Nansemond River 8 Kings Fork 0... Kyle Moore 2 HR Zach Rice 5 IP 10 Ks...more later
I hear WB over GB in 8 innings
Western Branch 6, Great Bridge 5 in 8 innings. Shane Johnsonbaugh picked up his second win of the season, throwing innings 3-7. Garrett Brooks earned the save, sitting the side down in order. More on the game after dinner.
Not surprising, the GB / WB game was between two evenly matched teams. WB sent 39 batters to the plate; GB sent 38. Each team had 7 hits (or thereabouts depending upon your scoring judgment in a couple of situations) and each team committed 3 or so errors, again depending upon your scoring judgment.
WB struck “off the bat.” Lead-off batter Garrett Brooks opened the game with a double and promptly advanced to third with a steal. Kyle McPherson, the 2-hole hitter, drove Brooks in when he reached on an error. Bobby Barefoot plated McPherson with a sac fly. WB maintained its 2-0 lead until the bottom of the 2nd inning when Great Bridge’s bats came alive. GB scored 4 runs with the benefit of 2 walks and 3 hits , one each by Taylor Lane, Charlie Cody and Brian Beard. WB chinked at the lead when McPherson hit the first pitch of the 3rd inning for a homerun. GB added a run to their lead in the 4th, complements of 1 or 2 errors by WB’s infield. At the end of the 5th, GB led 5-3. In the top of the 6th, Grant Maiorana, who had reached on a BB, and Matt Roth, who had doubled, both came home to tie the game when Brooks reached on an infield error. Each team had a runner reach in the 7th but could not bring him home. With 2 outs in the top of the 8th, Brooks singled, stole second and reached home to score the winning run on McPherson’s single.
Items of note in the game:
Quite a number of sacrifices and attempted sacrifices. Matt Roth of WB executed 2 nice sac bunts, Bobby Barefoot hit a sacrifice fly. Great Bridge executed 4 sac bunts, three of which were by Todd, number 11. I don’t remember quite that many sac bunts in a single game between these two teams. And there were also failed attempts.
Game changing plays:
(1) Roth (WB's 9-hole hitter), who had executed sac bunts in his first two plate appearances, came to the plate in the bottom of the 6th, with 1 out, a runner at first and WB down 2. Many in the stands fully expected Roth to be called upon to bunt for a third time. Instead, he hit away, doubling, and later reaching home as the tying run. If you play out the inning and Roth executes a sac bunt for the second out, WB would have scored no runs that inning.
(2) With 2 outs in the bottom of the 6th, a tied ball game, and the 5-hole hitter at the plate, Cody tried to steal home for Great Bridge to score the go-ahead run. The umpire calls him out on the tag by the catcher. Did not hear a single person sitting behind home plate who shared the umpire's opinion.
Those with multiple hits were Brooks (2) and McPherson (2, including a home run) for WB and Cody (2) and #16 (2) for GB.
Pitching lines:
WB:
Bennett 2 innings, 4R, 4H, 0K, 3BB
Johnsonbaugh, 5 innings, 1R (UE), 3 (maybe 4) H, 5Ks, 2BB, 1HP, win (curve ball was really working)
Brooks, 1 inning, 0 R, 0 H, 1 K, 0 BB
GB:
Jones, Connor 5 1/3 innings, 3R, 4H, 5K, 2BB
Jones, Cooper 2 2/3 innings, 3R, 3H, 5K, 2BB
WB struck “off the bat.” Lead-off batter Garrett Brooks opened the game with a double and promptly advanced to third with a steal. Kyle McPherson, the 2-hole hitter, drove Brooks in when he reached on an error. Bobby Barefoot plated McPherson with a sac fly. WB maintained its 2-0 lead until the bottom of the 2nd inning when Great Bridge’s bats came alive. GB scored 4 runs with the benefit of 2 walks and 3 hits , one each by Taylor Lane, Charlie Cody and Brian Beard. WB chinked at the lead when McPherson hit the first pitch of the 3rd inning for a homerun. GB added a run to their lead in the 4th, complements of 1 or 2 errors by WB’s infield. At the end of the 5th, GB led 5-3. In the top of the 6th, Grant Maiorana, who had reached on a BB, and Matt Roth, who had doubled, both came home to tie the game when Brooks reached on an infield error. Each team had a runner reach in the 7th but could not bring him home. With 2 outs in the top of the 8th, Brooks singled, stole second and reached home to score the winning run on McPherson’s single.
Items of note in the game:
Quite a number of sacrifices and attempted sacrifices. Matt Roth of WB executed 2 nice sac bunts, Bobby Barefoot hit a sacrifice fly. Great Bridge executed 4 sac bunts, three of which were by Todd, number 11. I don’t remember quite that many sac bunts in a single game between these two teams. And there were also failed attempts.
Game changing plays:
(1) Roth (WB's 9-hole hitter), who had executed sac bunts in his first two plate appearances, came to the plate in the bottom of the 6th, with 1 out, a runner at first and WB down 2. Many in the stands fully expected Roth to be called upon to bunt for a third time. Instead, he hit away, doubling, and later reaching home as the tying run. If you play out the inning and Roth executes a sac bunt for the second out, WB would have scored no runs that inning.
(2) With 2 outs in the bottom of the 6th, a tied ball game, and the 5-hole hitter at the plate, Cody tried to steal home for Great Bridge to score the go-ahead run. The umpire calls him out on the tag by the catcher. Did not hear a single person sitting behind home plate who shared the umpire's opinion.
Those with multiple hits were Brooks (2) and McPherson (2, including a home run) for WB and Cody (2) and #16 (2) for GB.
Pitching lines:
WB:
Bennett 2 innings, 4R, 4H, 0K, 3BB
Johnsonbaugh, 5 innings, 1R (UE), 3 (maybe 4) H, 5Ks, 2BB, 1HP, win (curve ball was really working)
Brooks, 1 inning, 0 R, 0 H, 1 K, 0 BB
GB:
Jones, Connor 5 1/3 innings, 3R, 4H, 5K, 2BB
Jones, Cooper 2 2/3 innings, 3R, 3H, 5K, 2BB
great report wb reporter on the play at the play cody not only caught wb by surprised but also caught the ump by surprise as it was very clear cody was safe. however the middle infield of great bridge had a rough night also, but over all a very good game.
Hickory over Lakeland 16-3.
Lowery with 4 hits, 3 rbi's. Campbell with a HR and 3 rbi's.
Lowery with 4 hits, 3 rbi's. Campbell with a HR and 3 rbi's.
Kings Fork 0R 3H 3E 9LOB
Nansemond River 8R 9H 1E 1LOB
This was a 1-0 game after 3-1/2 innings. Each team had 1 hit apiece through 3 innings. In the bottom of the 4th, NR's Zach Vann hit a single to right field and wound up on third base on a two base error when the ball went through the right fielder's legs to the fence. Vann was then driven in by a Travis Johnson liner into left centerfield. NR DH Willie Gillus followed with a single and Kyle Moore's blast of a hanging curveball that hit near the top of the scoreboard in left center field for a 5-0 lead. In the 5th, Tyler Brown laid down a bunt single followed by Vann triple scoring Brown. Vann then scored on an errant throw to the plate for a 7-0 lead through 5. In the 6th, Moore sent his second HR of the game over the left centerfield fence.
NR Pitching:
Zach Rice (2-0) 5IP 0R 3H 10K 3BB
Colin O'Brien 1IP 0R 0H 0K 0BB
Travis Johnson 1IP 0R 0H 2K 1BB
KF Pitching:
#9 6IP 8R 9H 5K 0BB
NR Hitting:
Zach Vann 3-3, 3B, 2RBI 2 runs scored
Kyle Moore 2-3, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 runs scored
KF Hitting:
#2 2-3
#40 1-1, 2B
Nansemond River 8R 9H 1E 1LOB
This was a 1-0 game after 3-1/2 innings. Each team had 1 hit apiece through 3 innings. In the bottom of the 4th, NR's Zach Vann hit a single to right field and wound up on third base on a two base error when the ball went through the right fielder's legs to the fence. Vann was then driven in by a Travis Johnson liner into left centerfield. NR DH Willie Gillus followed with a single and Kyle Moore's blast of a hanging curveball that hit near the top of the scoreboard in left center field for a 5-0 lead. In the 5th, Tyler Brown laid down a bunt single followed by Vann triple scoring Brown. Vann then scored on an errant throw to the plate for a 7-0 lead through 5. In the 6th, Moore sent his second HR of the game over the left centerfield fence.
NR Pitching:
Zach Rice (2-0) 5IP 0R 3H 10K 3BB
Colin O'Brien 1IP 0R 0H 0K 0BB
Travis Johnson 1IP 0R 0H 2K 1BB
KF Pitching:
#9 6IP 8R 9H 5K 0BB
NR Hitting:
Zach Vann 3-3, 3B, 2RBI 2 runs scored
Kyle Moore 2-3, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 runs scored
KF Hitting:
#2 2-3
#40 1-1, 2B
My take on the GB/WB game is slightly different in that while WB played a very solid game, GB played a very sloppy game. I had WB with 2 errors and GB with 4.
WB executed their sacrfices, hit with 2 outs, and had 6 innings of very good relief pitching to pull out the win.
GB on the other hand looked sloppy like they did in the Hickory game. 4 of Wb's 6 runs were scored in innings with GB infield errors.
In the first inning, Brooks doubled and went to 3rd on a passed ball/wild pitch-take your pick. An error by short on McPherson's grounder led to the first run and then McPherson stole second. McPherson scored later, but McPherson's run was unearned.
GB was very lucky to dodge a bullet when back to back errors (e6 and e4) put two WB runners on in the 5th inning, but a caught stealing of 3rd contributed to no runs scoring.
Then as WB stated, in the 6th inning, two WB runners scored on an e4. One of these runs was also unearned run.
As far as clutch hitting, GB was 1 for 9 hitting with runners in scoring position and 2 out through the first 5 innings. That does not work long term.
Nice job by WB in playing good sound fundamental baseball, capitalizing on opportunities and giving themselves a chance to win. GB on the other hand beat themselves with poor defense and very few 2 out hits.
In terms of the errors, I do question using the regular left fielder (Beard) to play 2nd base yesterday. I don't know how much infield he has played, but in a big game like that with the regular second basemen out do to injury, I'm sure that call is going to be second guessed.
GB needs to solve their defensive concerns in the infield or IMO, many more games will be up for grabs.
WB executed their sacrfices, hit with 2 outs, and had 6 innings of very good relief pitching to pull out the win.
GB on the other hand looked sloppy like they did in the Hickory game. 4 of Wb's 6 runs were scored in innings with GB infield errors.
In the first inning, Brooks doubled and went to 3rd on a passed ball/wild pitch-take your pick. An error by short on McPherson's grounder led to the first run and then McPherson stole second. McPherson scored later, but McPherson's run was unearned.
GB was very lucky to dodge a bullet when back to back errors (e6 and e4) put two WB runners on in the 5th inning, but a caught stealing of 3rd contributed to no runs scoring.
Then as WB stated, in the 6th inning, two WB runners scored on an e4. One of these runs was also unearned run.
As far as clutch hitting, GB was 1 for 9 hitting with runners in scoring position and 2 out through the first 5 innings. That does not work long term.
Nice job by WB in playing good sound fundamental baseball, capitalizing on opportunities and giving themselves a chance to win. GB on the other hand beat themselves with poor defense and very few 2 out hits.
In terms of the errors, I do question using the regular left fielder (Beard) to play 2nd base yesterday. I don't know how much infield he has played, but in a big game like that with the regular second basemen out do to injury, I'm sure that call is going to be second guessed.
GB needs to solve their defensive concerns in the infield or IMO, many more games will be up for grabs.
OSCAR SMITH SCOREKEEPER GAME COMMENTARY:
Oscar Smith - 0 - 0 - 0 - 2 - 2 - 0 - 0 // 4 - 6 - 4
Grassfield … - 2 - 2 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 1 - x // 6 - 7 - 2
WP: Ziemke (1-1) LP: McNeil (2-1) SV: Read
A tale of two games... 5-0 GF first 3 innings, 4-1 OS over the last 4. The first 3 innings were rough for OS. Starting in the bottom of the first, after Read grounded out to 2B, Salladay singled to CF; then, moved all the way to 3B on 2 pitches in the dirt that got by the OS C. After a strikeout by Lowery, Burcham & Ellis both singled in runs with 2-outs on the board.
OS bats came out ice cold as they were shut down by Ziemke for the first 3 innings at the plate, going 9 up - 9 down with 5 Ks while taking good pitches and swinging at balls out of the zone.
The bottom of the second was the killer for OS as the inning began with White going from a 0-2 count to a walk. Bullock then hit a slow roller to 2B and the out could only be made at 1B (moving White to 2B). The next play was a key one in the game as Schneider singled to LF. The LF booted the ball; then, came up throwing to home. The ball was supposed to be cut; but instead, the ball not only got by the cutoff but got by the C as well.
If the ball had been fielded cleanly & or cut, the runners were going to stay at 1st & 3rd. Instead, one run scored & Schneider ends up at 3B. Read promptly grounds to SS, knocking in Schneider on what could have possibly been an inning-ending double play with no runs scored. Now, it is 4-0 Grassfield after 2.
The bottom of the 3rd the inning began with an error at SS on a ground ball by Lowery. He went to 2B on a wild pitch; then, to third on an errant pickoff at 2B. Burcham singled him in to make it 5-0 Grassfield; however, the inning ended with Smith's 2B Lorkiewicz ('12) making a sliding catch in RF which seemed to turn on some kind of switch for the team.
Lorkiewicz proceeded to hit the first pitch of the 4th to CF for a single. After a Loudon ('13) strikeout, Conner Smith ('13) hits into what would be a tailor-made double play, but the ball went through the 2B’s legs into right, putting runners on 1st & 3rd with 1 out. A wild pitch brought Lorkiewicz home; then, Conner Smith stole third. After a Packert ('15) strikeout, Grawey ('15) singled to CF to bring in Smith’s 2nd run. McNeil ('12) followed with a single, but the runners were stranded.
Grassfield went groundout, K, K in the bottom of the 4th to make it 5-2 Grassfield after 4.
OS’s top of the 5th started groundout, fly out before Lorkiewicz singled to LF & stole 2B. After a Loudon walk, Conner Smith singled to RF scoring the run. After a Packert walk, the lefty Grawey hit a spinner at the GF 3B which he fumbled and couldn't make the play at first, scoring the 4th run for OS. Ziemke got McNeil to strikeout with the bases loaded to end it. The score, 5-4 Grassfield going into the bottom of the 5th.
On the very first pitch in the bottom of the 5th, McNeil hits Salladay. Lowery sacs him to second; then, Burcham singles to LF but the runner stays at third. N. Ellis hits the very first pitch he sees into CF to knock in the 6th and final run of the day for GF. Lex ('13) relieved McNeil and walked the bases loaded. Then, freshman reliever Packert came in and got White to ground to 3B, with Scianna ('14) making the force out at home. Bullock then flew out to LF to end the threat.
Smith thought they had their leadoff on in the 6th on a slow roller to SS Read, but Damewood ('14) was called out on a play that made that whole side of the park scream immediately (nice pick by 1B White on the play). Johnston ('13) then reached by error, went to 2B on a blocked pitch, tried to do it again at 3B but was easily thrown out by Ellis to end the inning.
Packert struck out 2 of 3 batters in the bottom of the 6th to keep it a 2-run game. But, OS ended the game with groundout, groundout, single, and a K.
SMITH:
Lorkiewicz: 2-4, 2R, SB
Loudon: 0-3, R, BB
C. Smith: 2-4, R, RBI, SB
Grawey: 1-3, RBI
McNeil: 1-3 / 4.1IP, 7H, 6R, 4ER, 1BB, 4K
Packert: 1.2IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
GRASSFIELD:
Read: 0-4, RBI / 2IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
Salladay: 1-3, R, HBP
Lowery: 0-2, R, SAC
Burcham: 3-3, R, 2RBI, 3SB
Ellis: 2-3, 2RBI
White: 0-2, R, BB
Schneider: 1-3, R, RBI
Ziemke: 5IP, 5H, 4R, 1ER, 2BB, 8K
Oscar Smith - 0 - 0 - 0 - 2 - 2 - 0 - 0 // 4 - 6 - 4
Grassfield … - 2 - 2 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 1 - x // 6 - 7 - 2
WP: Ziemke (1-1) LP: McNeil (2-1) SV: Read
A tale of two games... 5-0 GF first 3 innings, 4-1 OS over the last 4. The first 3 innings were rough for OS. Starting in the bottom of the first, after Read grounded out to 2B, Salladay singled to CF; then, moved all the way to 3B on 2 pitches in the dirt that got by the OS C. After a strikeout by Lowery, Burcham & Ellis both singled in runs with 2-outs on the board.
OS bats came out ice cold as they were shut down by Ziemke for the first 3 innings at the plate, going 9 up - 9 down with 5 Ks while taking good pitches and swinging at balls out of the zone.
The bottom of the second was the killer for OS as the inning began with White going from a 0-2 count to a walk. Bullock then hit a slow roller to 2B and the out could only be made at 1B (moving White to 2B). The next play was a key one in the game as Schneider singled to LF. The LF booted the ball; then, came up throwing to home. The ball was supposed to be cut; but instead, the ball not only got by the cutoff but got by the C as well.
If the ball had been fielded cleanly & or cut, the runners were going to stay at 1st & 3rd. Instead, one run scored & Schneider ends up at 3B. Read promptly grounds to SS, knocking in Schneider on what could have possibly been an inning-ending double play with no runs scored. Now, it is 4-0 Grassfield after 2.
The bottom of the 3rd the inning began with an error at SS on a ground ball by Lowery. He went to 2B on a wild pitch; then, to third on an errant pickoff at 2B. Burcham singled him in to make it 5-0 Grassfield; however, the inning ended with Smith's 2B Lorkiewicz ('12) making a sliding catch in RF which seemed to turn on some kind of switch for the team.
Lorkiewicz proceeded to hit the first pitch of the 4th to CF for a single. After a Loudon ('13) strikeout, Conner Smith ('13) hits into what would be a tailor-made double play, but the ball went through the 2B’s legs into right, putting runners on 1st & 3rd with 1 out. A wild pitch brought Lorkiewicz home; then, Conner Smith stole third. After a Packert ('15) strikeout, Grawey ('15) singled to CF to bring in Smith’s 2nd run. McNeil ('12) followed with a single, but the runners were stranded.
Grassfield went groundout, K, K in the bottom of the 4th to make it 5-2 Grassfield after 4.
OS’s top of the 5th started groundout, fly out before Lorkiewicz singled to LF & stole 2B. After a Loudon walk, Conner Smith singled to RF scoring the run. After a Packert walk, the lefty Grawey hit a spinner at the GF 3B which he fumbled and couldn't make the play at first, scoring the 4th run for OS. Ziemke got McNeil to strikeout with the bases loaded to end it. The score, 5-4 Grassfield going into the bottom of the 5th.
On the very first pitch in the bottom of the 5th, McNeil hits Salladay. Lowery sacs him to second; then, Burcham singles to LF but the runner stays at third. N. Ellis hits the very first pitch he sees into CF to knock in the 6th and final run of the day for GF. Lex ('13) relieved McNeil and walked the bases loaded. Then, freshman reliever Packert came in and got White to ground to 3B, with Scianna ('14) making the force out at home. Bullock then flew out to LF to end the threat.
Smith thought they had their leadoff on in the 6th on a slow roller to SS Read, but Damewood ('14) was called out on a play that made that whole side of the park scream immediately (nice pick by 1B White on the play). Johnston ('13) then reached by error, went to 2B on a blocked pitch, tried to do it again at 3B but was easily thrown out by Ellis to end the inning.
Packert struck out 2 of 3 batters in the bottom of the 6th to keep it a 2-run game. But, OS ended the game with groundout, groundout, single, and a K.
SMITH:
Lorkiewicz: 2-4, 2R, SB
Loudon: 0-3, R, BB
C. Smith: 2-4, R, RBI, SB
Grawey: 1-3, RBI
McNeil: 1-3 / 4.1IP, 7H, 6R, 4ER, 1BB, 4K
Packert: 1.2IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
GRASSFIELD:
Read: 0-4, RBI / 2IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
Salladay: 1-3, R, HBP
Lowery: 0-2, R, SAC
Burcham: 3-3, R, 2RBI, 3SB
Ellis: 2-3, 2RBI
White: 0-2, R, BB
Schneider: 1-3, R, RBI
Ziemke: 5IP, 5H, 4R, 1ER, 2BB, 8K
WB Reporter and Quad AAAA,
I have a different perspective. Defense is part of baseball. We tend to forget about or ignore it, but it often means the difference between winning and losing or good teams and average teams. We don't like to talk or read about it. (Please see thesportsattorney's posting on the OS-WB game. Sorry, I could not resist!) But, it is an overlooked and underappreciated component of the game. Knew a coach who would not allow players to bring a bat to the first week or so of practice. Rather, he began with how to grip the ball, catching with two hands (what?), base running, fielding, etc. No one was spared, not even outfielders. Sadly, I have forgotten his name, but I can still hear him say, "pair your hands."
I have a different perspective. Defense is part of baseball. We tend to forget about or ignore it, but it often means the difference between winning and losing or good teams and average teams. We don't like to talk or read about it. (Please see thesportsattorney's posting on the OS-WB game. Sorry, I could not resist!) But, it is an overlooked and underappreciated component of the game. Knew a coach who would not allow players to bring a bat to the first week or so of practice. Rather, he began with how to grip the ball, catching with two hands (what?), base running, fielding, etc. No one was spared, not even outfielders. Sadly, I have forgotten his name, but I can still hear him say, "pair your hands."
However, defense doesn’t count when the “coaches” are selecting the 1st team/2nd team “honors.” It only comes down to the inflated batting average.
GF, how true. Have previously posted last few years that the coaches should not bother with a post season meeting to identify their all district selections. Just send in the batting averages. No reason to consider fielding, base running, etc. Defense is only noticed when you lose a game or someone openly criticizes your defense.
quote:Originally posted by QuadAAAA:
My take on the GB/WB game is slightly different in that while WB played a very solid game, GB played a very sloppy game.
. . . In terms of the errors, I do question using the regular left fielder (Beard) to play 2nd base yesterday. I don't know how much infield he has played, but in a big game like that with the regular second basemen out do to injury, I'm sure that call is going to be second guessed.
GB needs to solve their defensive concerns in the infield or IMO, many more games will be up for grabs.
I have heard that a Great Bridge JV player has been called up to play SS and that the young man who has been playing SS will move over to 2nd base. We'll see if that is the case in today's game.