After High School

go vmi

looking at the roster some names r missing

Jr LF Jacob Dempsey (Greenbriar Christian) started his season off with a 4 for 5, 3 rbi performance, leading Winthrop to an opening day 8-0 victory over Wake Forest. Jacob had 2 doubles to go with his 4 hit performance.

fc v dad

x-vmi player shine for odu.

Former Kellam H.S. grad Wayne Renfrow & former Cox H.S. grad Brett Walker combine for a one hit shutout in a 4 - 0 win for VCU against St Joseph's Univ. on Saturday.

In the 3 game series against St. Joe's VCU 2b Scott Sizemore was 7 for 12 (.583) with an unbelievable 5 doubles and 1 triple for 5rbi. He also stole 2 bases. Great weekend by the former Hickory star.

Former Great Bridge star, NCAA All-American and CAA player of the year Chris Rahl, started the 2005 season off the same way he ended the 2004 season with a 3-5 and 3-4 performance leading W&M to consecutive wins over Georgetown. Great Bridge teammate Michael Lafleur started and pitched 6 shutout innings today. Former PA standout Joey Roenker helped close out the contest with a scoreless inning in relief.

Kellam teammates Steve Harris collected 4 hits and Matt Hudgins 3 run homer in his 1st at bat on opening day helped ODU take 2 out of 3 from Radford. Former FC pitcher Hunter Hall pitched 3 scorless innings today.

Thanx for all the updates guys- FC dad- very good to have talked to you last night on the phone- was sorry that our kids meeeting was postponed today. Anyways looking forward to seeing some of you guys at the UVA and ODU game tomorrow !!!!!
PS- I have most all of the schools baseball websites bookmarked and it is awesome to see so many local (tidewater kids and websters) ballplayers on the colleges rosters. craig

Sr Brandon Hill (Granby) started Va Wesleyan's season off with a 3 hit performance in a 7-2 victory over NC Wesleyan. Sr Colin Roberson (FC), So Ricky Allred (FC) and So Mike Cardwell (PA) contribited 2 hits each. Fr Brandon Hendrix (PA) and Fr Jessie Freeman (Salem) both pitched 2 innings alowing 1 hit and Sr Jack Baker (FC) closed the contest. I say Coach Booth is using the local talent.

Mike, Craig hope to see both of ya at Christopher Newport tomorrw against Hampden-Sydney, Dress warm!

With a 5-3 record and IMO and couple of big wins against Virginia and Richmond, I think Coach Meyers has the Monarchs in headed the right direction. I see Steve Harris (Kellam) has been doing a solid job at the plate and
Catchers Tyler Belcher(Bristol,VA) and Patrick Nichols (Greenbrier Christian) are adding some punch. Hunter Hall (FC) has contributed on the mound, however I am curious that I have not seen anything on Andrew Boucher (Tallwood) or Joe Johanson (Kempsville). Does anyone have any info on these players. I figured Andrew would be at a minimum #3 Starter with Joe seeing some long releif action! Is it just still early?
Go Monarchs!

Two good wins (UVa and RU) offset by two horrible losses to two of the bottom feeders in the Big South (Liberty and Radford). Looks like ODU has some talent but just needs to get on a roll to put it all together.

lawman,
andrew has only had one relief opportunity in the first eight games. it was a case of everything that could go wrong, did. several defensive miscues along with a couple well hit balls made for a tough outing. i saw joe joe pitch all last summer and all he did was pitch great ! he has yet to get a chance ? i believe that the last thing you said was most telling... its still too early.

i'm sure everybody would like to hear how phillip is doing ?

JT, couldn't agree more, always the optimist seeing the glass half-full.

driller,
Phillip also had a rough outing as did PJC starting out 0-4 earlier this month in Tournament in Houston, TX ; PJC could of won three of the games. Coach sent Phillip in against #2 Nationally ranked San Jacinto CC, TX. Now, he did not play any in the fall, he was resting and rehabbing his shoulder with a slight tear in his bicep. he was only hitting 85-86 with his fastball and to compound the problem, his four-seamer was acting like his two-seamer spotting outside then running over the middle of the plate; coaches called 1 change-up and 1 slider, rest of pitches were fastballs (scratching head; I would not of used him).
Since the tourney PJC has won 11 of 13 (dropping two to # 10 Meridian, MS), Phillip has pitched in five games with 4 2/3rd innings pitched, recording 3 saves allowing 1 run (unearned), 2 hits (singles), 2HBP, 1 walk and 11 K's. His last five recorded outs have been by strikeout. His four-seamer is hitting 90 and the coaches want him to work on backin off on his two-seamer, beacause he get's a nice sinker to accompany the run. He has recorded k's with Change-up and curve, but he does not throw them much due to his fastballs and slider. He has not complained of any pain or soreness and that's the best news.
Co Monarchs, Geaux Tigers

opps, almost forgot, just as good news was his GPA currently over 3.00.

Congrats to former Bethel H.S. OF, Kwan Evans (VCU) for being chosen CAA rookie of the week. Evans hit .333 for the weekend series vs. Auburn. It's good to see him back on the field after major ACL surgery a year ago.

Congrats to former Salem (Va Beach) 04 Grads, Randy Buffington (Va Tech) and Jesse Freeman (Va Wesleyan), recording their first Saves of young College careers.

Another Salem grad (03) Phil Lawhorn of PJC, went 3 for 3 in save opportunities last week running his yearly total up to (5); PJC are winners of their last 10 and 15 of 17.

A field full of Cudos to Scott Sizemore (Hickory '03) who is having a tremendous start this season at VCU - 15 of 32 for a .469 BA, an awesome 13 extra base hits (10 doubles, 1 triple, 2 HR's) for a whopping .938 slugging percentage, 11 RBI, 9 walks, 14 runs scored, 3 for 3 stolen bases, and a .978 fielding percentage. Keep up the great work Scotty!

Also...Wayne Renfrow(Kellam '02), John Leonard(Kellam '02), and Brett Walker(Cox '04) have provide quality innings on the mound this year for VCU. Good Luck to all of these fine young men on the rest of the season and beyond. GO RAMS!

CAA Baseball Player of the Week
Scott Sizemore, Va. Commonwealth
So., 2B, Chesapeake, Va./Hickory
Sizemore batted .429 with three homers and nine RBI as VCU swept a doubleheader from Fairfield on Sunday. The sophomore did all of his damage in the second game of the twinbill, tying a school record with three homers in a game and setting a new VCU mark with nine RBI in a game. For the season, Sizemore tops the Rams with a .462 average, 10 doubles and four homers. He leads the CAA with 20 RBI.

CAA Baseball Player of the Week
Scott Sizemore, Va. Commonwealth
So., 2B, Chesapeake, Va./Hickory
Sizemore earns his second straight Player of the Week honor after batting .647 (11-for-17) with two doubles, two homers, seven runs scored and nine RBI in VCU’s four-game sweep of rival Richmond. The sophomore second baseman had three hits in three of the four games and tallied three RBI in three different games. For the season, Sizemore is leading the CAA in batting (.518), runs (25) and RBI (29).

Congratulations Scotty, always was a pleasure to watch him hit.

Phillip picked up his 8th save on the year to go with a 2-0 record. He closed the 9th in a 7-6 win vs Tallahassee CC (feeder to Florida St.)
improving PJC's record to 33-11 and sitting atop the Panhandle Conference. Facing the 2-3-4 hitters, Phillip induced the first batter to ground-out and then he struck out the next two hitters looking. He has not pitched as much this year as last; PJC is putting alot of runs on the board and close games like today are few.
I am reluctant to post this (jinx) but he has not allowed a run since Jan 28th in his first appearrance against nationlly ranked #2 San Jacinto (3 runs allowed); (Roger Clemens went to San Jac). His strike-outs are up near 30, but his walks are down at 4 is what I like to see, plus he has giving up only half-dozen hits (singles). Like to here how other local boys are doing.
Go Monarchs Geaux tigers

Where will he (Philip) play next year?

Phillip signed with LSU: LSU Release

By the way, here are some VA mentions in BBA: BBA's Daily Dish

FL state League - Tigers righty Justin Verlander (No. 2 overall) pitched just three innings and took the loss in Lakeland's 8-5 loss to Tampa, giving up three hits and two runs (one earned), while walking one and striking out four.

Third baseman Matt Moses, the Twins' first-round pick in 2003 who was limited to just 29 games last year due to a stress fracture in his lower back, got off to a quick start by going deep in each of the team's first two games.

Midwest League - Third baseman David Winfree has been leading the way offensively, going 8-for-15 (.533), with four doubles and a home run in four games.

Redbird5,
Thanks for post on how David Winfree is doing. Been looking on Web for where he is playing this year. Nice to see good things happening for a great kid!!

Congrats to former Salem (Va Beach) 04 Grad, Randy Buffington (VA TECH),recording his 3RD Save of his college career.

Salem (Va Beach) 03 grad, Phil Lawhorn (PJC), recieved the Florida Junior Colleges " FIREMAN OF THE YEAR" award as the the top closer in the state for 05.

Defending Florida State Champions PJC, begin defense of their title today vs Daytona Beach in Kissimmee, FL; Houston Astro's Spring Traing site.

Phillip's career at PJC came to a rough end yesterday. Here's the link: http://www.pensacolanewsjournal.com/sports/html/D367C3C3-E2C7-4E93-8F45-6F205A03F524.shtml

The article does not paint a clear picture. They ommited the fact that he came in with 2 on (first/second) and 0 outs. The first batter sac bunt, moving the runners. He struck out next batter; their best hitter. The coach opted to intentionally walk the next hitter; I know there would be arguments on this situation (with the force in play), but IMO this was a coaching mistake. By putting the runner on first, pressure is put on the pitcher, by pitching to the batter the pressure is on the hitter. The hit-batsmen was controversial, the ump didn't see the hit, but he heard it (ball hitting cloth); Phillip's fastball can be heard as it cut's air. The rest is in the article.

A couple of players approached him and stated that they thought he should of been the starting SS all season. He would go to practice early and take infield and BP; that's were they seen him play. A couple weeks ago an assistant coach did approach the head coach (Hamilton) on the subject; he quickley shot it down.

Now, he will go to summer school and take fall classes(course requirements not offered in the summer) for his Associates. Not sure if he will be eligible at LSU for 06; due to NCAA rules.
The new stadium is scheduled for opening in 08. He did finish with a 3.25 GPA.

quote:

Phillip's career at PJC came to a rough end yesterday.

Don't scare us like that! When I frist read this I thought he had blown out his elbow! Whew....
Good luck to Phillip. I hate to see them tear down the "box" at LSU...but time moves on.
Fungo

lawman,

one would think that odu would surely welcome phillip as a multi-position player !!! is this even a remote possibility ?

Fungo,
I gotta watch how I write. Thanks for the concern

driller,
Selfeshly, I would like to see him playing at ODU. He has inked with LSU, but I guess anything is possible. Being the Closer for two years, as you know him, he did not feel fufilled as a ballplayer and was hard on him. He even impressed them (coaching staff) behind the plate catching and could of easily been there #2. His pitching was too highly valued to risk losing due to an injury.