Southeastern District Games: May 9-14 (Week 9)

While the first five spots seem set (but not the order), the sixth spot is up for grabs. Deep Creek has a head to head battle with Indian River (on an unknown date), but gets Great Bridge and Hickory later in the week. Ouch!

Deep creek is at indian river tonight!indian river also has lakeland and kings this week!

Indian River 10-3 over deep creek

So which team, Hickory or Grassfield, will potentially be without a coach and player tomorrow night after last friday night's ejections?

Grassfield should be missing their head coach and their SS.

quote:

Originally posted by redbird5:
Grassfield should be missing their head coach and their SS.

So I have heard. Unless they successfully appealed it according to the VHSL rules mentioned in another thread.

Wonder if the six teams for the SED post season tournament have been determined with Indian River's defeat of Deep Creek last night? Although currently tied, Deep Creek has Great Bridge, Hickory, Nansemond River and Grassfield to play while Indian River has Lakeland, Kings Fork, Western Branch and Oscar Smith.

Oscar Smith 15 kings fork 3

Hickory 4 Nansemond River 1

Nansemond River 1 R 6 H 6 LOB
Hickory 4 R 8 H 5 LOB

Ryan Blake threw a complete game giving up 1 run while scattering 6 hits and striking out 6. He kept NR hitters off balance the whole game. NR was able to get runners into scoring position 5 times in the game, and each time Blake stranded them. Evan McCloud gathered 3 of Hickory's 8 hits and Zach Neice had a 2 RBI single that scored 2 in the first inning that proved to be all the run support Blake would need.

Tyler Brown went the distance for Nansemond River giving up 4 runs on 8 hits while striking out 4. Hayden Champigny accounted for 2 of NR's 6 hits including his 3rd HR of the year.

GAME: KF vs. OS * 5/10/11 @ OS Field *

Cols: // 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 // R H E //
_________________________________________________
KF // 3 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 // 3 5 5 //
_________________________________________________
OS // 3 / 2 / 3 / 7 / - // 15 12 3 //
_________________________________________________

WP: M. FOREMAN - LP: D. GROMKOSKI

GAME STATS/ACCOLADES:
Troy APPLIN, Tim BROCK & David LOUDON combined for 6 hits out of 7 at bats, scored 7 runs & had 7 RBIs.
Kings Fork's 3 runs were all unearned! Oscar Smith had 12 hits in 23 at bats (.522) & 10 earned runs!

Western Branch 1, Grassfield 0.

Both pitchers, Andre Ovalle and Nick Thompson, threw well, allowing 5 hits and 4 hits respectively. Ovalle worked out of a bases loaded, no outs, jam in the first with a timely 5-2-3 double play and a groundout. Kyle Walker and Jason Ingrahm, for Grassfield, were stranded at third, in the 2nd and 7th innings, respectively, with two outs when Thompson struck out the batter on both occasions to end the threat. While WB managed 5 hits, 3 of them occurred in the bottom of the 7th. Bobby Barefoot led off with a double to right center. He advanced to third on Alex Hunt’s line drive off the tip of the short stop’s glove. Grassfield elected to intentionally walk Shane Johnsonbaugh to load the bases (with no outs). On the 7th pitch of his at bat, Brandon Doggett laced a 2-2 pitch to centerfield to drive in Barefoot, the game’s only run.

Nykolai Ellis, Kyle Walker, Dean Lowery and Jason Ingrahm each singled for Grassfield.

Garrett Brooks, Kyle McPherson, Brandon Doggett and Alex Hunt each singled for Western Branch and Barefoot doubled.

Indian River 11 - Lakeland 0

Given the remaining schedule, it looks like Indian River will be the sixth team in the tournament, and the Grassfield-Nansemond River game on Friday will determine the third vs. fourth spot in the tournament.

10-0 grassfield over oscar smith matt outman threw a no hitter!

OS-GF game was a lot closer than the score indicated. Troy Applin(?) pitched a great game, allowing only 5 hits. Matt Outman had 13k’s 2bb’s in 6 innings. Hits from GF; Ryan Bermister, Nykolai Ellis (2 hits, IW), Kyle Walker (1 hit, 2bb’s), Danny M.

quote:

Originally posted by El gato:
Given the remaining schedule, it looks like Indian River will be the sixth team in the tournament, and the Grassfield-Nansemond River game on Friday will determine the third vs. fourth spot in the tournament.

El gato, If Wb beats Gb this wednesday, that makes a tie for 1st place. I would think having that bye into regionals would make this game, a game to watch!

= DON’T BELIEVE THE NEWSPAPER STATS =

GAME: OS vs. GF * 5/12/11 @ Harbor Park *

Cols: // 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 // R H E //
_______________________________________________________
OS // 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 // 0 0 7 //
_______________________________________________________
GF // 6 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 1 / 2 // 10 5 0 //
_______________________________________________________

WP: M. OUTMAN - LP: T. APPLIN

NOTES:
(1) Grassfield’s Matt OUTMAN pitched a 13-strikeout masterpiece, successfully striking out all but 1 OS starter! His only 2 base-runners were via 2 walks in the 2nd inning!
(2) Only the final 2 runs for GF were earned.
(3) In the bottom of the 6th, with the runners at 2nd & 3rd & 2 out, up 7 to 0 in a no-hit game, GF Head Coach Sean TODD committed the most egregious & disgraceful act, meant only to embarrass & humiliate OS, by having the 3rd base runner steal home! MISSION ACCOMPLISHED … totally classless & completely unnecessary!!! (By the way, the batter at the plate K’d for GF’s 3rd consecutive K of the inning!)
(4) Also, to top it off, a Grassfield fan proudly wore a t-shirt emblazoned with “OSCAR Who?” … I hope he thinks it was worth the expenditure enough to wear it to all GF games! It’s seems utterly incredible to me that someone would brazenly show such utter disrespect/insensitivity for another team down on their luck; evidently, sportsmanship/common decency/courtesy are absolutely foreign to some people’s psyche!

I attended the game and, as indicated by my moniker, have no dog in the fight. I agree that the shirt lacked sportsmanship, as did the teenage male sitting on the first base line whose mouth was finally shut when an adult chastised him. However, I doubt the strategy of stealing home was meant to embarass OS, but instead was intended to shorten the game. Stealing home is a (rare) part of the game and, given that there is a 10-run mercy rule and Grassfield otherwise would have to use 34 innings of pitching in an 8-day stretch, the coach was smart to try to shorten the game and save pitching. The batter at the plate K'ing for the last out just proves the saviness of the steal; the coach managed to produce a run that otherwise would not have been scored, a run closer to the 10-run rule and less innings.

I was not at the game but looking at the newspaper and reading the comments posted I have to agree with WBreporter. I don't see the injustice. Why would any coach let up with the game still in reach for his opponent. You said the score was 7-0 at that point and I've seen that OS can score 7 or more in one inning, and anything can happen in a hs baseball game even with the no hitter. So Coach Todd is looking more like a genius to me... as for the fan with the t-shirt, I give him points for originality...

RESPONSE TO WB Reporter:

I'm sorry but I totally disagree with your logic. I understand what you say about GF's pitching dilemma caused through no fault of OS & the desire to shorten the game due the 10-run Mercy Rule... but, with Matt OUTMAN's superlative pitching and his obvious unavailability for Friday's game against NR, there was no need for such a disgraceful act by Coach TODD in this particular situation! Would you have OS give up & walk off the field in order to help out GF's pitching woes? I think not! This rarely used baseball strategy should be used in a tight-game where winning is the ultimate object. NO,in this game, this situation, it was innappropriate & totally uncalled for! STRICTLY MY OPINION ...

RESPONSE TO BigPapi76:

Just my opinion, but disrepectful fans are unwelcome at any event & should NOT be glorified for their actions ... ever! I was raised to be respectful of others & am proud of my parents for ingraining the golden rule into my psyche! DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU and the world will be a much better place for everyone in it!!! Again, strictly my opinion ...

ofs10, one team just outplayed the other... no wrong doing was done... stop crying!

quote:

Originally posted by El gato:
Given the remaining schedule, it looks like Indian River will be the sixth team in the tournament, and the Grassfield-Nansemond River game on Friday will determine the third vs. fourth spot in the tournament.

If Hickory wins out the rest of the way there very well may be a tie for 4th place with either Grassfield or NR. Hickory is 1-1 against both teams.

quote:

Originally posted by Diamond Stalker:
If Hickory wins out the rest of the way there very well may be a tie for 4th place with either Grassfield or NR. Hickory is 1-1 against both teams.

True, but what difference would it make if Hickory were 4th or 5th, where they are now? It would still be the same matchup. Last year, in a 4-team tournament, it would have made a difference.

quote:

Originally posted by WB Reporter:

quote:

Originally posted by Diamond Stalker:
If Hickory wins out the rest of the way there very well may be a tie for 4th place with either Grassfield or NR. Hickory is 1-1 against both teams.

True, but what difference would it make if Hickory were 4th or 5th, where they are now? It would still be the same matchup. Last year, in a 4-team tournament, it would have made a difference.

The difference would be that the 5th place team will have to face the 2nd place team which will be either GB or WB and since the 2nd place team does not have the automatic bid to the regional tournament they might be the toughest team to beat!

Diamond Stalker, WB Reporter and Big Papi,
I agree Hickory has certainly come on as of late. They should be congratulated for their efforts.
Do not see much difference with fourth or fifth place (except home team in first round of playoffs). Real difference will come in the next round assuming Hickory prevails in the first round. Who would they rather face, GB or WB? Pick your poison!

OFS10, the steal of home is a "rarely used baseball strategy" not because the big boys don't want to hurt the feelings of the other team, but because it is difficult to execute. One might want to say "hat's off" to Grassfield for successfully executing the steal. If Applin's pitch had been a smidgeon quicker to the plate, it might very well have been an out, instead of a run, and OS would have been elated.

This discussion reminds me of a game my son played in 15 years ago when he was 10. It was a Mustang game, son's team was way down (it was a 15-run rule.) The third base coach of the opposing team (a high school JV coach at the time)kept sending runners to steal home and kept bunting. Son's team was failing miserably in defending both the steal and the bunt. It infuriated some of our parents but not me. I saw it as a learning opportunity. My son's coach should have used it to teach his team how to defend both the bunt and the steal home. You said, in one of your postings above, that the steal of home should be used in a tight game. What better preparation than practicing a strategy in a nontight game so that it can be better executed in a tight game? OS coach should use it as a training opportunity so it does not happen again.

I think at this point we will just have to agree to disagree.

quote:

Originally posted by BigPapi76:The difference would be that the 5th place team will have to face the 2nd place team which will be either GB or WB and since the 2nd place team does not have the automatic bid to the regional tournament they might be the toughest team to beat!

BigPapi, How do you get that? Do you know something about the seedings that we don't know? It was my understanding that 1 and 2 have byes. #3 plays #6 and #4 plays #5. I am assuming, but don't know, that the winner of #3 versus #6 (which would be assumed to be #3) would play the #2 team and the winner of #4 and #5 would play the #1 team because that would give #1 a lower seeded team to play. Either way, whether Hickory is #4 or #5, it plays out the same. Anyone know something different about the seedings?

My bad... I was told the matchups were #1 vs #6, #2 vs #5 and #3 vs #4... I guess I got bad info... anyone know the SED playoff format?

Believe WB has the right matchups (3v6 and 4v5). Depending on the outcome of two key matchups, Grassfield v. Nansemond River and Western Branch v. Great Bridge, we should know the seeding. My crystal ball tells me the winner of the Grassfield-Nansemond River game will play Indian River, and the loser of the game will play Hickory. Don't have a clue about WB v. GB except WB needs to beat GB twice to claim first place. Otherwise, GB will be first, and WB second.

District Tourney Schedule:

MON May 23rd
3 vs. 6 @ 5:30
4 vs. 5 @ 8:00
WED May 25th
1 vs 4/5 winner @ 5:30
2 vs 3/6 winner @ 8:00
THU May 26th
Championship Game @ 6:00

Being seeded 4 or 5 doesn't matter. It will require 3 wins to advance to Regional. However, being seeded 3 or 4 is huge. The 3 (or 6) seed may only have to win two games to advance assuming the 1 advances to Championship game. Not that it either route is easy, but potentially having to go through 1 and 2 rather than just knocking off the 2 to advance seems very unlikely.

As for stealing home with a 7 run lead. Let me offer my perspective. Earlier this season, Nansemond River led Deep Creek 6-0 thru 4 innings. The team appeared to relax. A pitching change, 3 consecutive walks, untimely errors, and timely Deep Creek hitting led to 8 runs in the bottom of the 5th. Nansemond River was not able to turn it back on and lost the game 8-6. That game could prove crucial in their district tourney seeding. So stealing home with a 7 run lead isn't rubbing it in. If it were 13-0 you would have a point.

Don't have a dog in the fight (I am a Hickory fan). But I seem to remember that Indian River did the same exact thing (stealing home/ Leland Clemmons) against who... Grassfield, where... at Harbor Park last year in the lop-sided victory of IR over GF.

Playing for the 10 run rule (when given the opportunity) at any level is not unheard of in order to save pitching/ arms (just my opinion), especially this late in the season.

Go Dawgs, Thanks for the tournament schedule. Agree that the difference in being 3rd or 4th is huge. That is why tonight's game of Nansemond River vs Grassfield is the game of the week. I wish the other SED games were not going on at the same time.

In defense of ofs10's comments, I believe good sportsmanship should always be the top priority of any coach's decision on and off the field. Obviously, the objective is to win the game ... without a doubt! But, any and all actions have their consequences ... both good and bad. And, it has always been a pet peeve of mine that fan support should not be derogatory or degrading towards the opposing team or players but soley limited to cheering and applauding your own team and players.

Grassfield displayed their superior talent against a weaker opponent and deserve accolades for their accomplishment! In 2 games this year GF has outscored OS 21-0, complemented with a no-hitter by Matt Outman in this game.

Actions speak louder than words ... and, I'm a steadfast beleiver that good sportsmanship should be the focus of all actions by coaches and players on the field and by spectators and fans in the stands! Inappropriate actions should never ever be praised, applauded, condoned or otherwise exhalted in any way!!!

OS Never stood a chance...bad coaching decisions from before the game ended any chance they had

Winning is the ultimate object....OS is players are not coached well and as such is susceptible to such things....Grassfield Coach saw an opportunity and took it...BTW this has happened to OS before...the Grassfield coach is correct in playing to win, he is training his players to win by putting an inferior team away..

By the way, Applin pitched a great game and while OS would have probably lost the score would have been more respectable..OFS10 should look to place blame where it should be placed...coaching....Most OS games are lost before they even are started.

Nansemond River 1, Grassfield 0
Western Branch 8, Oscar Smith 0

I think for people to say that Oscar Smith is loosing because of Coach Bowles is crazy and shows a real lack of knowledge. All you have to do is look at what he did with Greenbrier Post 280 to see the guy can coach. He guided that team to heights very few teams get to play. There are many reasons for a team to have an unsuccessful/successful season, health, chemestry, luck, etc.. If you are going to be critical of a coach, you should look at the entire picture. I think we can all agree Larry did a fantastic job with Smith last year and a guy doesn't to forget how to coach overnight.

Well... clearly stated by the parent of a player who is either batting around .200 with a multitude of strikeouts, errors or not playing at all.

Way to air it out on a message board instead of going to the coach and talking adult to adult. You represent what is tough about our situation at Oscar Smith... a few players with a parent that has zero integrity and never holds their son accountable.

The players are clearly all All-District talents that are being mismanaged by a coach putting in 20 hours a week teaching them fundamentals they didn't already have taught to them by their Hall of Fame daddy coaches.

Absolutley ridiculous way to represent yourself and our program... but a good example of why it's always been very tough to get anyone to want to coach at our school. From what the majority of people in the program see, the coach gives an incredible amount of time and energy trying to teach the kids more than baseball... because they haven't received certain values from parents like yourself. Anyone who truly knows what he is working with talent and attitude-wise knows the frustration he must face.