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South Pittsburg 37-4 Tournament 1/8
South Pittsburg enters the 2012
baseball season on the heels of the 2nd state tournament berth in school
history. Last season's district and region championships were also the
schools first in 12 years. The 37 win season was a school record, but the
team was eliminated in the state tournament by two time defending state
champion Decatur Riverside. The 2012 pirates return 10 players from the
2011 squad as well as six starters.
The top offensive performers returning for the pirates in 2012 include
seniors Matt Allen (CF/LHP), Michael Allen (2B/RHP), Jacob Toney (1B/LHP),
Cam Moss (C/RHP) and junior shortstop Jake Stone. Matt Allen led the team
in batting during the 2011 season from his leadoff spot with a .436
average, 68 runs scored and 48 stolen bases. Jake Stone hit .418 during
his sophomore season producing 52 RBI's 45 runs scored as well as 25
stolen bases. Toney batted .491 and still led the team in extra base hits
and homeruns after missing half of the season with an injury. Michael
Allen also missed the beginning of the season with an injury but managed
to put together a great 2nd half of the year hitting .492 with 30 runs
scored and 23 RBI's. Cam Moss also put together a solid season batting
.351.
Seniors Jacob Toney, Matt Allen, Michael Allen and Blaze Moats will
anchor the pitching rotation during 2012. Toney missed a large part of
the 2011 season while recovering from an injury, but still managed to post
a 3-0 record in 17 innings of work with 32 K's and a 0.72 ERA. Matt Allen
was a regular in the pirate rotation last spring posting a 7-2 record with
a 2.70 ERA in 46 innings of work. Michael Allen was 4-1 for the pirates in
22 innings of work and Blaze Moats was 3-0 while working 20 innings. The
pirates will look to a talented freshmen class to give more depth to the
pitching staff this season.
Senior Matt Allen will be one of five 4 year starters for the pirates
and play CF. The middle infield combination of junior shortstop Jake Stone
and senior second baseman Michael Allen should also prove to be a
defensive strength for the team. Jake & Michael have made up the pirates
middle infield for the past 3 seasons. Senior 4 year starter Cam Moss
will again be our catcher. Moss is coming off a solid year behind the
plate as a junior and hopes to improve more over his senior year. Senior
Blaze Moats is back at 3b as well as senior Josh Thomas in LF.
The 2012 season will provide a new set of challenges. District 6-A
should be greatly improved this season as several teams have a lot of
returning players. The pirates will have 9 seniors, 1 junior, 4 sophomores
and 7 freshmen that make up the 2012 team. The 2012 team faces an
extremely difficult schedule that features mostly AAA and AA schools.
Hopefully this schedule will benefit the team in May. The success this
team is able to achieve will depend on the leadership of our older players
as well as the development of some younger players that will see playing
time for us this season. -Wes Stone-
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Gordonsville 12-12
1/8 2011 was an up and down year in
which we finished the year .500 with wins over two State Tournament teams
and and a second place regular season finish and missed the Regionals by
finishing third. We only had three seniors on last years team so we have a
world of depth returning over half of the team played in at least twenty
games in 2011. With several starters returning and the construction of an
indoor hitting facility we are hoping that we will have a very big year in
2012.
Offense
Our team average rose almost 100 points from 2010 to 2011 we are hoping
that we can continue to improve on that in 2012. We will have to fill a
few voids in the lineup. We will need to find a dependable leadoff and a 3
and 4 hole hitter. We lost over half of our extra base hits and close to
half of our RBIs from last year. Jacob Woodard is the top returning batter
from 2011 he had the third highest average on the team at .364. Kaleb Bush
batted .342 and was the fourth highest average. Seniors Jared Randolph and
Tyler Coleman should have solid years at the plate. Coleman is the top
candidate to fill the lead-off spot he has good speed and a good eye at
the plate. Randolph batted .322 last year and has more pop than any other
batter returning and should be able to fitt into the 3 or 4 hole well.
Pitching
We return four Seniors to our staff Jacob Woodard, Austin Taylor, Jared
Randolph, and Tyler Coleman. Woodard is the most consitent of the group
and led our team in wins and fewest walks in 2011. Taylor was a little
more streaky last year but had some great outings for us last year.
Randolph and Coleman battled elbow injuries and limited their innings last
year to 21 1/3 combined innings, but we hope both of these two have very
big years on the mound in 2012. Sophomore Cody Blackburn has really
improved this off season he threw some inning last year as a freshman and
had a complete game win versus Sectional Qualifier Jackson County.
Defense
The #1 priority this off season is that we have to find a catcher. We have
three young men that will be competing for the job Senior Vincent
Escobedo, Junior Bradford Haliburton, and Sophomore Dalton Goode. Escobedo
has the most experience and is the most athletic Haliburton and Goode
really improved the last two years with their footwork and blocking, but
have to improve their arms. We also have some holes to fill in the
Outfield Senior Austin Taylor will find a home in one of the spots and we
have several other players that may move to the outfield. Juniors Jacob
Looper and Kaleb Bush were solid in the middle of our infield last year
and we are hoping we do not have to move one of those two to the outfield.
Tyler Coleman is another that could move from 1B to CF this year.
Haliburton and Escobedo could easily play one of our OF spots if not
catching. Sophomores Robbie Woodard and Cody Bane could push for time in
the OF or at 2B.
Wrap-up
While on paper we have a lot of experience returning, we do have some big
holes to fill in several spots. The early part of the year will see
several different line-up changes and people in different spots, and like
any Single A team pitching changes will cause people to shuffle to new
spots. We are hoping we can spend the first part of the year getting
people settled into position then hopefully we will be able to put
together a run in May. It will not be easy Friendship may have one of
their best teams in recent years, Watertown has a good junior class of
athletes, and Trousdale County has been a hurdle that we have not get over
in May. Trousdale Co.
15-18 1/21
After advancing to at least the
regional round for the seventh consecutive year, the Yellow Jackets are in
rebuilding mode after many off-season changes to its lineup not related to
graduation. Three Yellow Jackets who were projected starters are no
longer with the team, and with the loss of four starters having graduated
leaves 11th year head coach, Davy Cothron wondering who will fill in the
lineup to compete for that eighth straight regional appearance.
The biggest questions are finding a first baseman, everyday catcher, a
third baseman, and two outfield positions. What can be answered at this
time is pitching, short stop, and centerfield. Also, the Jackets return
All-District performers in seniors Adam Ford and Hunter Murphree. Ford, a
Division 1 prospect is gaining attention from Western Kentucky, MTSU, and
Tennessee Tech along with some JUCOs and NAIA schools. He was the
District 8A Co-MVP, All-State (all class) and a third team (all class)
Tennessean All-Midstate selection in 2011. His .547 average is a school
best and his eye-popping 6.33-6.41 time in the 60 has even gotten
attention of professional scouts. Ford will anchor the offense and
defense from his shortstop position. Finding someone to hit behind him in
the lineup will be huge. Ford is also slated to be a big presence on the
mound as a starter or closer.
Murphree, a 4 year starter and All-District (2011)will go into the season
as the #1 pitcher and will play shortstop when Ford is on the mound. A
hard worker, Murphree's offense must improve for the Jackets to have a
good season. His speed and good base running ability can be helpful if he
can get on base. Murphree will also see time behind the plate.
Other returners for the 2012 season are seniors Devon Turczyn (CF), Hunter
Oldham (INF/DH), and Garrett Crafton (C/1B). Turczyn has been the
centerfielder for the past two seasons showing great tracking ability on
gappers, but it is not his defense that is in question. Devon must
improve on his offensive game and get on base more to use his speed.
Oldham has been the DH the past two years due to injury and he is
battling back from a recent car wreck that has not allowed him to go
through preseason conditioning drills. If healthy, he could see time at
3B, 2B, or 1B. Crafton is a great kid who any coach would want to have.
A positive in the locker room, he started most of the season at catcher
and should do the same. He will be at 1B if not at the dish. He
struggled at the plate in 2011, but is working hard to improve in that
area.
Players who got playing time last year and expected to increase their
roles are sophomores Eli Hunter (RHP), John Oglesby (INF./RHP), and junior
Austin Berry (OF/LHP). All three will pitch with Hunter and Oglesby
slated as starers. Freshmen Brock Ellis and Kameron Gilpin could provide
competition to the upper class.
Pitching Rotation: Murphree, Ford, Hunter, Oglesby
Bullpen: Lee Haley (transfer), Berry, Gilpin, Ellis, Luke Ferguesson
(Fr.), Jacob Cothron (So.), Cody Gammons (Jr.), Josh Jackson (Fr.).
With reigning state runner-up Friendship loaded with another top Rival's,
ESPN, and Baseball America class, the Jackets will battle much improved
and experienced teams such as Gordonsville and Watertown for the second
spot come district tournament time.
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