MaxPreps- We are currently about 5 weeks into the Smoky Mountain Conference baseball season as we inch near the end of March. Let’s take a look at our stat leaders and conference standings through March 27th.

SMC League Standings

As you can see, Smoky Mountain Conference teams have played anywhere from just 2 games to 8 games in the 2023 season. The Murphy Bulldogs stans atop the standings at this point, as they are 3-0 in conference play and 4-4 overall on the year. Hayesville just got their baseball season underway as they take things slow under first-year head coach Joe Sellers, but they are looking very good through three games this season. Their one loss on the year was on the road vs Tuscola, and since then they’ve picked up two blowout wins over Andrews. Swain County is also on the up-and-up, as they seem to have found their footing after a rocky start and have rattled off 3 straight wins vs Conference opponents. Hiwassee Dam, Andrews, and Cherokee have all notched one conference win this season, while Robbinsville is still struggling to put things together.

SMC League Leaders

Gabe Lillard, Evan Hedrick, Carter Hayes, John Ledford, and Robert Turner are your Smoky Mountain Conference stat leaders in their respective categories through March 27th.

Lillard has been fooling batters all year on the mound, as he is the league leader in strikeouts and second in Earned Run Average, right behind Tanner Hedrick.

Hedrick has been very efficient for Hiwassee Dam on the mound, as he has only allowed 2 runs on 9 hits in 10 innings pitched so far this season for the Eagles.

Gabe Lillard’s teammate and fellow Maroon Devil Carter Hayes leads the league in batting average (min. 20 Plate App.), hitting .450 on the year.

Bulldogs John Ledford and Robert Turner round out the list of stat leaders as Ledford has driven in 9 RBI’s through 8 games this season, and freshman Robert Turner has been sneaky on the basepaths as he’s credited with 8 Stolen Bases on the year.

TeamFYNSports will update the stat leaders bi-weekly to ensure that we shine a light on these student-athletes and their accomplishments.