Patton baseball duo honored preseason

Patton High School baseball seniors Laine Barrier (left) and Cohen Christian (right) were both recently honored at the third annual high school Blue Ridge Hot Stove Dinner Baseball and Softball Awards preseason event held in Morganton. Christian was named the baseball sportsman of the year, while Barrier was named the scholar-athlete of the year. Both players were all-conference and all-county selections as juniors in 2025. Christian, a Mars Hill signee, hit for a .324 average with 11 runs and eight RBIs while also sporting a 4-2 record and 2.22 ERA from the mound, striking out 82 batters in 56 2/3 innings. Barrier hit .296 with 14 RBIs, 11 runs, and seven stolen bases, adding one win and one save from the mound with a 2.33 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 21 innings. The Blue Ridge awards spanned student-athletes in the following counties: Alexander, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, McDowell, Mitchell, Rutherford, Wilkes, Watauga, and Yancey. The Panthers open the season on Feb. 27 at Freedom.

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