BROOKSVILLE — Hernando senior baseball players Christian Arroyo (Florida) and Brandon Lawson (USF) made their college plans official Thursday morning.
After very good sophomore and junior campaigns for the Leopards, including being named as a first-team selection to Perfect Game USA’s preseason all-underclassman All-America team, Arroyo, a shortstop, made the U.S. National 18U team and won MVP honors in the World Baseball Championship in Seoul, South Korea.
The 6-foot-1, 185-pound senior hit .387 with 11 RBIs to help the United States capture its first title in the age group in 13 years.
Lawson, a 6-3, 185-pound pitcher and outfielder, was second on the team last season with a .329 average. He also hit two home runs and led the Leopards with 22 RBIs, but his biggest value may have been on the mound where he was among the North
Suncoast’s leaders in earned run average (1.83) and strikeouts (100) in only 71 innings pitched. He finished 8-3, as the team reached the region final for the second straight year.
He is also a member of the FTB Mizuno summer team, which helped him earn an honorable mention spot on the 2012 Perfect Game USA preseason all-underclassman All-American team.