Southeastern District Games: April 15-20 (Week 5)

I believe IR @ GB is Monday 4/15 as it was rained out this past Friday.

Deep creek at king's fork is moved from march 12!

Why does NR only play once this week? I'm sure they could use a break, but that schedule seems wrong.

The Tuesday NR/IR game is moved to Saturday 4/27 at Harbor Park.

Roger that

GB 8  IR 6

 

IR  6R, 10H, 3E

GB  8R, 5H,  2E

This was a game dominated by walks and errors.  By my count, there were 15 walks and 5 errors in addition to the 15 hits.  IR scored 3 runs in the first and second innings to take an early 3-0 lead courtesy of a HBP, walks and a few hits.  GB countered with 2 runs in the second again on 2 errors, 2 walks and a hit.  GB scored 5 runs in the third on 3 singles, 2 walks, an error and a sac fly.  A 6th inning HR by C.Cody made it 8-4.  IR made it exciting in the 7th with 2 outs by having 5 consecutive batters reach base.  From this, 2 runs scored and bases were loaded when the last out was made.  Final 8-6.

 

IR

#18  2-4  2 singles, hbp

#7 1-4, single

#5 2-4, 2 singles

#22 1-4, single

#4 2-3, single, double, walk

#6 1-3, single, walk

#25 1-3, single, walk

 

 

GB

C.Hinkle  2-3, 2 singles, walk

C.Cody 1-2, HR, walk, sac fly

C.Jones  1-4, single

C.Higgerson, 0-0  3 walks

D.Grady, 1-1,  walk, single, sacrifice

 

I'm guessing Glendon Barcliff pitched for Great Bridge in that one?

Yes, he started.  GB used a total of 4 pitchers.

If GB is going to be headed off from running away and hiding it has to start with Hickory getting something done today against Conner Jones.  It is a tall order but Hickory played them tough in Game 1 of the season.

 

If Jones starts and wins against Hickory, GF and WB in second half GB will win the district by 3/4 games.  Too soon to jump to that conclusion but if there is a historian I'd be curious the last time someone won the SED by 3 games. 

 

 

 

The schedule sets up favorably for GB to throw Jones at Hickory, Grassfield and Western Branch. I think they could very well win the district by 4 or more given that Hickory, Grassfield and Western Branch are all likely to hang an additional loss on each other.

GB has the talent to win it all, and unless their is some sort of epic failure it shouldn't be a problem for them to lock up an 18-0 record in District play. I heard that played sloppy last night against IR, but games like that are expected during the season, not every game is going to be a blow out. 

luv baseball, do dawgs and nrbb07,

 

It is over as far as the top spot is concerned.  Only question I have is whether or not GB goes undefeated in regular season play.

       

Agreed. I predict they run the table.

If they end up throwing Jones at Hickory, GF and WB the smart money is 18-0.  If they hold him for some reason these three could catch them in an off night and spoil a perfect run.  Barring injuries it is also very remote they will be caught for 1st place.

 

Hickory strikes me as the most capable so a win tonight makes it 99 44/100.  But....It ain't over...till it's over.

 

When in doubt quote Yogi.

i think the hardest will be when u play 3 games in 3 days like they did earlier this yr.

They don't have 3 games in 3 days anywhere on their remaining schedule.

i know but they did earlier this yr and u never know when it rains!

Oscar Smith 2 - Lakeland 0

 

OSCAR SMITH:  1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0  //  2 - 5 - 3

LAKELAND      :  0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 //  0 - 2 - 2

WP:  Thos. Packert (4-1)  LP:  Blake Harris

 

Thomas Packert threw a 78 pitch complete 7-inning 2-hit game (singles) shut-out, with 9 K, 1 BB.  He went 2 for 4 and had 1 of the 2 RBIs.

how about hickory/great bridge

great bridge 12 hickory 0

grassfield 2 king's fork 1

GB 12R 14H  1E

HI  0R  1H  1E

 

GB struck early scoring 3 in the first and 2 in the second using 5 hits, 3 walks and a HBP to get the 5 runs.  The big hit was a 2 run, 2 out single by K.Mathews in the first inning.  GB tacked on 3 more in the fourth using 3 singles and 2 walks.  Back to back doubles by Mathews and Newell in the 6th scored the 9th run and then 3 in the 7th inning on 3 walks and 2 singles concluded the scoring.

 

HICKORY

S.Carter  3 IP, 5R, 6H, 4K

#23  1 IP, 3R, 3H, 1K

C.Rudis 2 IP, 1R, 3H, 2K

C.Eason 1 IP, 3R, 2H 1K

 

S.Palansky 1-3 single

 

GB

C.Jones  5 IP, 0R, 1H, 9K

L.Harelson 2 IP, 0R, 0H, 5K

 

D.Smith 1-3, single, walk, hbp

C.Hinkle 3-4, 2 singles, double, walk

C.Cody, 1-1, single, 3 walks, HBP

T.Lane, 1-3 single, 2 walks

K.Mathews 3-4, 2 singles, double

 

 

 

Wow. For those of us that didn't see the game, those stats just exude the word 'ugly'.

That depends on which side of the box score you fall under.

14k's is a ton.  That means only 9 balls put in play all night with 1 hit and 1 error.  Tough to get anything going that way.  It is looking more and more that all GB needs is 1 run when Jones has the ball.   He has dominanted in way that noone else has in my memory.  He is doing it against the best teams in the district as well.

Jimmy anderson for western branch dominitated in high school for western branch he had like a 0.5 e.r.a.

Didn't he graduate from WB in 1994 or 1995?

'94

Jones is the real deal, One of the best, if not the best to ever come out of the District.  He continues this and the payday on a couple months is going to be HUGE! It's a young district overall so it's almost like a "man amongst boys". His entire approach towards taking the mound on game day is fun to watch.

jones is the best since a guy named jimmy anderson from western branch in 93/94?

The plaque at Western Branch High School reflects Anderson's record to have been 25-1.  My understanding is that he had 19Ks in the loss against First Colonial.   The most Ks he had in a high school game was 24 in pitching 9 innings (VHSL rules would not permit him at that time to pitch a 10th inning.)

 

What is Jones' high school record thus far?

I won't go that far to say that he's the best since Jimmy Anderson. It was a different ERA and style of baseball back then and now. SED has seen a number of quality arms between 93-2013... Mike Cosby from NR, and Justin Orendoff from WB (excuse spelling of last name) used to have some knock down drag out battles in 2000 and 2001. It's hard to pin point but these two have to be in the top 5. I wish the SED had a site like college's do on past seasons and stat comparisons. 

Jones has lost games.  Last year he lost to Kellam in the regionals.  He did win against a great South County team in the State Final in 2011. 

 

At that time he was 84-85 and kept the ball down and was very polished for a 15/16 year old .  He is a different pitcher now with much more velocity.  Most HS hitters can't handle  anything plus 88.  When you stir in the control and a breaking ball that he has it becomes a total mismatch for 85 or 90% of HS hitters.  So only a very good team with 5-6 or more DIV I hitters is likely to get much done with him now.

 

By my reckoning the only team on the Southside with that kind of lineup is Kellam.

 

The best HS team he may have ever pitched against was the team he was on in 2011 in batting practice.

One other thought about the pitching in the SED.  Every year for the last 6+ seasons almost every contender had at least 1 and sometimes as many as 3 DIV I pitching prospects.  Three years ago you had Cox, Thompson, Ali, Flarehty, as number 1's and some of those teams had 2's that were DIV 1 prospects.  

 

Beyond Jones I do not think the pitching is as strong this season as in the past few years.

In comparison to Jim Anderson or any other pitcher in the 90's one must ask when proper coaching was established in the district? When did AAU/travel ball come along? Was Anderson pitching against hitters that have sound mechanics as in this current crop, or was he pitching against players that are comparable to the Eastern District of today? My belief is that the current players are much improved mechanically and much more experienced with higher level competition than it was in the 90's.

Outside of Cox, I think you could make an argument that the same statement would apply if the current version of Jones pitched 3 years ago.  He was dominant at the Under Armor All-American game at Wrigley and he was dominant in two games pitched in Jupiter in the fall against a collection of some of the top players in the country.  He's a special talent and fun to watch. 

I think its works both ways.  On one hand, I would agree that overall, and in general, the talent level today is a bit higher than the 90's, for all the reasons you mention and more.  To be specific, the top 33% of the population to me is not much different in regards to ability.  What has happened is that the middle and bottom thirds have risen.   I also believe, that if the kids who played in the 90s had the same level of exposure, due to the evolution of the travel circuit, we would see that the talent level disparity is not as much as one might think!

 

I played with/against Jimmy.  We had some pretty good ballplayers back then.  I also played for a high school program that, in hindsight...we had 9 or 10 guys that ended up playing college baseball.  A handful of D-1s.  That's no different than what you see today.  Back then though, there weren't a huge number of showcase events.  Today, the elite programs play tournaments and showcases almost every weekend.  It's a tremendous benefit both to the kids, and the college programs who get to see them all in one place.  What I have noticed, and somewhat to your point, is that there are a much larger number of local kids who are playing at the high-major level.  Again, I think it's partly due to talent level rising, but mostly due to the fact that the kids are put in a position of being seen, consistently, against good competition.

Not at all comparable to the Eastern District, but I understand your point.

Is there an update on the WB/Lakeland game from yesterday?

Stalker,

  Travel/AAU baseball started with The "Godfather" of Hampton Roads baseball Towny Townsend forming the first Virginia Blasters team in the early 90's.... The very first Travel stud he developed was a guy named Michael Cuddyer !

  Jimmy Anderson was one the fiercest competitors to have ever toed the rubber in Hampton Roads baseball history !!

wb/lakeland suspended in the 5 inning!