MIF04

You're kidding, right?  The kid is hitting .450 with 3 HR and 10 2B.  He also has 25 RBI.  I would call that productive...

blackjack?

Again, ...at times.

great write up...thanks for the recaps

one question, you often use the word 'luck' in your synopses...are you a gamblin' man?

At times...

This installment of our mid-week Random Thoughts finds every one of our top 10 'holding true'...they all won except for Vidor and Huffman (both of whom played higher ranked teams).

In the smaller classifications, 1A Evadale remained undefeated in district play with a 10-0 shellacking of Hull-Daisetta.  In 2A, #10 Buna also remained undefeated in district play with a 6-0 whitewash of Anahuac. 

In 21-3A, Bridge City travelled to Sour Lake and hung a 7-1 loss on the Hawks.  Silsbee defeated the hardluck OF Bobcats 7-5 while Jasper ripped Kirbyville 18-2.  HF rocked defenseless WOS 15-2.  With BC at 6-0, and Silsbee and Jasper both at 5-1, Hardin Jefferson is almost down to every game being a 'must win' situation if they have any hopes of making the playoffs.  Friday's Silsbee at Bridge City matchup should be a gem (remember BC hung on to win the first one 2-1).  The Cards have already thrown LHP Jeff Stringer so it is up in the air whether Phillip Meeks or Matt Hicks gets the start on the bump.  Silsbee has ace Joel Schooling ready to go for them.

4A highlights begin with Barbers Hill continuing their march through (and over) 21-4A opponents.  The expected 'barn burner' with Huffman never materialized as the Eagles blasted the Falcons 11-1.  Huffman, who chose not to pitch either #1 Michael Listi or #2 Heath Arnold, are now squarely in 3rd place in the district race.

22-4A matchups had LCM scoring in the bottom of the 6th to defeat Nederland 4-2 while PNG took care of Vidor 7-4.  Dayton and Ozen were big winners, defeating Central and hapless Lumberton respectiviely.  PNG leads the race at 5-0 with LCM and Dayton a game back at 4-1.  Vidor is fourth at 3-2.  Nederland (1-4) travels to Dayton as the Bulldogs' playoff hopes fade while this week's upset special could be Ozen vs. Vidor.

Finally, our two local 5A teams locked horns with the West Brook Bruins emerging with a 10-2 win over the Memorial Titans.  Jr. C Todd Wallace followed Friday's 2 home run performance with...another 2 home run performance.  The Bruins' hopes for a district championship took a turn upward when Sterling was upset by upstart Atascocita.  WB continues that quest Friday night at Humble.

Until the Friday night...

Brook wins 10-2.  Wallace with 2 HR.  Armstrong with 3-3 night.  N. Svoboda gets win with 6 IP and 12 K.

Who did pitch for Huffman?

1.  First, BC is a band box, even with the 40' in CF.  A true hitter's park...very short down the lines and short to the power alleys with a wind that helps (or is no factor).  You should have a lot of HRs there.  On the other hand, I have seen 3 or 4 of Dishon's...they're out anywhere. 

2.  Jackson has had some shoulder issues that has limited his ability to fully extend which, in turn, has cut into his power numbers.  As his health returns, so will his power. 

Kelly takes it hard to Cathedral this afternoon with a 20-1 slaughter over Cathedral. Cathedral's Nick Christopher gave up two runs in the 1st and was pulled after 2... Kelly's Anthony Fazio started giving up no runs in 3 innings and Charlie Jones coming in for the close giving up only one run. Keep it up Kelly Baseball...

How many did Kelly score in 2nd off Nick?  Any?  Or did he leave with a 2-0 deficit?

Aaron benders was 2 for 3 with a double and a homer for WB.

Good job by young Bender...but that was in JV game.

Great performance by Chase Warner at BC and Todd Wallace at WB.  Both hit 2 home runs (although Warner's was a game winner and he had another RBI earlier in 4-2 win vs. Kelly). 

Anyone have any idea how the Cathedral team is/isn't doing this year.  I see very little about them other than an occassion score. 

Thanks.

Coach Bryant responded to the HF incident by suspending Jeff Stringer for 2 games.

West Brook totals to date:

Murphy 6

Ferguson 4

Serna 3

Lycan 2

Fisher 1

Wallace 1

The most likely 'beating up' will be among the top 3 (BC, Jasper and Silsbee).  If someone doesn't step up from the pack and knock 1 of these guys off a time or two, none of them will have more than 4 or 5 losses.

Tough loss for the Pirates.  Bunner not only good player but leader. They need to take a page from the BH Eagles playbook when they lost Barrera.

What is the status of VJ's ankle injury?  I have heard everything from sprain to severe fracture.  Just trying to get a straight answer.  Thank you.

Need some more info on LCM...whose swinging it well (or not well as this case may be)...not much details out of Orange County.

I know Leggett at LCM has at least 2...since he hit 2 grannies ...

Here are the 'top five' as I know 'em to be (although there may be others out there):

1 (tie).  Dishon (BC) 6

1 (tie).  Murphy (WB) 6

1 (tie).  Townley (BH) 6

4 (tie).  Ferguson (WB) 4

4 (tie).  Riley (Woodville) 4

Again, there may be others out there who would jumble up that list...

Amended to add Townley...

The early week games have been played with some results surprising but most as expected. 

The Dayton Broncos threw an early monkey wrench right in the middle of the District 22-4A race when they outlasted Vidor 14-11.  The Broncos sit atop the district race with PNG at 3-0 and, all of the sudden, Friday's LCM (2-1) @ Dayton game takes on new meaning.  Meanwhile, Vidor (2-1) will try and rebound against the surprising Central Jaguars (2-1).  Vidor's loss to Dayton may not be the Pirates' biggest loss on Tuesday night.  Standout SS VJ Bunner suffered what appeared to be a major ankle injury.  His loss would be a tremendous blow to Coach Kyle Green.  By the way, who would've ever thought (3 games deep) that the bottom dwellers in 22-4A would be Nederland and Ozen?  But there they are at 0-3.  Over in 21-4A, the Barbers Hill Eagles continued to flex their muscles behind Ross Hales' pitching prowness in an 11-1 rout of New Caney.  New Caney, fresh off a 4-3 win over Huffman, had been expected to challenge the Eagles but BH proved to be simply too strong.

Down in 3A, the favorites all 'held serve' as BC, Jasper and Silsbee were all winners.  BC was again sluggish in their 10-8 win over luckless HF, needing another relief appearance from freshman Matt Hicks to cover another short outing from team ace Jeff Stringer.  Jasper toyed with HJ 9-5 and the Hawks desperately need to beat one of the 21-3A favorites to get back in the race.  The Bulldogs incidentally are primed for their trip to Silsbee where the Tigers are fresh off a 7-3 win vs. Kirbyville.  Silsbee rode Kevin McDonald's 12 strikeout performance for the win, clearing the way for mound ace Joel Schooling to throw against Jasper.

Up in 5A, the West Brook Bruins clobbered 13 hits (including Tim Ferguson's HR and 3 hit nights from Mark Serna and Josh Fisher) to blister Baytown Lee 10-2.  They travel back to Baytown for a Friday night rumble with district 21-5A co-favorite Sterling. 

Just another typical Tuesday in SE Texas...

Game at Sterling on Friday at 630.  It is Chronicle 'Game of the Week' (whatever that means).

West Brook has both David Murphy and Josiah Svoboda rested after 10-2 win over Lee last night.  Sterling has everybody rested after 16-0 blowout over Channelview.  Look for Dempsay to start for Rangers.

Nathaniel Svoboda with 5 1/3 innings, 0 earned runs.  Tim Ferguson with HR and 4 RBI.  Mark Serna and Josh Fisher with 3 hits.  Now its time for Sterling...

Bruins bang out 13 hits.  Serna and Fisher had 3.  Ferguson and Murphy with 2.  Lycan with big 2 run double.  Svoboda pitched very well with 1 2/3 innings of relief work from Tubbs. 

Who pitched for each team here?

Congrats to Dayton on big win for them.  I think the long-range effect from this game, tho, will be the extent of Bunner's injury.  I hope his ankle is not broken and he is back on the field soon.  It would be a tough, tough loss for the Pirates if he was out.

1. On this whole 'who should catch for BC' issue -- Casey Jackson is still nursing sore throwing shoulder so that makes it difficult for him to catch.  I think the issue for Bryant is how to get as many of his bats in the lineup as possible.  If that means Robertson catch, Warner at first and Jackson at DH then thats the best way to play it.

2.  BC keeps playing with fire.  Remember?  There was a game played around all of this other 'controversy'.  Kudos to BC for pulling out the win in less than dominating fashion and kudos to HF for hanging tough even through the 7th inning.  The Horns have played everyone in their district tough...and nothing to show for it.

Nathaniel Svoboda with 5 1/3 innings, 0 earned runs.  Tim Ferguson with HR and 4 RBI.  Mark Serna and Josh Fisher with 3 hits.  Now its time for Sterling...