Southeastern District Games: March 28-April 2 (Week 3)

Doesn't look good for Monday!

Monster week and maybe the best of the season.

The contenders all play at least one game against each other while GB, GF, NR and Hickory all have 2 or 3 games vs the top of the standings. Things will shake out if the weather cooperates.

IR and OS need to get righted this week or they may find themselves in a hole they cannot dig themselves out of to make the playoffs.

GB v NR should be a good one. NR has a chance to give themselves the inside track with a win. If GB gets the W expect them to get past DC and a possibly pitching depleted Hickory playing it's 3rd game in 5 days.

Hickory has the toughest week by far. A 1-2 or 0-3 week probably knocks them out of the title chase.

If GF holds Ingrahm for WB we could get a duel with Thompson which could remind us of last year.

I Luv it!

quote:

Originally posted by luv baseball:
If GF holds Ingrahm for WB . . .

Grassfield's pitching decision is compounded by the fact that the following Tuesday Grassfield plays Nansemond River. So their 3-game stretch is Hickory (Tues), Western Branch (Fri) and Nansemond River (Tues). And I am betting on Mother Nature, with all the "rain likely" or "possible rain" days, to make the schedule worse.

WB,
Thanks for adding the runs scored and runs against.
It adds another layer of information to the standings and as baseball fans know, you can't get enough of the data.

Another measure is run differential (if my math is correct). While it does not necessarily predict future outcomes, it is usually a good indicator of winning versus losing records.

Nansemond River +23
Great Bridge +19
Grassfield +11
Western Branch +29
Hickory + 4
Deep Creek - 7
Kings Fork - 7
Lakeland -23
Oscar Smith -27
Indian River -21

quote:

Originally posted by El gato:
Another measure is run differential (if my math is correct). While it does not necessarily predict future outcomes, it is usually a good indicator of winning versus losing records.

Nansemond River +23
Great Bridge +19
Grassfield +11
Western Branch +29
Hickory + 4
Deep Creek - 7
Kings Fork - 7
Lakeland -23
Oscar Smith -27
Indian River -21

This indicator really means nothing until each team has played each other at least once. Many teams have had a weaker schedule thus far.

As far as Hickory goes, they've been 'pitching by committee' with only one outing with a pitcher that went beyond 2 innings. This has served them well so far, and if they continue to win like this they should be fine for Friday and Saturday.

El Gato and Diamond Stalker, I started to add a column with average run differential because the teams have not all played the same number of games. But for that reason, and for the reason given by Diamond Stalker (not every team has played each other), I did not do so. I might add that column at the end of the first half, when every team should have played each other. Another interesting stat is the number of homeruns which have been hit by the teams but one has to rely upon that having been reported either here or in the Pilot and, again, not every team has played each other.

Smith at Creek rescheduled again... this time for Wed. March 30th. 90% chance of rain Wed, 30% chance Thu, and 50% chance of Friday... should make for an interesting couple of weeks ahead.

Diamond..I am confused. Hickory has 7 or 8 pithers that will give them 21 innings 2 or 3 at a time?

quote:

Originally posted by luv baseball:
Diamond..I am confused. Hickory has 7 or 8 pithers that will give them 21 innings 2 or 3 at a time?

That's what they've been doing LB. 3 or 4, even 5 pitchers each game.

LB, Diamond Stalker's comments ring true with Hickory's approach to their game with Western Branch.

Hickory threw 5 different pitchers at WB. The starting pitcher, Ryan Blake, did really well the first time through the lineup, facing 11 batters in 3 innings (0 runs). It was his second time through the WB batting order in the 4th that WB starting getting hits, scoring 2 runs on him. The second pitcher, Tyler Best, who started the 5th, faced 4 batters, allowing no runs, his first inning of work but had trouble finding the strike zone in his second inning of work when he gave 3 free passes followed by a double. He was relieved by #24 who faced 3 batters getting 2 outs and giving up 1 hit, a home run. Evan McCloud started the 7th, giving up 3 runs (all unearned) but should have been out of there with no runs and facing only 4 batters. (Lead off batter reached on an outfielder's error.) The last pitcher, #23, the 5th pitcher of the game, faced one batter to obtain the 3rd out in the top of the 7th.

Now, at least a couple of the pitchers are not traditional pitchers - they had not pitched in high school before - but they are stepping up to help their team where it has a need. Kudos to the coach for trying to develop more pitchers instead of wearing out the arm(s) of the traditional pitcher(s)the team has, as occurs at some other schools.

Grassfield 3 Hickory 1 (Grassfield is still the stingiest with allowing runs.)
Great Bridge 7 Nansemond River 1
Western Branch 12 King's Fork 1

Great Bridge 7 Runs 9 Hits 1 Error 9 LOB
Nansemond River 1 R 4 Hits 1 Error 5 LOB

Great Bridge broke the game open in the bottom half of the 2nd inning sending 11 batters to the plate. After a leadoff walk GB had 3 consecutive hits followed by an NR error before River finally recorded 2 outs on a ground ball to short. GB wasn't done however, scoring 2 more runs on 2 more hits before NR ended the frame down 5-0. In the bottom of the 3rd, GB chased starter Josh Howard after a triple by #8 CF (name?) cleared the bases for a 7-0 lead. NR lefty pitchers Zach Rice and Dylan Roach held GB hitless the rest of the game.

#33 Connor (Jones?) went 6 innings giving up just 2 hits while striking out 3, he was followed by #16 in the 7th. #8 CF led the attack for GB going 3 for 4 with a single, double, and triple a run scored and 3 RBIs. GB 1st baseman #13 was 2 for 3 with 2 runs scored and an RBI.

#8 CF is Jimmy Cody
#33 RHP is Connor Jones

----------1--2--3--4--5--6--7---R--H--E
Lakeland--0--0--1--0--0--0--0---1--0--3
O Smith---2--0--1--0--2--0--X---5--6--2

WP: Troy Applin (1-2) LP: L. Smith

For Lakeland - Top 1st after 2 outs to start game Waterfield gets HBP, Bennett gets BB, they move up a base on a wild pickoff attempt at 2B, but end up being the only runners LOB for Lakeland. In the 3rd inning T. Quintana leads off with a slow roller to SS where the SS is slow getting the ball out of his glove (double clutch), still a bang-bang play at first and he is called safe. A swinging bunt up 1st baseline moves Quintana to 2nd, passed-ball moves him to third, then a slow rolling groundout to 3rd scores the runner. Lakeland starter Lance Smith pitched fairly well, going 4+ innings, allowing just 3 hits & 1 earned run before allowing 3 hits & 2 runs to start the 5th. N. Meeks relived & tossed 2 no-hit, shutout innings, striking out 2.

For OS - Troy Applin & Caleb Ferrell combine for a no-hitter, while walking just 1 & striking out 8. Applin did it all tonight, tossing 6 great innings, making 3 fantastic plays defensively on the mound, then going 2-for-3 with a double off the top of the fence in LF, scoring 3 runs, and stealing 3 bases to help his own cause. Ferrell scored the other two runs for Smith. The team recorded 15 consecutive outs to end the game.

Applin - 6 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K - 2-3, 2B, 3 R, 2 SB
Ferrell - IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K - 1-3, 2 R, RBI, SB
Tim Brock - 1-3, 2B, RBI
Michael Foreman - 1-2, RBI, BB
Conner Smith - 1-3, RBI

Indian River 9, Deep Creek 5. Deep Creek was leading 5-4 going into the top of the 7th when Indian River scored 5 to take the lead and hold it.

GB looks like a solid winner today. Conner Jones is giving them strong innings against good teams. Assuming that continues that makes them much tougher.

Did Ingraham go for GF? Sounds like the new coach at Hickory might be experimenting a little to see if he can't turn up some new arms or limit them to one trip through the order. When Leighten gets back on the hill he'll give them a good #1 and if one or two of these others work out they could have pretty deep pitching at seasons end.

One other quick thought. I am glad they opened up the playoffs to 6 teams. The race for the top four slots might be over very soon but now everyone is still in the hunt. Much better deal.

Luv BB, It was reported to me that Ingrahm pitched the game for Grassfield and that Leighton was pitching in the 6th for Hickory. Blake had pitched earlier for Hickory.

Western Branch 12, King's Fork 1.
Shane Johnsonbaugh pitched 3 scoreless innings, in a shortened game, to pick up his first win of the season. Although Noah Johnson and Nick Ramos opened the game with two consecutive singles, King’s Fork was unable to score in the top of the first. Garrett Brooks led off Western Branch’s half of the first inning with a triple, followed by four additional hits, a hit batter and two errors (not in that order), resulting in 7 runs. Western Branch added 3 more runs in the second and 2 runs in the third. King’s Fork scored its only run (unearned) in the top of the 4th. Danny Gromkoski reached on an error, was advanced by JT Wilson’s infield hit and scored when Matt Hommell doubled. Western Branch had 10 hits for the game, with Kenny Cassidy (2-2) and Brandon Doggett (2-3, both doubles) leading the way.

GF at HH

Jason Inghram pitched a complete game giving up 1 run, HBP, 10ks, on 6 hits.
Ryan Blake pitched 5 innings giving up 2 runs, 3BB, 2ks, on 3 hits.
TJ Lighton pitched 2 innings giving up1unearned run, 2ks, on 2 hits.

Notables: Zack Niece 2 for 2, Nykolai Ellis 2 for 3 (2b, HR) and batted in all 3 runs.

quote:

Originally posted by GF:
Nykolai Ellis 2 for 3 (2b, HR) and batted in all 3 runs.

Nykolai looked very comfortable at the plate yesterday. He had a good game.

The Deep Creek / Oscar Smith game rescheduled for today has been rescheduled again to April 13.

Wb reporter,im sure all games will be cancelled tommorrow.

quote:

Originally posted by ofs10:
Wb reporter,im sure all games will be cancelled tommorrow.

Maybe. It may depend upon how soaked the fields are already. Although rain is in the forecast, it is not supposed to be much, less than 1/2 inch. Here is the current NOAA weather forecast for Chesapeake:

Late Afternoon: Rain. High near 50. North wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Tonight: Rain, mainly before 2am. Low around 39. Calm wind becoming northwest around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Friday: A slight chance of showers before noon. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 59. West wind between 7 and 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

I see TJ Lighton pitched a couple of innings for Hickory Tuesday. If he's recovered and near his normal level it's a good time for it.

i betcha fields are soaked with the rain yesterday and today.

ofs10, You won the bet on Western Branch at Grassfield. Rescheduled to Monday, April 4.

That almost guarantees Ingrham vs Thompson in what has to be one of the best pitching matchups the SED has to offer.

Saturday's Hickory vs. GB has been rescheduled for Monday, April 4

luvbaseball, if the projected matchup next Monday is half as good as the Cox-Thompson matchup last year, it will be well worth the price of admission.

What happens if the field is not playable on Monday? Do they play the regularly scheduled Tuesday game first, and then play the rainout after Tuesday's game?

Yes, you always play the regular scheduled game as is and then the make-up game the next available day.

The Hickory / Nansemond River game scheduled for tonight has been postponed.