By David Knox, Sports Editor
TRUSSVILLE — Former Hewitt-Trussville standout baseball player Carter Pharis is following up a strong freshman season at UAB with some good work in the “offseason.”
Pharis is playing for the Strasburg Express in the Valley Baseball League, a summer collegiate wooden-bat league, in the Shenandoah Valley.
Pharis was named to the league’s all-star team recently as a third baseman. He went 1-for-2 in the game with a double.
He is one of the leading hitter for the first-place Express as of Tuesday. His .336 average places him 11th in the North Division, just .006 points behind teammate Erick Delgado, and tied with teammate Dylan Ingram, who plays for Auburn. Pharis is tied for third in the league with 36 hits. He has eight doubles to lead the Express, three homers, tied for second on the team, and 20 RBIs, third on the team.
The Express is 21-9 after Tuesday’s game, leading the North Division. Former major league player Charlie Hayes is the coach.
Besides Ingram, Thompson High product Drew Avans is also on the team, giving Pharis a couple of Alabama guys to hang out with. Avans plays at Southeastern Louisiana.