Five Local Diamond Standouts Honored
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ Three of those—seniors Brandon Hardin, Kyle Cassity and Hayden Hicks—represented Class 2A State third place finisher Pinckneyville.
Standout junior from Du Quoin Josh Cushman was also selected, along with Elverado senior Jonathon Crane.
Cushman, a lefthanded pitcher/outfielder posted a 6-3 record on the mound with 72 strikeouts, including a school-record 21 during a win over Chester.
At the plate, Cushman hit .446 with a team-best nine home runs. He also knocked in 29 runs.
Cassity—who will play college basketball at Saint Louis University—enjoyed a record-setting season while pitching for the Panthers.
He went 11-1 with a sparkling 1.17 ERA.
Hardin, bound for Kaskaskia College this fall, fashioned an 8-4 mark on the mound while leading Pinckneyville with 90 strikeouts. Also an Illinois Coaches Association (ICA) All-State pick in Class 2A, Hardin batted .357 for the Panthers.
Hicks, playing first base, has signed with Rend Lake College. The Panther Silver Slugger Award winner, hit .411 with seven home runs and 44 RBI on 44 hits. 21 of his safeties went for extra bases.
Crane hit .450 for Elverado. Splitting time between shortstop and the mound, Crane also had a 4-6 pitching mark while being named first team All-Black Diamond Conference.
Cushman, Cassity, Hicks, Hardin and Matt Gill were first team choice for the River-to-River Conference's All-Mississippi Division squad.
Nick Logan and Collin Woodside were second team All-SIRR for Pinckneyville along with Du Quoin juniors Cale Bastien (P-SS) and Ethan Beasley (DH).