HICKORY, N.C. — The Catawba Valley Community College baseball team placed six student-athletes on the 2026 All-Region 10 teams, highlighted by three first-team selections.
Relief pitcher Cooper Bliss, infielder Pierce Bouwman and catcher/infielder Sylas Mills were all named First Team All-Region 10, while pitchers Chase Arrington and Lane Essary earned Second Team All-Region honors. Outfielder Isaiah McDowell was also recognized for his defensive excellence, being selected to the Region 10 All-Defensive Team.
Bliss anchored the Red Hawks' bullpen, appearing in 22 games this season. The right-hander compiled a 2-0 record with one save, striking out 51 batters across 42.1 innings while posting a strong 10.84 strikeouts-per-nine rate. Over his two-year career, Bliss recorded 79 strikeouts in 68.2 innings.
Bouwman delivered one of the most dominant offensive seasons in the region. The infielder batted .382 with 22 home runs, 65 RBIs and 64 runs scored in 52 games. He also posted an impressive .819 slugging percentage and .486 on-base percentage, finishing the season among the Region 10 leaders in multiple offensive categories.
Mills enjoyed a breakout campaign at the plate, hitting .427 with 21 home runs and 68 RBIs in 52 games. The sophomore catcher tallied 79 hits, 66 runs scored and posted a .534 on-base percentage and .881 slugging percentage, emerging as one of the top offensive players in the conference. This is Mills' second All-Region honor. He was named All-Defensive Team last season.
Arrington made a major impact in both the rotation and bullpen, finishing the season with a 4-2 record across 18 appearances, including nine starts. The right-hander logged 59.1 innings and struck out 45 batters while improving his ERA to 4.85 during his sophomore campaign.
Essary was dominant when taking the mound, going a perfect 5-0 in 11 appearances (nine starts). He recorded 47 strikeouts in 33.0 innings, averaging an impressive 12.82 strikeouts per nine innings, while posting a 4.36 ERA.
McDowell earned Region 10 All-Defensive honors after a stellar season in the outfield. The Hickory native recorded a .990 fielding percentage, committing just one error in 101 total chances with 98 putouts. Offensively, he also contributed with a .335 batting average, six home runs, 39 RBIs and 18 stolen bases. McDowell earns his second All-Region honor after being named second team West Division last spring.
Catawba Valley finished their 2026 spring regular season with a 34-21 overall record and 26-10 mark in conference play. The Red Hawks start conference tournament play on Friday against Pitt in Kinston, N.C. at 4 p.m.