned first team All-America honors as a senior in 1997, and garnered second team accolades after his sophomore and junior seasons. Green batted .451 with 22 home runs and 89 RBIs as a senior, ranking second on the single-season charts for batting average and runs batted in. He was a member of three NAIA World Series teams that placed second in 1995, third in 1996 and fifth in 1997, and the Bulldogs compiled a three-year record of 143-53 during his tenure.

Matt Grimes played several positions for the Danville baseball team, but he'll concentrate on pitching at Union College next season. "I feel like it's the best fit for me. It's a real good program, and I feel I can get better down there," Grimes said. "I'd been talking to Union and I visited there and they gave me my best offer. " He picked Union over Campbellsville and Alice Lloyd. Grimes went 6-2 last season with a 2.41 ERA. He struck out 85 batters in 61 innings with 41 walks.

Thursday, March 22 College Softball Campbellsville at Centre, 2, 4 p.m. Friday, March 23 College Baseball Centre at Oglethorpe, 7 p.m.

Duran Elmore of Danville was named to the Ohio Valley Conference All-Freshman Team following his first season at Morehead State. Elmore, a 2010 Danville graduate who was redshirted last year, tied for third in the OVC in stolen bases with 16 steals in 18 attempts this season. He hit .234 with 33 hits in 141 at-bats, and he had six doubles, three home runs and 14 RBIs for the Eagles, who were 28-27 overall and tied for fifth place in the league at 15-9. He walked 27 times, one off the team lead.

Matt Honchel of Harrodsburg has been named to the 2012 Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America team selected by Collegiate Baseball newspaper. Honchel, a Mercer County graduate, was the Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year and a first-team all-MAC selection after hitting a league-high .395 with 92 hits in 233 at-bats. He currently ranks 14th overall and first among freshman in the NCAA's national statistics rankings. He played outfield and designated hitter in his first year at Miami, where his hit total was the fourth-most in a single season at Miami, just four shy of the school record, and he struck out only one every 17.9 at-bats.

This time last year, signing to pitch for a Division I school would have been only a dream for Rob Caudill. Caudill's rapid rise as a pitcher during the past year has changed his plans and changed his life, however, and today the Danville senior signed a letter-of-intent to play for Davidson College. He expected to have a chance to play college baseball, but he didn't imagine being able to pitch at the Division I level until he followed a good spring season with an even better summer last year.

Matt Ginter has been hired as baseball coach at George Rogers Clark High School. Clark principal David Bolen confirmed the hiring Tuesday in an e-mail to staff members at the school. Ginter welcomed the opportunity to lead the baseball program at Clark. "I'm excited to work with some of these kids and see what we can get done," he said. Ginter, a former standout at Clark, enjoyed a successful career in the major leagues. He was drafted as the 22 nd pick overall by the Chicago White Sox in 1999.

Last summer, there was a lot of buzz about former West Jessamine basketball player Jarrod Polson walking on and earning a scholarship to play basketball at the University of Kentucky. This fall, West Jessamine graduates Jakson Deyer and Austin Dunn will join the University of Louisville's baseball team. Deyer will be a walk on and Dunn will join the staff as a bullpen catcher and perhaps work his way on the roster. “It's an outstanding opportunity for both of them,” West Jessamine coach Jody Hamilton said.

LEXINGTON — Jon Hood does not have a desire to go out for the Kentucky track team after his playing days are over, but he would like to know how much he can still high jump now. The Kentucky sophomore won a state title his senior year at Madisonville-North Hopkins and nearly jumped 7 feet. “I just want to see how high I can get. My senior year, I could not go between my legs and dunk the ball, and now I can relatively easy,” the 6-7 Kentucky sophomore said.

Brandon Weir graduated from Lincoln County High School last Friday, but he’s not given up being a Patriot. The LCHS senior confirmed that fact when he signed his letter of commitment to play for the University of the Cumberlands baseball team – also called the Patriots. Weir, the son of Steve and Kim Weir of Stanford, had been courted by several other schools, including Pikeville, Alice Lloyd and Union, and had considered Eastern Kentucky University, but it was the Cumberlands that Weir was sold on. “It’s a mixture of all the components,” said Weir.

LEBANON, Tenn. ? Danville native Steve Green will be one of six members inducted into Cumberland University's athletic hall of fame Friday at the school's 23rd annual ceremony. Green is perhaps the most decorated athlete in school history, and is the only three-time All-American in baseball history. He earned first team All-America honors as a senior in 1997, and garnered second team accolades after his sophomore and junior seasons. Green batted .451 with 22 home runs and 89 RBIs as a senior, ranking second on the single-season charts for batting average and runs batted in. He was a member of three NAIA World Series teams that placed second in 1995, third in 1996 and fifth in 1997, and the Bulldogs compiled a three-year record of 143-53 during his tenure.

BURGIN - With one kid playing college baseball and another coming into high school and competing in track and field, John Powell wasn't sure he could give everything he had to the Burgin baseball team next season. So he resigned as head coach Wednesday after five season in the Bulldogs' dugout. Powell's oldest son, Ian, will play baseball at Centre College next season. His youngest son, Jared, will be a freshman at Burgin and will compete in track and field in the spring. Powell said he wanted to see both of his kids be able to play sports next year, and didn't think he could do that and coach.

LANCASTER - Tyler Murphy says he's feeling as good as ever, and is glad to be back on the field. Which is exactly where the Garrard County pitcher-shortstop wanted to spend his senior season after being diagnosed last year with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, a heart abnormality that can result in a rapid heartbeat. Murphy said he never worried about not being able to play this season, nor does he have any concerns about the condition coming back with the rigors of a baseball season.