Perry earns back-to-back Player of the Year honors

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While his senior season just came to a close, Alan Perry already is in the discussion of having one of the top careers in Seymour High School baseball history.

Three years of excellence concluded with an outstanding season in 2018.

The four-year starter dominated at the plate and on the mound in his senior season.

Pitching, Perry worked as the Owls’ No. 1. He finished 9-1 overall, tossing 58.33 innings with 79 strikeouts, 16 walks and just 20 earned runs. Perry finished with a career record of 17-1 for the Owls.

On offense, Perry had a .500 average, totaling 41 hits with 21 RBI, 32 runs and 18 stolen bases. He had 16 hits for extra bases, including 14 doubles.

Going into his final season at SHS, Perry pushed himself and his teammates.

“I always hold pretty high expectations for myself,” Perry said. “To perform like I did this year, I think I exceeded like I could do. I really put in a lot of time during the offseason and preseason. For it to all pay off was really awesome.”

Pitchingwise, Perry felt confident leading the Owls after a limited role in his first three seasons.

“I think being eased into different situations on the mound prepared me,” Perry said. “I threw a little bit my sophomore year, and my junior year, I (pitched) a little bit more. This year, I think I was ready. I had my feet wet, and I think it paid off in my senior year. The lights were never too bright. I always felt prepared.”

Perry’s signature win on the mound came in the Jeffersonville Sectional, as he pitched all seven innings in an upset win over Class 4A No. 1 New Albany.

Outside of the awards given by the program, Perry was named All-District, All-Hoosier Hills Conference and Academic All-State at the end of the season.

Perry leaves the program with a handful of SHS career records, including first in hits (112), career runs (90), stolen bases (52) and pitching winning percentage (.944). He also ranks in the top three in a variety of career stats.

“It’s humbling to have those records,” Perry said. “There have been a lot of great players to come through here. Guys like Zack Brown and Jesse Wilson, Chad Moore, all of those kind of guys that I have looked up to since I was 4 or 5. It’s pretty special that my name is mentioned with those guys. It means so much.”

Perry never hit much of a skid in his career at SHS, and varsity coach Jeremy Richey attributes Perry’s drive to his successes.

“It’s work ethic and character,” Richey said. “As good a kid as he is and humble a kid as he is, he’s a warrior. When you talk about starting 18 games at the 4A level, in our conference and against ranked opponents, to leave here 17-1 says so much about the warrior he is. He just refuses to lose. You know any time you have Alan Perry, you have a chance to win. He’s not going to settle on losing because he’s a winner.

“He’s a winner in everything that he does. All of the success he has had is from all of the time he has put in and how he thinks things out. He’s so smart. He has so many more qualities than being a good athlete. He’s a good kid and student and leader.”

At the end of July, Perry will represent Seymour High School one last time at the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association’s All-Star Game in South Bend. Perry was selected to the South team and is the 10th player in program history to get invited to the event.

After that, Perry will move on to play baseball at Cedarville University, an NCAA Division II school in Ohio. He said he will move in Aug. 17 and doesn’t have to report early since the baseball season is in the spring.

“Now, I can see how I compare in an entire region, almost nationally,” Perry said. I’ve always known that I can play against guys from around here. To see how I compare against guys from other states, I think that will be fun and an awesome opportunity to compete.”

During the high school season, when he wasn’t pitching, Perry played in the outfield and at second and first bases. He primarily played shortstop the previous three years.

While Perry was recruited to play shortstop, Richey could see him playing almost any position.

“I expect him to go in and compete his butt off,” Richey said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s starting right away. They recruited him as a shortstop, and he’s going to have a great career as an infielder. I think at some point, they’re going to have to look at him on the mound, too. He knows how to pitch, and he’s a winner. You want guys like that on the mound.”

Richey said the Seymour program is losing a special player.

“I think the program will remember his leadership and what he did on the field. For me, I’m going to remember what he did off the field, the way he represented Seymour High School,” Richey said. “He was very involved with the youth in this community. That’s the stuff I will remember. He just had a heck of a career.”

While he’s on to bigger and better things, Perry said he will never forget where he came from and what the game has given him.

“My dad (Tim Perry) always loved baseball growing up,” Perry said. “From the time I was 4 playing T-ball to now, I’ve always loved the sport. It was the first sport I ever played. I’ve always loved playing catch with my dad. It has a sentimental value and will always be special to me and my family. I think that is why I love it so much.

“I owe Seymour and coach Richey so much for everything that has happened to me. I can’t thank the school and community enough for all of the support. I will be back.”

For all of his accomplishments this season, The Tribune has named Perry the Jackson County Baseball Player of the Year for the second straight year.

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2018 All-County Baseball Player of the Year

Alan Perry, Seymour, senior

Pitching: 9-1 record, 58.33 IP, 79 K, 16 BB, 59 H, 25 R (20 ER), 2.4 ERA.

Hitting: .500 AVG, 82 AB, 41 H, 14 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 18 SB, 21 RBI, 32 R, .598 OBP.

SHS career records: First hits (112), first runs (90), first stolen bases (52), first pitching win percentage (.944), second doubles (27), second HBP (14), third batting average (.400), third assists (154).

Accomplishments: IHSBCA South All-Star Team, All-District, All-Hoosier Hills Conference, Academic All-State, SHS MVP, SHS baseball scholar, SHS Pitcher of the Year, SHS Golden Glove, SHS .500 club, SHS Hitter of the Year, four-year letterman.

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A.J. Boshears, Seymour, senior

Key stats/accomplishments: .409 AVG, 27 H, 2 2B, 4 3B, 1 HR, 9 SB, 15 RBI, 15 R, .458 OBP, All-District, All-HHC honorable mention, SHS quality at-bat champion.

Michael Knecht, Seymour, senior

Key stats/accomplishments: .392 AVG, 31 H, 6 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 20 RBI, 7 SB, 16 R, .430 OBP, All-District, SHS Doug Hill Memorial Leadership Award, Owl Hustle Award, SHS Golden Glove.

Seth Maki, Seymour, senior

Key stats/accomplishments: .329 AVG, 26 H, 7 2B, 1 3B, 25 RBI, 8 SB, 20 R, .402 OBP, SHS Golden Glove.

Jake VonDielingen, Trinity Lutheran, senior

Key stats/accomplishments: Pitching: 41 IP, 65 K, 23 BB, 24 H, 24 R (9 ER), 1.537 ERA, 4 wins; batting: .446 AVG, 37 H, 7 2B, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 33 R, 16 SB, .521 OBP. Trinity Co-MVP.

Reid Kruse, Trinity Lutheran, freshman

Key stats/accomplishments: .390 AVG, 32 H, 6 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 8 SB, 24 R, .457 OBP.

Chandler Reynolds, Trinity Lutheran, senior

Key stats/accomplishments: .442 AVG, 38 H, 4 2B, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 15 R, .495 OBP, Trinity Co-MVP.

Brayden Wilson, Trinity Lutheran, freshman

Key stats/accomplishments: .403 AVG, 31 H, 11 2B, 4 HR, 13 RBI, 28 R, .521 OBP.

Eli Brown, Brownstown Central, sophomore

Key stats/accomplishments: 6 wins, 52 IP, 53 K, 53 H, 16 BB, 27 R (18 ER), 2.423 ERA, BCHS Pitching Award.

Ian Martin, Brownstown Central, senior

Key stats/accomplishments: .346 AVG, 28 H, 10 2B, 4 HR, 25 RBI, 8 R, .481 OBP, .989 FPCT.

Seth Borden, Brownstown Central, junior

Key stats/accomplishments: .443 AVG, 43 H, 8 2B, 19 RBI, 23 R, .522 OBP, 16 SB, All-Mid-Southern Conference.

Isaiah Wineinger, Brownstown Central, sophomore

Key stats/accomplishments: Pitching/defense: 4 wins, 35.1 IP, 28 K, 34 H, 20 R (6 ER), 11 BB, 1.189 ERA, .916 FPCT; hitting: 20 H, 3 2B, 10 RBI, 21 R, 4 SB, .260 AVG, .437 OBP.

Alex VanCoutren, Crothersville, senior

Key stats/accomplishments: .500 AVG, 19 H, 3 2B, 1 3B, 4 RBI, 11 R, .620 OBP, All-Southern Athletic Conference.

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Tiller Cummings, Seymour, senior

Ty McCory, Seymour, senior

Matthew Moore, Seymour, sophomore

Hunter Ahlbrand, Seymour, junior

Jalen Tiemeyer, Brownstown Central, sophomore

Matthew Garland, Brownstown Central, junior

Clayton Barger, Brownstown Central, sophomore

Matthew Bell, Brownstown Central, junior

Jack Marksberry, Trinity Lutheran, freshman

Tyler Goecker, Trinity Lutheran, freshman

Logan Brewer, Crothersville, junior

Trevor Peters, Crothersville, junior

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“As good a kid as he is and humble a kid as he is, he’s a warrior.”

Seymour High School baseball coach Jeremy Richey on Alan Perry

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