Nine players to look for in the playoffs

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Nine players to look for in the playoffs
By RYAN S. CLARK
May 4, 2010

The high school baseball playoffs begin today with Port Neches-Groves and Vidor leading off the action. Here are a look at the nine players that could help their teams go far in the playoffs and avoid disappointment in the first round.

[b]Reggie Wilson[/b], junior, West Brook

Wilson, who is slated to start Game 1, has only given up two runs in his past two starts en route to helping West Brook make the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons. He also plays center field and has .388 batting average, making him the No. 3 hitter for the Bruins.

[b]Jonathan Allen[/b], junior, LC-M

When district play started, Allen was on the bench. Now the 5-foot-4 utility man is one player Steve Griffith will look to in the playoffs. Allen batted .340 for LC-M while splitting time between left field and first base for a team that only returned three starters from last season's team.

[b]Cody Laird[/b], senior, Nederland

Laird dominated this season, going 10-0 with a 1.07 ERA and 60 strikeouts. He only allowed one home run while holding opposing batters to a .185 average. He also played first base and hit .310 with eight doubles and 20 RBIs to help Nederland win its second straight District 20-4A title.

[b]Chris Sweetenham[/b], senior, PN-G

Sweetenham, along with Blake Reyenga, helped fill PN-G's pitching void when Lamar University signee Kane Benoit went down with a season-ending shoulder injury. Sweetenham went 6-1 in district and helped PN-G clinch the No. 2 seed with an 11-3 record in district.

[b]Michael Hester[/b], senior, Vidor

His .386 average and seven home runs are why Hester hits in the No. 4 spot for Vidor. But it also could be his cool personality behind the plate that helped the Pirates go far. Hester has the responsibility of making sure his cousin and Lamar University signee, Trae Hester, stays composed during the playoffs. If that happens, there's no telling how far Vidor could go.

[b]Forrest Zoch[/b], junior, Bridge City

With a 7-1 record and a sub-2.00 ERA on the season, it's easy to understand why Bridge City feels good about its playoff chances with Zoch on the mound. His near-.500 batting average also helps. The lefty, who had a 0.82 ERA in district, complements senior pitcher and Lafayette signee Matt Hicks as perennial power Bridge City looks to make a trip to Austin.

[b]Zane Anderson[/b], junior, WO-S

Anderson's the reason why WO-S feels confident it can win any one-game series no matter the opponent. The tall righty went 7-3 with a 2.65 ERA and 45 strikeouts. His three losses, which were by a combined five runs, were against playoff teams Bridge City, Jasper and Orangefield.

[b]Quinton Evans[/b], junior, Orangefield

Everyone knows about Jace Statum signing with Texas A&M or Jacob Felts signing with Texas. But it was Evans that led Orangefield with eight home runs. That's tied for ninth in the state among Class 3A baseball players. It also helped Orangefield go undefeated in District 21-3A and earn a first-round bye.

[b]Ty Parker[/b], senior, Jasper

Parker has 10 home runs, tied for second in the state among Class 3A players, along with a team-high .489 average and 47 RBIs. It'd be understandable if pitchers wanted to walk Parker in the playoffs, but it'd be a mistake. As a team, Jasper has 31 home runs. Besides intimidating pitchers, those numbers were good enough for Jasper to win District 18-3A and earn a first-round bye.