Andalusia High School’s Ethan Wilson helped guide the Bulldogs to the state baseball championship and was recently named the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s Class 4A Player and Hitter of the Year and first-team All-State outfielder. Wilson was also named the ASWA Super 10 Team.

“It feels really good,” Wilson said of the honors. “First off, I want to thank God for blessing me with the ability to play, for a family that loves me, a coach that would do anything for me and the best team that anyone could ask for. There are a lot of good players in 4A and I couldn’t do it without my family, coach and team.”

Wilson was named 4A Player and Hitter of the Year after hitting .505 with 47 hits, 40 RBIs, 56 runs, 10 home runs, eight doubles and nine triples.

“I was shocked,” Wilson said of when he found out about the awards. “I knew I had a good year, but Player of the Year is a big deal. I was actually asleep and my mom came running into the room showing me that I won. I was still kind of asleep and it really didn’t sink in at that point. After I got up and was getting ready for church, it hit me that I was 4A Player of the Year. It’s such a great honor.”

This summer, Wilson said he plans to continue to work out and prepare himself for his freshman season at the University of South Alabama.

“This summer, I’m going to play with the Wiregrass Cardinals 19U team just to get some games in,” Wilson said. “I will hit and throw a lot to build up my strength. I just want to get ready for the fall and do the things that will put me in a position to make an impact my first year at South Alabama.”

ASWA voting rules prohibit a player for from being named Hitter and Pitcher of the Year in the same year, but Wilson’s numbers on the mound were equally as impressive. The senior lefty finished the year 12-0 on the mound with an E.R.A of 1.01.  He threw one perfect game, three shutouts and picked up one save. In 69 innings of work, Wilson struck out 118 batters and walked just 14.

Andalusia’s Jacob Cravey and Hogan Nichols also joined Wilson on the Class 4A All-State team.

Cravey was one of four players named to the first-team All-State pitcher list.

Cravey finished the year with a 10-1 record and 1.62 E.R.A. The sophomore hurler threw six complete games, three shutouts and one no hitter.

He struck out 67 batters and walked 26 in 69 innings of work.

Junior catcher Nichols was named the first-team catcher for the Class 4A All-State team.

Nichols finished the year with a .449 batting average, with 48 hits, 46 RBIs, 30 runs scored, 10 doubles and four home runs.

Nichols only struck out nine times in 133 plate appearances.

Andalusia head coach Tyler Dent was named the Class 4A Coach of the Year after leading the Bulldogs to their first ever baseball state championship.