Scott Austin of the Kincardine Cubs named top amateur baseball player in Ontario

Since the Kincardine Cubs senior baseball team came into existence in 2005, many talented players have represented the Cubs on the field. However, no player has dominated both league and tournament play like shortstop Scott Austin.

Saturday, Nov. 16, this dominance was recognized by Baseball Ontario, as Austin was presented with the prestigious 2019 Adult REP player of the year award for the province. Austin was also awarded the Western Ontario Baseball Association Player of the year award earlier this month.

Leading the Cubs in most offensive categories, Austin put up a batting average of .451 with 51 hits, including 10 doubles, one triple and four home-runs. He also led the team in Runs-Batted-In (RBIs) with 45 and scored 40 runs. On defence, Cubs teammates and fans have become accustomed to the highlight reel plays at shortstop.

Austin excelled when the competition level was at its highest, compiling a .346 batting average, with eight runs, two doubles, one home-run and seven RBIs against the province's best amateur teams at the AAA level.

At the 2019 provincial championships, he led the Cubs to within one win of the Senior AA championship. He put up a team high .579 batting average which included 11 hits, while scoring eight of the Cubs' 27 total runs, and driving in five more. These numbers against the best competition that the province has to offer, gained Austin the recognition he more than deserves as one of the top players in the province.

The numbers on the field are just part of the story, though. Known for his quiet intensity on and off the field, Austin is a well-respected teammate and opponent. Always the first to help out a struggling teammate or to share a quick joke with an opposing player, he manages to keep both teams on their toes while maintaining an incredible focus on the game. With his strong work ethic and desire for the game, he quietly pushes himself and teammates to be the best they can be, through practice and determination.

Five years ago, Austin joined the Kincardine Cubs who were coming off their first ever provincial championship at the Senior C level. Even though he had taken a few years away from baseball, he immediately stepped in as one of the top players, leading the Cubs to two more provincial championships at the Senior B and Senior A levels. 

Over his six years with the Cubs, Austin has become the team's career leader in most stats categories. He has accumulated 596 at-bats, collecting 269 hits for a .451 batting average. He has collected 58 doubles, seven triples, 24 home-runs, while scoring 222 runs and driving in 227.

Congratulations, Austin, on a job well done, and a worthy recipient of this award!