05/19/2026
As many of you may already know, The SUMTER CANNONS 9U Team is coming to an end. I want to highlight that this team qualified for the Perfect Game Futures National Championship in Southaven, Mississippi through a Super Regional NIT invitation, and what an accomplishment that is for these boys!🤜🏼✨👏⚾️ Out of all the teams competing, the Cannons earned the right to continue their season on a national stage against top AA/AAA competition. That did not happen by luck. It came from growth, grit, long weekends, practices, lessons, adversity, and a team that kept showing up for each other!
From the beginning of the season to now, the development of these boys has been incredible to watch. The awards, highlights, individual accomplishments, and team contributions are countless, but what stands out most is how much these boys grew together. Throughout the season the Cannons earned multiple All Tournament Team selections, All Tournament Champion recognitions🥇, along with many individual MVPlayer and MVPitcher awards. These boys consistently stepped up and were recognized for their hard work, talent, and determination every single weekend they took the field. Every player contributed something valuable to this team whether it was leadership, hustle, defense, pitching, energy, encouragement, or stepping up in big moments. Watching their confidence grow week after week while competing together is what truly made this season special.
Paxton Becksvoort was a workhorse for this team all season long and one of the biggest offensive threats in the lineup. At the plate he finished with an incredible .610 batting average, a 1.691 OPS, 25 hits, 24 RBIs, 27 runs scored, and 12 stolen bases while adding 6 doubles and 4 triples. He also hit the FIRST CANNONS GRAND SLAM✨On the mound he led the Cannons with 17 strikeouts and his talent stood out all season long.
Wilson Lloyd continued developing into a highly reliable arm and competitor for this team. On the mound he logged 26.2 innings with 22 strikeouts while continuing to battle every outing. At the plate he was also a huge contributor hitting an impressive .545 with a 1.507 OPS, collecting 24 hits, 24 runs scored, 16 RBIs, 7 doubles, and 13 stolen bases. Even through adversity he kept showing up, competing hard, and making an impact for this team every single weekend. 🤝
Breylin Conley became one of the biggest all around contributors for this team.☝️secured 17 runs on 11 hits & 8 RBIs! He logged over 10 innings pitched with 13 strikeouts while also leading the team with 50 total defensive chances and 45 putouts!! In the outfield he tracked down baseballs constantly and covered so much ground for this team!
Landon Rhodes showed toughness and heart every single weekend for the Cannons. Whether on the mound or locking things down at third base, he competed nonstop and never backed away from big moments. At the plate he hit an impressive .486 with a 1.104 OPS, collecting 17 hits, 15 RBIs, and 12 runs scored while continuing to come through in big situations for this team.🤘🏼His willingness to battle through whatever the team needed helped the Cannons all season long!
Noah Smith absolutely shoved this season.💪🏽Across 15.2 innings pitched he racked up 24 strikeouts while posting a strong 4.91 ERA and holding opponents to a .283 batting average. He consistently stepped up in pressure moments and continued growing in confidence and composure every single weekend. Defensively he was also flawless with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage and 16 putouts.
Wells Lloyd HELD IT DOWN at first base and flat out made life easier for everyone around him. Nobody better.👏 From scoops to stretch plays to saving bad throws, Wells was a huge part of this defense all season long. At the plate he hit an impressive .389 with a 1.254 OPS, collecting 14 hits, 20 RBIs, 17 runs scored, and 2 home runs while continuing to compete every single weekend. On the mound he also contributed valuable innings for the Cannons and continued growing every opportunity he got!
Daniel Wittington brought nonstop energy and hustle to this team every single weekend. In the outfield he covered a ton of ground and never gave up on a play. He also stepped up on the mound when called up and continued growing in confidence throughout the season! Daniel competed with heart every single game while always supporting his teammates, and his effort and athleticism made a huge impact on this team!🤟🏻
Jacob Rowell quietly put together one of the better ERAs on the team at 2.250 while continuing to improve every outing. He also collected 10 hits, 7 RBIs, and drew 10 walks showing patience and confidence every time he stepped in the box.👌🏽His flexibility wherever the team needed him mattered greatly to this group of boys!
Harper Daughrity continued growing all season long and became a big contributor for the Cannons both offensively and defensively. He finished the season hitting an impressive .481 with a 1.243 OPS, collecting 13 hits, 10 runs scored, 7 RBIs, and even launching a home run!! Harper also showed aggressiveness on the bases with 8 stolen bases while continuing to build confidence every single weekend. His growth and willingness to compete never went unnoticed.🤘🏼
Hayden Wilt made the absolute most of his opportunities this season and continued showing tremendous growth every single weekend. At the plate he hit an impressive .424 with a 1.173 OPS, collecting 14 hits, 13 RBIs, 10 runs scored, and 7 stolen bases while continuing to compete every at bat. He also added 3 doubles and 2 triples showing the ability to drive the baseball and create big moments offensively. Defensively he continued improving and capped things off with an incredible last outing going 8 for 9 while adding an assist.👊🏼Huge moments and huge growth for Hayden this season.
Bauer Lee did exactly what coaches hope players do when opportunities come. He competed hard every single chance he got and continued showing tremendous growth throughout the season. At the plate he hit .429 with a 1.420 OPS. Defensively he posted a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage with 9 putouts, and what really stood out was his last outing going 7 for 7. That kind of performance shows preparation, confidence, and readiness when your number gets called.👏
Easton Bass stepped up BIG behind the plate as catcher this year. Catching is one of the toughest positions on the field and Bear continued improving while handling pitchers, blocking baseballs, and leading defensively. At the plate he posted a .333 batting average with a .561 OBP, scored 21 runs, drove in 10 RBIs, stole 8 bases without being caught, and drew 13 walks showing patience and confidence every single weekend. Defensively he also posted a strong .952 fielding percentage with 20 putouts!!🤩
This team earned recognition through Perfect Game and DiamondKast while competing against strong competition all season long. But more importantly, these boys learned how to battle together, overcome adversity, support one another, and grow as teammates and young athletes.
As the Cannons chapter comes to an end, it is hard not to get emotional thinking about the memories these boys created together. The dugout laughs, the ⛓️🏆 the walk up songs, the stained uniforms, the late nights, the early mornings, the wins, the tough losses, and the friendships these boys built along the way…
Thank you to every coach who poured time into these boys.
Thank you to the families for the endless weekends and sacrifices.
Thank you to the sponsors, friends, and supporters who stood behind this team every step of the way!
This was more than baseball.
& What a ride it has been for the Cannons. ❤️
