Setting records at the plate

When Devin Mann leaves for Louisville in a couple weeks, he will take with him nearly every offensive career record in the Columbus North baseball record book.

Mann set career marks for batting average, hits, home runs, RBIs, doubles, stolen bases and runs scored. He also tied the career record for triples and ranks second all-time in walks.

But for Mann, the team came first, and that’s why it took him a while to get over the Bull Dogs’ first-round sectional upset loss to Columbus East.

“I wish we would have ended (the season) better,” said Mann, The Republic Baseball Player of the Year for the second consecutive year. “It’s definitely disappointing because it’s your last year.

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“But you’re not always going to get everything you wish for in life. I thought we had a lot more left in our season than what we ended with.

“It probably took me a couple of weeks to stop thinking about it,” he said. “It was a bad loss for us, but we got beat by a good team. I’m pretty much over it now. I’m ready for the next chapter in my life.”

As a senior this spring, the shortstop led North with a .419 average, 10 home runs and 35 RBIs. He also had five doubles, two triples and 26 runs and earned District Player of the Year honors.

“I think I kind of started off a little slow but got in gear as the season went along and ended it kind of strong,” Mann said. “I’m pretty pleased with the way I played.”

Mann also holds the Bull Dogs’ single-season record with his .532 average as a sophomore.

“I definitely think my sophomore year was my best year,” Mann said. “Last year, they decided to pitch around me, and this year, I walked a lot, too.”

North coach Ben McDaniel said what most people don’t see is that Mann was one of his hardest working players on and off the field.

“Devin Mann will be a player that is hard to replace for the Bull Dog baseball program,” McDaniel said. “The level of his offensive production has not been seen before in this program over a career. He worked extremely hard on his defense to become an anchor up the middle. More importantly, though, it will be hard to replace the example of hard work that he put in.

“Devin is naturally gifted, but he has worked his rear off to improve on his talents and to take his game to the next level,” he said. “Devin takes more cuts than any player I have seen. He is constantly in a cage or on a field somewhere on his own. The results and accolades that he is receiving postseason are not by accident; they are a result of his practice and dedication to becoming a better player and an even better teammate.”

Since the end of the season, Mann has been doing hitting and fielding workouts with his dad, Bill, and strength and conditioning workouts with Nathan Frasier at MVP. He starts classes at Louisville on July 8.

Mann, who will major in business, has been playing third base for the Indiana Bulls travel team the past couple years and figures to play third for the Cardinals.

“I want to get to the College World Series a couple times, and the big goal down there is to bring Louisville a national championship,” Mann said.

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The Republic All-Area Baseball team

Devin Mann, Columbus North: The senior led the Bull Dogs with a .419 average, 10 home runs and 35 RBIs and had five doubles, two triples and 26 runs.

Collin Lollar, Columbus North: The junior went 4-0 with a save and a 1.06 ERA, batted .395 with three home runs and 27 RBIs and led the Bull Dogs with 12 doubles.

Cody Burton, Columbus North: The senior went 5-1 with a save and a 2.35 ERA and batted .386 with 11 doubles, a home run and 20 RBIs and 28 runs.

Canaan Baum, Columbus North: The junior batted .299 with two home runs and 22 RBIs and led the Bull Dogs with four triples and 32 runs.

Evan Finke, Columbus North: The senior batted .291 with five home runs, 22 RBIs and 22 runs.

Cam Curry, Columbus East: The senior led the Olympians with a .353 average, two triples, two home runs and 22 runs; had 15 RBIs and went 4-4 with four saves and a 2.93 ERA.

Will Anderson, Columbus East: The senior went 5-4 with a 2.40 ERA, batted .317 with a home run and led the Olymians with 21 RBIs.

Nick Andrie, Columbus East: The junior batted .386 with eight RBIs and 18 runs.

Sam Claycamp, Columbus East: The senior batted .324 with 17 RBIs and led the Olympians with 22 runs.

Brooks Bailey, Hauser: The senior led the Jets with a .411 average, 11 doubles, three triples and 36 runs and had 21 RBIs.

Rory Thayer, Hauser: The senior went 8-2 with a 1.35 ERA, led the Jets with a home run and batted .292 with 12 RBIs and 28 runs.

Caleb Eder, Jennings County: The senior batted .375, led the Panthers with four home runs and 20 RBIs and went 4-3 with a 2.62 ERA.

Sam Miller, Jennings County: The senior led the Panthers with a .377 average and had one home run and 10 RBIs.

Brendan Henderson, South Decatur: The junior led the Cougars with a .448 average and had six doubles and 14 RBIs.

Hunter Seegers, South Decatur: The sophomore went 4-4 and batted .414 with a home run and 18 RBIs.

Alex Walker, Brown County: The senior led the Eagles with a .403 average, five doubles and a triple and had 10 RBIs and 18 runs.

Kevin Johnson, Edinburgh: The senior led the Lancers with a .417 average and a home run.

Mitchell Moore, Seymour: The senior went 7-2 with a 2.64 ERA and led the Owls with a .400 average, seven doubles and 24 RBIs.

Jake Moore, Trinity Lutheran: The sophomore led the Cougars with a .431 average, five doubles, three triples and 25 runs; had 16 RBIs and went 1-5 with a 3.63 ERA.

Honorable mention

Brown County: Matt Redmond. Columbus Christian: . Columbus East: Kyle Weiss. Columbus North: Jon Cox, Tyler Finke. Edinburgh: Zach Murphy. Hauser: Nathan Branum, Eric McMullen, Will Rose. Jennings County: Lane Staples. Seymour: Luis Munoz, Seth Stuckwisch. South Decatur: Damen Martin. Trinity Lutheran: Chandler Reynolds.

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