Avidano named MVP in Fla. tourney

Starr’ Mill High School senior Ryan Avidano was named Most Valuable Pitcher at Perfect Game’s 15th annual World Wood Bat Association World Championship in Jupiter, Fla., last month.

About 1,700 players on 85 teams attended the event along with hundreds of college coaches and professional scouts.

Avidano, a lefthander who stands six-feet-seven, is verbally committed to the University of Georgia. He earned the victory in the championship game pitching four scoreless innings with seven strikeouts. It was his second appearance in two days at the tournament.

Overall he finished with no earned runs, giving up four hits with 12 strikeouts and no walks over six innings. He was part of a team staff that combined to throw 52 innings and allow nine runs, six
earned (0.81 ERA), and 35 hits with 54 strikeouts and 25 walks.

This was the second major championship this year for Avidano’s team, the Canes, which also won the Perfect Game World Series in Phoenix in July. Avidano was on the All-Tournament team there.

“It’s all big Division I commits and we really go out there and we shove,” Avidano said of his pitching mates. “We have a great defense behind us and they really pick us up when we’re down. It’s a team effort, really. Coming down here and playing for such a big team like the EvoShield Canes, you expect to go far but sometimes the championship feels like a dream.”

With his travel ball career behind him, Avidano is looking forward to the Starr’s Mill Panthers’ 2014 baseball season. Last year the team won the Region 4-AAAAA championship and advanced to the state semifinals.