Portsmouth beat Coe Brown today 11-1. Ricky Holt (soph) threw a gem. Heard Bedford lost to Goffstown, anyone got details? Looks like Portsmouth (Taylor) at Bedford (Maher) Monday 4:15 is setting up to be D2 game of the year!
MaccaNH, you're asking for details on Goffstown beating Bedford ... good game between two quality teams. Ryan Smith threw a complete game for Goffstown, giving up only 5 hits and I think 3 walks. Plenty of Ks. Great game for him. Lucas Olen went 6 innings, giving up 5 runs in the third, although there were a couple 2 out errors that cost 3 runs. No excuses. Errors are part of high school baseball. Goffstown made a couple errors in the second that cost them 2 runs also. Bottom line is, Goffstown out hit Bedford, and they are a very good team that will make a run at it in the post season.
quote:Originally posted by LJ Sandwich:
Worth reviewing noteworthy
Originally posted by LJ Sandwich:
Worth reviewing noteworthy
???? missing the point here. So Souhegan beat Goffstown?
Worth reviewing noteworthy
???? missing the point here. So Souhegan beat Goffstown?
quote:Originally posted by JJMJ:
Originally posted by LJ Sandwich:
Worth reviewing noteworthy
???? missing the point here. So Souhegan beat Goffstown?
...and they played Bedford tough with Maher on the hill. The only point is that they have the ability to compete with or beat the better teams in the league.
I would agree, I guess, although you will need more than one good pitcher in the playoffs. Goffstown may have the same problem.
quote:Originally posted by JJMJ:
I would agree, I guess, although you will need more than one good pitcher in the playoffs. Goffstown may have the same problem.
Exactly...Agree completely.
Actually, this year NHIAA in it's infinite wisdom has changed the playoff format to make it much easier for a team with only one stud pitcher to win the state title. The playoffs this year are spread over 3 weeks instead of 2 weeks. It used to be that you played Thursday and Saturday of week one and Wednesday and Saturday of week 2. So you could only use your number one stud for 2 games. But this year the format is round one on Thursday, round 2 on Saturday, round 3 the following Thursday/Friday, and the championship game the third week on Saturday. So if you have only one stud pitcher you can use him for 3 games out of 4. You're number 2 only needs to win one game. That can be a great advantage for a team that finishes high in the standings but doesn't have a really strong number 2 pitcher. Maybe they use number 2 in the opening round against a weaker opponent, and their stud can pitch the final 3 games of the tournament.
There may be some rules restricting the use of a single pitcher in the playoffs. I'm just a parent, so I wouldn't know of any such rule, but it sure would be a good thing for the integrity of the baseball tournament if there is such a rule. Maybe a coach out there could shed some light on this, or just give their thoughts on the format this year.
There may be some rules restricting the use of a single pitcher in the playoffs. I'm just a parent, so I wouldn't know of any such rule, but it sure would be a good thing for the integrity of the baseball tournament if there is such a rule. Maybe a coach out there could shed some light on this, or just give their thoughts on the format this year.
The NHIAA website indicates:
Tournament Pitching Rule: No pitcher shall throw more than 9 complete innings in a tournament game.
A pitcher shall throw no more than sixteen (16) innings in the entire tournament beginning with the
preliminary round.
So, if you use your #1 pitcher for 7 innings in both game 1 and game 3 then he would only have 2 innings left for game 4. This rule was put in place last year.
Tournament Pitching Rule: No pitcher shall throw more than 9 complete innings in a tournament game.
A pitcher shall throw no more than sixteen (16) innings in the entire tournament beginning with the
preliminary round.
So, if you use your #1 pitcher for 7 innings in both game 1 and game 3 then he would only have 2 innings left for game 4. This rule was put in place last year.
That's better than nothing, although I still wish it were only 2 weeks instead of 3. Even with this rule your stud can get 3 starts, for a total of 16 innings. If you can get a decent lead when he's pitching you can go to your bullpen for the last inning or two, and still win on the back of one stud pitcher.
I think its odd that they made this change. For years I've heard people talk and read in the papers that the single elimination playoff format is so unpredictable in baseball because many teams, no matter how weak the team or how shallow the pitching, have a single stud pitcher that can beat even the best teams in the tournament on any given day. In my opinion this format change only exasperates this issue.
I think its odd that they made this change. For years I've heard people talk and read in the papers that the single elimination playoff format is so unpredictable in baseball because many teams, no matter how weak the team or how shallow the pitching, have a single stud pitcher that can beat even the best teams in the tournament on any given day. In my opinion this format change only exasperates this issue.
It's not new this year. Not sure when it started, but I do remember it affecting Salem last year insomuch as Poore only had a couple of innings available going into the final. IMO, this is a good rule. It protects against potential overuse by an overzealous coach...
BHS - you are correct about the unpredictability of one pitcher dumping a top seed. The counter argument is - to be the best you need to beat the best. So if the #15 seed is going with their #1 stud pitcher, then the #2 seed should follow suit. I've seen too many situations where they get burned by trying to get away with their #2 while #1 "waits" for the next round which they never get to. That's why coaches get "paid the big bucks" :-) (our coaches reading this can snicker now). For the lower seed it's easy - you start with #1 and go from there. For the higher seed - you sometimes roll the dice.
BHS - you are correct about the unpredictability of one pitcher dumping a top seed. The counter argument is - to be the best you need to beat the best. So if the #15 seed is going with their #1 stud pitcher, then the #2 seed should follow suit. I've seen too many situations where they get burned by trying to get away with their #2 while #1 "waits" for the next round which they never get to. That's why coaches get "paid the big bucks" :-) (our coaches reading this can snicker now). For the lower seed it's easy - you start with #1 and go from there. For the higher seed - you sometimes roll the dice.
I agree that the extra week is bad.
I beleive it was put in place to avoid graduation/baseball conflicts, all the Manchester schools are graduating on 6-11 which would have been the day of the finals under the old playoff schedule.
What does a team do for a whole week before the finals to stay sharp?
I beleive it was put in place to avoid graduation/baseball conflicts, all the Manchester schools are graduating on 6-11 which would have been the day of the finals under the old playoff schedule.
What does a team do for a whole week before the finals to stay sharp?
I believe Merrimack graduates on the day of the championship. That would an interesting scenario. I'm sure they are not the only school graduating on that day. I wonder about the Nashua schools...
Nashua North and South both graduate on June 18th; if the players have a choice between graduation and playing baseball they will all choose baseball.
The finals were changed to June 18 as the NH Fisher Cats are playing at home the weekend of June 11th.
JohnF, I wasn't really advocating that a high seed start with its number 2 in round one rather than their number one pitcher. With rounds 1 and 2 being Thursday and Saturday of the same week, the number one and number 2 pitcher obviously get one start each. My point was more on the fact that rounds 3 and 4 (the semi-final and championship games), are 8 or 9 days apart. That allows the number one stud to start both games, to the extent that he hasn't gone over the limit of 16 innings. I think this year you're much more likely to see the stud start both those games, and he'll have at least 2 innings available for the ship, probably more likely 4 or 5 innings. I doubt any coach would have started a stud for both games in years past with only 2 days rest in between.
BBNH2011 also has a good point. How does a team stay sharp when they have only one game each of the last 2 weeks, with 8 or 9 days between them? The players need to stay focused, which is tough for high school age boys, especially with distractions like final exams, the start of summer vacation, graduation parties, high school age girls ... just kidding. I know none of our baseball players would ever be distracted by such juvenile things.
BBNH2011 also has a good point. How does a team stay sharp when they have only one game each of the last 2 weeks, with 8 or 9 days between them? The players need to stay focused, which is tough for high school age boys, especially with distractions like final exams, the start of summer vacation, graduation parties, high school age girls ... just kidding. I know none of our baseball players would ever be distracted by such juvenile things.
Graduation or baseball championship? Not a real tough choice for me, either. D1 is in the afternoon so maybe a kid to do both.
ahhhh, right - I guess the coffee didn't fully kick in :-)...
I agree about the layover between games is very odd. I thought it had more to do with padding the schedule to ensure the original rounds would be done before the finals. Of course what happens if it rains on the 18th Looking at the F'Cat's schedule - they are away 6/13 -> 6/19. Since the NHIAA is all about making money, then 2 or 4 separate admissions would probably make more sense than 1 fantastic day of baseball...
In any case, if you get to the finals I think your ace would have probably had 7-13 innings logged already. Still have to win the other games and I think you still need 2 pitchers...
I agree about the layover between games is very odd. I thought it had more to do with padding the schedule to ensure the original rounds would be done before the finals. Of course what happens if it rains on the 18th Looking at the F'Cat's schedule - they are away 6/13 -> 6/19. Since the NHIAA is all about making money, then 2 or 4 separate admissions would probably make more sense than 1 fantastic day of baseball...
In any case, if you get to the finals I think your ace would have probably had 7-13 innings logged already. Still have to win the other games and I think you still need 2 pitchers...
If you remembe back to 2009 Alvirne had graduation and the baseball game on the same day. Looking back it wasnt a good thing at all. Way to much going on for those kids. Up early for graduation dealing with graduation parties that where already planned on that day and then having to play a game. It was way to much for the kids to handle. Not going to make excuses but they should have had graduation on another day or soemthing if they could. Just to much for 16-18 year old boys to deal with in one day
The 4th installment in a marathon week for North featured a showdown in Dover on a sunny, warm spring afternoon. A big departure from the clouds and thunderstorm that forced a postponement of the game.
The game resumed with one out in the 1st inning, with Karkhanis on base and one out. After an infield pop-up, Adam Leith doubled hard into the left center field gap. Karkhanis was waved home but was out at the plate on a well executed relay by the Green Wave.
After two scoreless frames, North struck for two runs in the 3rd. With runners on 1st and 2nd, Joe Breen hit a hard shot down the 3rd base line with a 3-0 count. The left fielder misplayed the ball and both runners scored. Leith then drove a high fly ball to the center field fence and was robbed of a home run.
North threatened again in the 5th. Keon Jenkins and Louis Tarantino bunted their way aboard on perfectly laid bunts, creating a bases-loaded situation. Two more hits and North plated 3 more runs, edging the score to 5 - 0.
Dover threatened in the 3rd and the 6th innings with a man walking after one out, but the defense squelched any possibility of a score. In the 3rd, after the walk, the next batter bunted back to Root who started a 1-6-3 double play. Similarly in the 6th, with a man on, the batter hit a ball squarely to Karkhanis at short who started a 6-4-3 double play.
Other defensive highlights included a great leaping stab by Cam Duval at 3rd, a leaping catch in center field by Jenkins, and a diving stop Joe Breen.
Typically, the coach pulls the pitcher after 5 innings so that the pitcher is available later in the week. However, Connor Root had a no-no going and went out for the 7th inning. After Duval snared a soft liner to 3rd, the #3 batter doubled to left. Matt Lipkind went in for the final 2 outs and sealed the win.
I think this was North's best game defensively this year. Root threw a 1-hit shutout, the defense played outstanding, and made some big plays against a very good team.
The pitching staff has done an excellent job this week as they have not given up an earned run in 4 games. We have another tough game tomorrow against Concord and I expect Turner will be on the mound..
The game resumed with one out in the 1st inning, with Karkhanis on base and one out. After an infield pop-up, Adam Leith doubled hard into the left center field gap. Karkhanis was waved home but was out at the plate on a well executed relay by the Green Wave.
After two scoreless frames, North struck for two runs in the 3rd. With runners on 1st and 2nd, Joe Breen hit a hard shot down the 3rd base line with a 3-0 count. The left fielder misplayed the ball and both runners scored. Leith then drove a high fly ball to the center field fence and was robbed of a home run.
North threatened again in the 5th. Keon Jenkins and Louis Tarantino bunted their way aboard on perfectly laid bunts, creating a bases-loaded situation. Two more hits and North plated 3 more runs, edging the score to 5 - 0.
Dover threatened in the 3rd and the 6th innings with a man walking after one out, but the defense squelched any possibility of a score. In the 3rd, after the walk, the next batter bunted back to Root who started a 1-6-3 double play. Similarly in the 6th, with a man on, the batter hit a ball squarely to Karkhanis at short who started a 6-4-3 double play.
Other defensive highlights included a great leaping stab by Cam Duval at 3rd, a leaping catch in center field by Jenkins, and a diving stop Joe Breen.
Typically, the coach pulls the pitcher after 5 innings so that the pitcher is available later in the week. However, Connor Root had a no-no going and went out for the 7th inning. After Duval snared a soft liner to 3rd, the #3 batter doubled to left. Matt Lipkind went in for the final 2 outs and sealed the win.
I think this was North's best game defensively this year. Root threw a 1-hit shutout, the defense played outstanding, and made some big plays against a very good team.
The pitching staff has done an excellent job this week as they have not given up an earned run in 4 games. We have another tough game tomorrow against Concord and I expect Turner will be on the mound..
North lost to Concord 13-7. Does anyone know details on the game? Who threw for North?
quote:Originally posted by BasBal4Lfe:
North lost to Concord 13-7. Does anyone know details on the game? Who threw for North?
I don't have any specific details but would like to mention that North played 5 games in five days. I wonder how often that has happened in NH high school baseball history. 4-1 on the week bouncing back from their first loss to South the past Friday. Character week - I'd say they responded well.
No doubt I wasn't saying North was bad; I happen to believe that they are the best team in Division I. A 5-game week is not easy no matter what. I bet fatigue was a factor.
I was not there but the word is that North came out flat and very sloppy defensively. Nine errors/miscues contributed to most of the runs being unearned. Down 9-1 early, they scored 6 in the top of the 5th to close the gap only to implode again defensively in the bottom half and gave it back. All and all a great week for North considering the schedule.
Hats off to North. They had a great week.
North baseball had a great week. 4 of the games were away (Londonderry, Winnacunnet, Dover and Concord) and teams with winning records. To many errors vs Concord and Concord took advantage.
How did North lose to Pinkerton? Wonder how they will rebound against a good BG team.
Pinkerton's pitcher (lefty) 3-hitter did a great job of keeping the North hitters of balance. The game was 2 - 2 after 5 innings, then Pinkerton had a few nice hits in the 6th with North having a few fielding errors and which attributed to 4 runs in the top of the 6th. Pinkerton deserved to win the game the hit and fielded better than North.
Congratulations to Portsmouth for breaking the National record for consecutive wins. Amazing feat at any level and more importantly for me is that they do it with class. Thanks for yet another reason to draw attention to NH kids playing baseball at a high level.
