Southeastern District Games: March 25-30 (Week 3)

Looks like rain may play a role in re-scheduling of games again this week.

Might just be the blinding flash of the obvious...But I think we are starting to see the play-off teams within the SED.

I think that's jumping the gun, just a little bit.  There are a few clubs whose current record does not reflect the talent on the roster.  Some of that could be due to the schedule that has been played thus far.  Some could be due to the actual play on the field.  I think, at the end of the day, there will be some shuffling in the standings, with 75% of the season having yet been played.  I do agree though, that there are some pretty obvious assumptions that could be made with maybe half of the district, both playoff and non-playoff.

 

One example:  I will be completely shocked if Indian River only wins 25% of their games.  Aint happenin!

For the western branch game Colin Selby pitched 2 innings plus and then matthew roth pitched 4 innings!matthew roth should have gotten the win!

starters must go how many innings in high school to get a win, is it 4 or 5

4 innings. However, not sure what the rule is in a 5 or 6 inning run rule shortened game.

Agree.  Since going to a 6-team playoff format two years ago the same 6 teams have made it to the district tournament.  Last year it came down to the last week to determine the 6th spot between Grassfield and Oscar Smith.  Barring injury, there's no reason to believe that Deep Creek, Lakeland, and Kings Fork can or will recover from their starts to make a push for a playoff spot leaving 7 teams competing for 6 playoff spots. However, one of those teams may spoil things later for the bottom 2 or 3 teams battling for a playoff position. My view of the teams currently occupying the bottom three and what they have left to the halfway point:

 

Nansemond River.  While they've won 2 in a row, those wins are against winless teams.  Their inconsistency in the field and at the plate can make things interesting against any opponent.  Next five games are Kings Fork, Western Branch, Oscar Smith, Great Bridge and Grassfield.  Their pitching depth will be tested in the week after spring break.  They should, emphasis on should, improve on 5th place and really leave the battle for the 6th and final spot to Indian River and Oscar Smith.

 

Oscar Smith. They've beaten the 3 winless teams but have been handled by Hickory and Western Branch.  Their next 5 games are Grassfield, Great Bridge, Nansemond River, Indian River and Hickory. We'll know more about them following the week after the break.

 

Indian River.  They're 1-3 with a win over a Lakeland team playing their 3rd game in 3 days (with pitching clearly depleted) who also had to face Zach Rice and Connor Jones in the first two . Their next 5 games are Great Bridge (make-up), Deep Creek, Kings Fork, Western Branch, Oscar Smith and Great Bridge. They will need to win the tight ones they are currently losing.

The SE seems to have better parity than the Beach, I think NR will eventually find its self and them and GB will be the teams at regionals, Hickory or WB may prove me wrong though.

It is way early in the season but at this point I would not bet against Hickory.  They seem to have found pitching depth.

right now

1 great bridge 2 hickory 3 grassfield

Actually...I do not think I am jumping the gun at all. IMO the race will be for the 6th play-off spot. I too believe NR will "find it's self." Good luck to Indian River.

It's all about who gets hot at the right time, my last year coaching at NR (2011), we barely beat IR in a one run (6-5) game to open the district tourney 6vs3 seeds. Played WB two nights later and got hot and made a run into the State Quarter Finals. NR wasn't supposed to beat WB that night, because they had returned everyone from their magical 2010 run, but those kids shut that talk down real quick. Ever since the 6 team tourney started I believe the two best teams have made it. 2011- GB, NR....2012- GB, NR. I'm a firm believer that 2013 will be the same, (not the same two teams) but the 2 best out of the SED will serve the district well at ODU. You guys and gals can say what you want, but throughout the year, if a team can put themselves in positon to make the tourney then it's about who stays hot all the way through it. If it does come down to the 6th seed again last week of the season...ok....the 6th seed has a hell of road in front of them if they want to win the tourney. Because you gotta play 3 tough games in order to win the District. That 2011 run in my own personal opinion was grind mode from start to finish, and one of the coolest things I've ever been apart of as a coach. Again, it's early...but if your giving out "hot hands" rewards two weeks into the season they go to Great Bridge and Hickory without a doubt.

You're point about who is hot at the end of the year is spot on, and similar to what I've been trying to convey.  It's a bit early to start talking about who may or may not finish in what place!  At the mid-way point last season, Great Bridge had already lost 4 district games, and I believe that Western Branch may have been undefeated (or maybe had 1 loss).   Their fortunes practically reversed in the 2nd half.  There is a long ways to go!

 

That said, Hickory has certainly been playing with a purpose.

Agree 100%, and your correct before we had left for FL in 2012 we were (8-0)...again I agree... end of second week going into 3rd doesn't have much meaning just yet.

I agree it's too early to predict what place teams will finish, but would love to read the rationale that it's more than 7 teams competing for 6 spots.

ir/gb moved to wed.

nr/kf moved to wed.

is GB @ WB still on for 5:30pm tonight ?

So far, it's still on.

Great Bridge 5, Western Branch 0

do u have the updates from the game

GB 5   WB 0

GB 5R, 8H  2 E

WB 0R, 2H, 0E

 

WB

#15  2 IP, 0B, 4H, 1K, 4R

#24  3 IP, 1BB, 3H, 0K, 1R

#11  2 IP, 1BB, 1H, 0K, 0R

 

GB

C.Jones  7 IP, 2BB, 2H, 10K, 0R

 

WB

#2, BB, HBP

#4, BB

#7 single

#24 single

 

GB

C.Hinkle 1-4, single

C.Cody  2-3, single, double, walk

T.Lane 1-4, single

C.Jones 1-2, single, walk, hbp

K.Mathews 1-4, 3-run hr

A.Newell  1-3, single

C.Higgerson  1-2, single

 

 

A good crowd out at the game tonight saw GB take control early in the first inning when GB put up 4 runs on 4 hits, 3 runs off a HR from Kyle Mathews to deep left field.  GB scored their 5th run in the 5th inning when C.Higgerson led off with a single, was moved to 3rd on two groundouts and scored on T.Lane's single.  C.Jones made the first inning HR stand up for the win as WB could not capitalize on 2 walks, 2 hbp and 2 infield singles over their 7 innings. 

Don't forget that the Regionals are not the same as they have been in the past.  The regular season is almost meaningless now other that setting you up for the state tournament conference games.

 

You could see scenarios where the Conference tournament has people holding pitching because they cannot improve their State Ranking for the State tournament.  For Example if GB locks in the 1 or 2 Seed in DIV 5 they may have no incentive to try to win a District Playoff game with Connor Jones becasue it doesn't get them anything.

 

Crazy but true.  Last year being the Number 2 from SED meant GB had an all or nothing game with Kellam in the Regional Semi and they lost a tough one. 

 

next yr is the year they go to conference tournaments!

Thats what i thought too, but i do agree with Luz that so far GB and Kellam appear to be a notch above the rest.

You are a year early!!! Everything remains the same as years past. New stuff doesn't kick in until 2014

QuadAAAA, I have a question??? How many hits has Conner given up and how many K's does he have?

nr/kf has been moved to nr!

GB 8   IR 6

Nrbb07 - I don't know what the official "school" book says nor have not seen all of his games this year, but the numbers as I know them are something like:  18 IP, 2 hits (could be 3 depending on the scorer), 30 k  0R

Nansemond River 6 Kings Fork 0

Who threw for NR?

He gave up 2 hits just the other night to WB, kid is a absolute stud! he will contribute immediately at UVA

Matt Boone.

big game today between nr/wb!

       
I'm not convinced its that big of a game, maybe the best matchup of the day.  Much like the Beach, the SED appears to be a race for 2nd place as GB dispatches each of the contenders with a large dose of Connor Jones (and its not even warm out yet).  While the loser will have a steeper hill to climb to get to 2nd place, they'll only be 2 games back with two-thirds of the season to go.

Thanks

 

WB/NR is by far the best game being played today! With that stated it should be a very good game to watch. Zach Rice should be on the hill and I'm assuming Rutherford would be on the hill for WB considering he was taken out in the first inning on Tuesday vs, GB. I feel like both teams are even. A lot of young kids on both sides, so the winner will be the team that makes fewest mistakes.

Should be interesting match up WB v NR, I would think the edge goes to NR if Rice does in fact pitch and that is if he can get some run support.