Six Bobcats earn All-Peach Belt accolades 

AUGUSTA, Ga. | Six Georgia College & State University baseball players were honored by the Peach Belt Conference on the eve of the 2024 PBC Baseball Tournament.

Braeden Smith, Matthew Mebane, Gabriel Wuerth, Brandon Bellflower and John Luke Glanton were named to the All-PBC first team, while Lex Kenny was a second team honoree. It was Bellflower's fourth All-PBC honor of his career, joining Columbus State University's Brad Bouras (1998-2001) as the league's only four-time, all-conference honoree for baseball. It is the first All-Peach Belt selection for the other Bobcats.

Smith was also named the league's Freshman of the Year presented by College Ave. Student Loans. Smith becomes the third Bobcat to earn the top freshman honor in the history of PBC baseball. He is also the fourth GCSU athlete to be named Freshman of the Year in their sport during the 2023-24 season, joining Daniel Laird (men's cross country), Ashley Bentz (women's tennis) and Karlie Gutierrez (softball).

Smith, a freshman first baseman from Statham, Georgia, started all 49 games for the Bobcats. He has batted .356 (64-of-180) with 17 doubles, three triples, four home runs and drove in 43 runs. Smith scored 45 runs, slugged .550 and had an .478 on-base percentage with three stolen bases. He is currently ranked 28th in NCAA Division II statistics in walks (28) and 46th in doubles. Smith is currently third in the league in doubles and triples, fourth in doubles per game (0.35), fifth in on-base percentage, sixth in walks and seventh in walks per game (0.82). Smith was selected the league's Freshman of the Week once on March 4.

Bellflower, a senior right fielder from Milledgeville, Georgia, started all 49 games. Bellflower has batted .362 (71-of-196) with 21 doubles, nine homers and drove in 41 runs, which scoring 50 runs. He slugged .607 and had a .469 on-base percentage with five stolen bases. Bellflower is sixth in Division II in doubles, 20th in doubles per game (0.43), and 38th in hits. Bellflower leads the PBC in doubles and doubles per game, seventh in hits and total bases (119) and 10th in hits per game (1.45).

Wuerth, a sophomore from Woodstock, Georgia, split the 49 games he started between second base and shortstop this season. Wuerth currently leads the Bobcats in batting average (.398, 82-of-206). He also had 14 doubles, three home runs and drove in 35 runs. Wuerth slugged .510  and had a .454 on-base percentage to go along with his 10 stolen bases and 51 runs scored. Wuerth is ranked fourth in NCAA Division II statistics in hits and 12th in hits per game (1.67). He is listed as No. 1 in the Peach Belt in hits and hits per game, second in batting average, seventh in doubles, sacrifices (5) and toughest to strikeout (10.3) and ninth in runs scored.

Mebane, a junior from Dublin, Georgia, started all 49 games at third base for GCSU. He has batted .320 (66-of-206) and led the Bobcats with 15 home runs. Mebane also collected 14 doubles and drove in a team-leading 54 RBI, while slugging .607 and an on-base percentage of .397. Mebane also scored 49 runs and stole three bases. He ranked 28th in NCAA Division II in home runs, 38th in total bases (125) and 50th in home runs per game (0.31). Mebane is third in the PBC in total bases, fourth in home runs and home runs per game, fifth in RBI and RBI per game (1.12) and seventh in doubles. Mebane was honored as the league's Player of the Week on March 25.

Glanton, a sophomore right-handed pitcher from Metter, Georgia, started all 13 of his appearances on the mound. Glanton is currently 8-4 on the season with a 2.50 earned-run average with four complete games and two shared shutouts. In 90 innings pitched, Glanton has allowed 81 hits and 25 earned runs, while striking out 49 and walking just 15. Opponents are just hitting .239 against Glanton in 2024. He is eighth in NCAA Division II statistics in games started, 12th in complete games, 23rd in wins, 24th in ERA, 25th in walks allowed per nine innings (1.50) and 32nd in walks plus hits per inning (1.07). Glanton tops the league in complete games, ERA, and wins, second in games started, WHIP and walks allowed per nine innings, sixth in hits allowed per nine innings (8.10) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.27). Glanton was named the PBC Pitcher of the Week April 29.

Kenny, a sophomore right-handed pitcher from Canton, Georgia, started two of the 17 games he appeared in for GCSU. Kenny is currently 4-2 with a team-high four saves and a shared shutout. In 46.2 innings pitched, he has allowed 48 hits and 19 earned runs, while striking out 42 and walking just 18. Opponents are hitting just .264 against Kenny this season. Kenny is second in the Peach Belt in saves. Kenny was twice named the league's Pitcher of the Week (Feb. 5, March 18) this season.