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Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Rounding The Bases: State
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Each week, staff writer Jay Stone catches up with teams throughout the state. Who’s hot? Who’s not? Who’ll be a bear to contend with this season? Find out here in the state baseball report. Scroll down to comment on this blog.
The big idea? ‘Lets win’
Calhoun had pummeled all comers, so the players at Gordon Lee might have gotten a pass had they felt intimidated going against one of the best teams in Class AA. Plus, Gordon Lee had to face Calhoun ace Josh Smoker, regarded as one of the top pitchers in the state.
Gordon Lee junior Zack DeBord took care of the intimidation, belting a first-inning grand slam off Smoker, who struck out 14 batters in his team’s 11-10 loss. Gordon Lee, which has yet to lose to a Georgia team in compiling a 10-4 record, handed Calhoun its first loss.
Daniel White also hit a grand slam off a Calhoun reliever.
“We went down there with the idea we could beat them,” said Gordon Lee coach Greg Payne, whose club played in the Class A semifinals last year. “All these kids have worked hard to accomplish what they have.”
DeBord, who leads the team with 24 RBIs, is tied with senior second baseman Derek Duran with a .489 batting average, and the Trojans are batting .360 as a team.
Bearing up: Griffin is 13-2 for the first time in Jamie Cassady’s 15 years as the Bears’ coach, and they’ve won four games in which they’ve trailed in the sixth inning or later. The springboard for their success, Cassady said, was a win over Fayette County in which Griffin trailed 6-0 in the seventh before rallying to tie and then winning in extra innings.
“The kids are playing with confidence,” Cassady said. “They don’t push the panic button.”
Leading the charge is junior shortstop Tim Beckham, who is hitting .440 with three homers and nine stolen bases.
Bouncing back
Lowndes (12-4, 5-1 Region 1-AAAAA) suffered a gut-punch loss to Warner Robins March 30, when a walk-off homer sullied its region record, but since then the Vikings have been golden, whipping Colquitt County and Houston County in back-to-back region games.
The Vikings, who are hitting .332 as a team, have a pair of batters over .400. First baseman Colby Yates is at .485 with four homers and 18 RBIs, as well as pitching to a 3-0 record with a 2.14 ERA. First baseman/designated hitter Chad Fender is at .429.
Callaway two-way
Justin Shaw is getting it done both on the mound and at the plate for Callaway (15-4, 10-0 5-AA). He’s 6-0 with a 1.45 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 35 1/3 innings, while hitting .510 with seven doubles. Teammate Malcolm Leath injured his shoulder in the Cavaliers’ second game, prompting a move from shortstop to second base, but it hasn’t affected his offensive game. He leads the team in stolen bases with 15 in 15 tries, and the Cavs are 55-for-65 in steals as a team.
Devil, Devil
Most observers know about Tift County’s Israel Troupe, the Georgia football signee who powered the Blue Devils’ baseball playoff run last year and helped the football team make the state semifinals. But the Tifton school is led in hitting by sophomore shortstop Chance Veazey (.400). Troup is at .397 with 19 RBIs for Tift (14-4, 4-2 in 1-AAAAA).
Make your pitch. Got a team you’d like to see profiled here or just want to talk ball with Jay? Send an e-mail.
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Inside Pitch: Metro
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Each week, staff writer Kurt Aschermann Jr. blogs about who’s hot and who’s not in the metro Atlanta baseball scene. Scroll down to comment on this blog.
Bats bolster Warhawks’ surge
After Henry County followed its Class AAAA state championship in 2005 with a disappointing 12-16 record and second-round exit in 2006, the McDonough school fell a bit below the radar. Then came reclassification, and a drop to Class AAA under new coach Jason Shadden. It’s safe to say the Warhawks are back.
Thanks to a potent offense that averages more than eight runs per game, Henry County (15-2) has rolled to nine consecutive wins and a 6-0 mark in Region 4-AAA. Led by senior first baseman/outfielder Jason Heyward (.432 average, five home runs, 22 RBI), senior catcher Tyler Norton (22 RBI) and junior outfielder/pitcher Jeremy Boyd (.525 OBP, 17 RBI), the Warhawks’ only losses have come to Alabama schools Cullman and Russell County. Shadden said Boyd’s production hitting behind the dangerous Heyward, who has been intentionally walked 16 times, has made a big difference.
“[Boyd’s] making it hurt [pitching around Heyward],” Shadden said. “[For the 2007 season] I had high expectations; I was pretty confident.”
Shadden has called on the services of nine different pitchers, including senior Mitchell Lee, a four-game winner, and junior Shawn Gallagher, who has won three games and saved three others.
Eagles hanging with the big boys
Mt. Paran’s 3-3 mark in a tough Region 5-A that includes defending Class A state champion Eagle’s Landing Christian has a lot to do with two-way threat Donovan Brown. Brown is 3-2 with a 2.15 ERA and holding opponents to a miniscule .175 batting average. At the plate, he’s hitting .475 with 11 RBI, but is just one of a quintet of hitters helping the Eagles stay in the playoff race. Austin Gibbs (.400, 13 RBI); Jeremiah Clark (.383, 12-12 SB); Daniel Bennett (.382, 12 RBI) and Will Thompson (.333, 10 RBI) have been steady with the sticks all year.
Devils feasting on Class A pitching
Bremen has won six consecutive games, three in Region 6-A, and averaged more than 13 runs per game during the streak. Andrew Gray (.566 average) and Chris Lambert (5-1 on mound) have led the way for the Blue Devils.
Pitchers of the week
Will Casey, Kennesaw Mountain: In a dominating 10-0 win over South Cobb, the southpaw allowed one hit and struck out 13 in six innings to improve to 4-1 and lower his ERA to 0.43.
Tim Jones, Redan: The senior right-hander no-hit Luella, 8-0, striking out 16 in the gem.
Hack away: Got a team you’d like to see profiled here or just want to talk ball with Kurt? Send an e-mail.
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