Jacob Tate (left) celebrates during the 2018 Division II-A championship. He was named 2019 Mr. Baseball in Division II-A. (photo: Danny Parker).
BY JESSE SMITHEY
MURFREESBORO — Hours before the first baseball game of the 2019 TSSAA Spring Fling commenced, the Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association announced their Mr. Baseball Award winners for this season.
And two area players fit the bill.
Christian Academy of Knoxville senior Jacob Tate, a senior and Kentucky commitment, won the award for Division II-A baseball.
Noah Gent, the 2018 Division II-A Mr. Baseball while playing for Grace Christian, won the 2019 award for Class AA. He transferred during the offseason to Pigeon Forge.
Gent is a Walters State commitment who is hitting .570 this season with 25 doubles, eight home runs, 50 runs and 51 RBIs heading into this week’s Class AA state tournament. He’s only struck out three times.
Tate, who was the 2018 5Star Preps Player of the Year last season, helped the Warriors return to Murfreesboro this week for a shot at a third consecutive state championship. His value? Here’s a snapshot: The 6-foot-7 Tate pitched a seven-inning shutout in the state sectional series while also going 2-for-4 at the plate in the same game with a double and RBI.
He’s hitting .358 this season with seven home runs, 43 RBIs to go with his 11-0 pitching record. Tate has struck out 101 players against 17 walks.
Parker Noland (Farragut) was a finalist in Class AAA this season after winning it last season. Will Shelton of Alcoa was a finalist in Class AA.
Noah Gent and the Pigeon Forge Tigers beat the Gibbs Eagles 4-1 in a TSSAA District 3-AA baseball game on Steve Hunley Field in Corryton, Tennessee, on Monday, April 15, 2019. (Photo by Danny Parker)