Video: This is a bat THROW
See a North Carolina player celebrate a big hit with a big bat flingGreat coaches have been known to mold pretty good baseball teams into champions. And sometimes a little luck goes a long way toward producing a state championship.
But nothing beats talent, and as the Nebraska state baseball tournament heads into its final four days, MaxPreps takes a look at which Nebraska prep baseball players made the year's strongest run toward the triple crown (leading the state in batting average, home runs and RBIs).
After running through the numbers on MaxPreps' statistics database one week ago, eight different programs placed baseball players at or near the top of the list. Two schools, however, stand out after landing two players each.
Millard West, the No. 2 team in MaxPreps' latest Class A ratings, placed shortstop/third baseman Cole Stobbe at No. 4, while fellow Wildcat infielder Spencer Lear slips in at No. 5. In Class B, No. 4 Blair's Jackson Petersen jumps into the lineup at No. 6 and Bear junior Mills Macek rounds out this week's Top 10 at 10th.
Kamen Mahoney of Concordia/Brownell/Omaha Christian Academy did not achieve the triple crown, according to the numbers posted by the end of last week, but he did come real close and takes over the top spot. Mahoney finished in the top five in all three categories. The third baseman/shortstop posted the state's top batting average through last week at .556 and sat third in home runs and fifth in RBIs.
Elkhorn's Drew Smith and Trevor Marreel of Lincoln North Star both made the top five at Nos. 2 and 3. Smith finished fifth in both batting average and home runs, while Marreel was ranked third in home runs and third in RBIs.
Nebraska's Top 10 triple crown baseball players
1. Kamen Mahoney, Concordia/Brownell/Omaha Christian Academy (Omaha), Junior 3B/SS.556 Batting Average, 5 Home Runs, 29 RBIs
2. Drew Smith, Elkhorn, Senior.495 Batting Average, 4 Home Runs, 28 RBIs
3. Trevor Marreel, North Star (Lincoln), Senior 1B.432 Batting Average, 5 Home Runs, 35 RBIs
4. Cole Stobbe, Millard West (Omaha), Senior SS/3B.416 Batting Average, 12 Home Runs, 36 RBIs
5. Spencer Lear, Millard West, Senior 1B.450 Batting Average, 2 Home Runs, 31 RBIs
6. Jackson Petersen, Blair, Senior.534 Batting Average, 2 Home Runs, 23 RBIs
7. Wyatt Divis, Lincoln Northeast, Sophomore .512 Batting Average, 3 Home Runs, 21 RBIs
8. Mojo Hagge, Skutt Catholic (Omaha), Senior CF.467 Batting Average, 2 Home Runs, 22 RBIs
9. Christian Dumont, Bellevue West, Senior 2B/OF.463 Batting Average, 2 Home Runs, 21 RBIs
10. Mills Macek, Blair, Junior.408 Batting Average, 2 Home Runs, 26 RBIs
