NATURALLY GOOD Effingham Two-Way Baseball Player Eying Pro Career Story by Stephen Prudhomme Photos by Tonya Perry
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hen Carter Holton was 6 years old, he was playing catch with his father when he was hit in the face with a baseball. Although the impact of rawhide meeting flesh made him cry, the youngster, wiping tears from his face, resumed the game of catch. Eleven years later, Carter is likely making opposing players cry in frustration after he strikes them out with a fastball in the 90s or smacks a game-winning home run. Dubbed “The Natural” by Savannah sportscaster Frank Sulkowski, the 17– year-old Guyton resident is a real-life Roy Hobbs who doesn’t need stunts or special
effects to produce a game-winning homer and the perfect Hollywood ending. Carter is a rising senior at Benedictine Military Academy who pitches and plays first base and outfield on the school’s baseball team. Before this season was cut short by the pandemic, he continued the two-way dominance that earned him Savannah Morning News Player of the Year honors in 2018-19. In 2018, Carter pitched a perfect game against Statesboro at Grayson Stadium, striking out 17. Along with the aforementioned Player of the Year honors, he also was named Region Player of the Year in 2018-19, 2018 Georgia Dugout
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