MORGANTOWN — University third baseman Aaron Forbes has been named the OVAC class 5A Player of The Year for the 2022 season after an incredible senior campaign for the Hawks.
The Salem University signee had a season his head coach, Brad Comport, said is one of the best he has ever witnessed.
“He is a competitor and loves to win. It has been a lot of fun to sit back and watch him put together one of the best high school baseball seasons I have ever witnessed,” he said.
Forbes averaged an outstanding .471 at the plate and tallied 41 hits in 87 appearances — 10 of those hits were doubles and 10 of them were home runs. He drove in 40 total runs for the Hawks, as well.
His plate dominance began early on in the season when he sent two of those 10 homers over the fence in just the Hawks second game against Buckhannon-Upshur. UHS then played Hampshire on March 29 in a doubleheader, in which Forbes went 5 for 8 with five RBIs and four runs scored across the two games, both wins for the Hawks.
Despite not reaching his ultimate goal of a state title, Forbes said he accomplished what he set out to do this season.
“I think I got some of what I was hoping done, but I really wanted that state championship. We fought our hardest to get there but came up just short,” he said.
The Hawks accomplished many things this season, including beating seven-time defending state champion Bridgeport for the first time in over a decade.
The Indians, however, won the final two games of the sectional to end UHS’s season.
“This year’s team was something special,” Forbes said. “We were all so close and playing the past four years have been some of the best years of my life, and I will cherish them all.”
Comport has coached Forbes for many years and speaks highly of his physical ability and his mental strength, as well.
“Aaron is a phenomenal baseball player and an outstanding young man. He has been a pleasure to coach. He provided great senior leadership for our team. He led by example by displaying a great work ethic and maintaining a positive team-first attitude. Aaron has been extremely coachable and did a great job this year with his mental game and routine,” Comport said.
Forbes is also a four-year member of the UHS basketball team, winning a state championship early on and helping his team to many victories under head coach Joe Schmidle. Schmidle also praises the coachability of Forbes and his leadership on and off the court/field.
“Aaron is a natural,” Schmidle said. “Very athletic and he has incredible hand-eye coordination. He’s a great basketball player and an even better baseball player. Could’ve played either at the collegiate level. Not only is he a great player, but he’s even a better teammate and person.”
Forbes now moves on to play at Salem to continue his career on the diamond. He said baseball is his passion and he looks forward to continuing to grow in the sport.
“This year has really helped me with my mentality,” he said. “It has kept me locked in and helped me to not overthink everything. The last game we won against Bridgeport really helped the season because it was such a fun time.”
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