River Ridge High School Baseball Player Joe Cable Named ITG Next Georgia Male Athlete of the Month for May 2023
Congratulations to River Ridge High School baseball player Joe Cable, who has been voted our latest ITG Next Georgia Male Athlete of the Month, presented by Georgia Farm Bureau Insurance. One of four deserving candidates who were nominated for the award, he was recognized for his great play in April, as well as all season long.
Cable is a catcher and third baseman for the River Ridge High Knights. He also plays travel baseball for the East Cobb Astros. He bats and throws right, and he has been a big reason for his team’s great 2023 season, which has them playing in the GHSA baseball Class 6A final four.
In the playoffs, Cable stepped up in a big way. In their opening-round series win, Joe went 5-for-7 in the two victories over #1 seed Alexander High School. Then he went 3-for-6 with 2 doubles and 2 RBI to help his team to a sweep over Lassiter in the second round of the state playoffs.
In Perfect Game’s Senior Spotlight, Cable is described as a “physical, athletic backstop [catcher] with a big arm behind the dish and a solid receiver. He has a short, quick swing, a strength player on both sides of the ball.”
Cable faced adversity this season in battling back from an injury, according to his coach, River Ridge head baseball coach Jeff Runion.
“Joe’s senior campaign has been a bit bumpy with injuries, but since his return, we have been a different ball club,” Runion said.
In his first game back, and what was the final regular-season game and final at-bat for the Knights, Joe stepped up big. In that April 14 game against Etowah, with the score tied at 1-1, Joe hit a walk-off home run to give his Knights the win, 2-1. He went 1-for-3 in the game, but that 1 was huge: The HR secured a playoff spot for River Ridge.
“He is batting .344 and has tremendous power,” Runion said. “He changes the middle of our lineup dramatically. His fearless personality and aggressive approach sets the tone for our style of play.”
“This year has been quite a journey,” Cable said. “It’s been a total team effort, as my teammates have been supportive of me the entire season. The ‘all-in’ approach from everyone has made 2023 very special.”
Cable has not yet made a commitment to play at the next level. First thing’s first – River Ridge and Cable are trying to win a state title.
