After finishing with 12 wins this season, the most in a season in nearly a decade for Cuba High School’s baseball team, coaches in the district took notice of a trio of standout Wildcats.

Cuba seniors Adam Doyle and Wyatt McMillian along with junior Braden Gipson were all named All-District selections by the coaches in the district. All three players and freshman Carter Medows were also named All-Conference selections.

Doyle primarily hit cleanup and was Cuba’s starting third baseman. He posted a .363 batting average with five doubles, 17 runs scored, eight stolen bases and a team-high 32 runs batted in during his final go around.

McMillian was mainly the Wildcat’s designated hitter and number-three hitter in the batting order. He had a .403 batting average with a team-high six doubles and two home runs to go along with 26 runs batted in. McMillian will be continuing his athletic career at nearby Missouri S&T, where he will likely play on the offensive line for the Miners’ football team. 

While the Wildcats will miss the offensive production from Doyle and McMillian, Cuba will return its other star, Braden Gipson, who will help the team offensively and on the mound during his upcoming senior season.

Gipson, also an All-Conference selection in his sophomore and junior seasons, had a team-high .471 batting average, 30 runs scored and 16 stolen bases hitting out of the leadoff spot. He was also Cuba’s best pitcher, finishing with a 7-1 record, a 1.52 earned run average, while striking out 94 batters in 59 2/3 innings.

His junior season on the mound was highlighted by a no-hitter on April 9 against Steelville in which he whiffed 11 Cardinals in five innings during Cuba’s 12-0 victory. Gipson will presumably return as Cuba’s leadoff hitter and ace for his final go around and will be looked at as the team’s undisputed leader by his youthful bunch of teammates and head coach Randy Bouse. 

The Wildcats won their first district game, a 10-0 victory on May 14 over Bourbon, since the team went on to win the Class 3 District 3 Tournament in 2021 after defeating Kingston, West County and Steelville. 

In the May 20 article about the Wildcats, the Cuba Free Press stated that Cuba’s last win in Districts came in 2017 and regrets the error.