As one of the region's leaders in batting average in Western North Carolina during his senior season, it would only be a matter of time before a school would have the good fortune of landing Avery Vikings senior infielder/pitcher Sutton Stanley. This past week Stanley made the decision to attend Lenoir Rhyne University, where he will attempt to earn a spot on the team's baseball roster.The Viking batsman garnered much interest in his senior season at Avery. He hit for one of the state's highest batting averages with a .551 BA during this past regular season with a pair of home runs and 22 runs batted in. He maintained his strong offensive prowess in conference play with a .533 batting average.
Sutton proved his versatility around the field with spectacular defensive plays and pitching efforts. Stanley had a 1-0 win/loss record in six relief appearances as a right-handed hurler for the Big Red, and completed the season with a 4.82 ERA, good for second-best on the ballclub.
Stanley had recently traveled with family members to Hickory for a workout with the team, and the invitation was extended by head coach Paul Knight to walk-on with the club in the fall. Lenoir-Rhyne University was 24-23 overall this past season, with a 10-11 mark in South Atlantic Conference play under Coach Knight.
Congratulations to Sutton and all of Avery's athletes who will be continuing their athletic careers at the collegiate level.
