By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports. Director

OCEAN SPRINGS —Ocean Springs senior standout Cannon Hensarling has been selected as the prep “Baseball Player of the Year” by SouthMiss6 Sports this season.

The honor is chosen by the SouthMiss6 Sports staff and a panel of area coaches, and is sponsored by David Baria, Attorney/Mediator, of the Baria Law Firm.

The versatile infielder/pitcher Hensarling helped guide the Greyhounds to a 24-8-1 mark this season and a second straight Region 4-7A championship. Ocean Springs also qualified for the Class 7A South State semifinals for the second straight season.

For his senior season, Hensarling earned Class 7A First Team All-State honors. The Nicholls State signee was described by one collegiate scout as a “true five-tool athlete”. He is expected to garner some attention in the upcoming Major League Baseball Amateur Draft as well this Summer. He also was selected to play in the prestigious Crossroads All-Star Baseball Game.

“Man, Cannon may be the most improved player over a three year period I’ve been around,” OSHS second-year head coach Ryne Long said. “After the year he’s had I don’t think anyone that was fortunate enough to see him play night in and night out would be the least bit surprised with him being the “Player of Year.” He has all the tools, his avenue moving forward is on the mound but he was the table setter at the top of the lineup for us from day one.

The 6-foot-3 Hensarling hit .381 this year with 27 RBIs, seven triples, a triple and a home run. He was also the pitcher on the back end of a three game set in Region 4-7A play for Long, which was a key for the Greyhounds as they went 13-2 in league play including 5-0 in the third game of each region series.

He also went the distance to pick up the pitching win in a 6-5 game three win over Northwest Rankin in the opening round of the Class 7A South State playoffs, striking out six.

He ended up 4-1 with a miniscule 1.37 earned run average on the season.

“Cannon drove in 22 runs out of the lead off spot, stole 23 bases and played shortstop at a high level for us all year,” Long, who served as an OSHS assistant coach before being elevated to the top spot, added. “At one point in the year he reached base in the first inning in something crazy like 20 of 22 games, and over 90 percent of those innings we scored. He was a huge presence for us in the locker room from a leader standpoint, and it seemed like he was due up at the plate in big situations in every game. Then doing all he did from an offensive standpoint, he was also one of the best arms in the state.”

Other head coaches in Region 4-7A were equally impressed.

“He is a player that can play anywhere on the diamond.” Neil Fredric, who spent the past eight seasons as head coach at Harrison Central said. “He definitely passes the eyeball test. A toolsy kid and one who you need to keep up with in the future. He’s only going to get better.”

Hensarling will leave a big void in the Greyhound line-up as will his teammate and fellow class mate Jack Jordan.

In fact, Jordan, Vancleave’s Hunter Harper, East Central’s Anthony Tanner and the George County duo of Canyon Reeves and Preston McAdory all comprised the top five in the voting process for POY (including ties).

“Cannon really went to work after his sophomore year and it all came together for him this year,” Long concluded. “He’ll have every opportunity to be a top end of the rotation guy at the DI level immediately, and we’re proud of everything he accomplished in his career here. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for him at the next level.”

The Baria Law Firm sponsors the “Game Ball of the Week” here for SouthMiss6 Sports as well as the season-ending softball, baseball, basketball and football “Players of the Year”.

The Baria Law Firm, the Gulf Coast branch of Cosmich, Simmons and Brown, provides a beacon of trust and reliability in a complex legal landscape. Our firm’s unwavering dedication to you is at the core of everything we do. Choose David Baria of Baria Law as your legal ally, and let us handle the details while you focus on what matters most. Reach out to David at 228-395-8303 or dbaria@barialaw.com and at https://barialaw.com.