Tigers’ Beaty plays in North-South series 

Collin Beaty, a Franklin College commit and a 2024 Hagerstown graduate, had the opportunity to represent the Hagerstown Tigers one last time during the Indiana Baseball Coaches Association annual North–South All-Star three-game series played at Forest Glen Park on the campus of Huntington College.  

The North and South squads were composed of 26 players from each half of the state. 

The two teams played a doubleheader on Saturday, June 22, wearing All-Star uniforms and a single game on Sunday, June 23, wearing their high school uniforms and using wooden bats. 

Beaty, who was selected to the South team as a catcher, also appeared in the lineup of the first game as the designated hitter.  

Hagerstown head baseball coach Jay Hale, who was in attendance, said that he was excited to see Beaty in the lineup as the DH in the first game. “Collin made his presence known early in the first game,” he said. “Hogan Denny (Mooresville High School), the 2024 Indiana Mr. Baseball, led off the first game with a double. It was a thrill for me to see Collin batting in the No. 2 hole deliver an RBI single to drive Denny in with the first run of the game. It was quickly apparent that he deserved his spot on the South roster and I was proud of him.” 

The South All-Stars swept the series, winning game one by the score of 11-5, winning game two by the score of 12-11 and winning game three by the score of 5-3. Beaty played in all three games, collecting two hits, scoring a run, and driving in a run in eight plate appearances. Beaty nearly hit a home run in the wood bat game. A North outfielder raced back to reach up and catch the ball on the warning track.

For Beaty it was an experience he will never forget.

“I was treated with respect by the coaches and the other players from the time I arrived there until the time I left,” Beaty said. “The team members jelled right away. We wanted to win, but we also wanted to have fun and develop friendships. I was amazed at the level of talent of the players. Coming from a small school I was not used to seeing pitchers throwing 95 mile per hour fastballs. The defense was also incredible. They made difficult plays look routine.” 

Beaty said the biggest surprise was being named the designated hitter in the first game.

“I was named to the team as a catcher, so when the coaches announced that I would be the designated hitter, instead of the catcher, in the first game, batting second in the lineup, I was surprised. It was an honor. Our leadoff hitter Hogan Denny was recognized as Mr. Baseball by the Coaches Association at the end of the regular season. He led off the game with a double. I was able to single down the line to drive him in for the first run of the game.”

“I also want to credit my coaches at Hagerstown High School for helping to prepare me for this level of play,” Beaty said. “I made a lot of new friends and I will never forget this experience.”