North Davidson at Ardrey Kell

One of two outstanding 4A West Sectional match-ups.

North Davidson, champion of the Central Piedmont Conference (CPC) is 23-3. Regional finalists from 2007, the Black Knights were just a whisker away from the state finals last year. They lost a heart breaker in the first game of the regional series to South Caldwell 4-3 in extra innings after leading 3-2 heading into the seventh. ND bounced back the following night to win at home 8-5 behind ace lefty Zach White. Only a 15 strikeout/3 hit performance from Madison Bumgardner kept the Black Knights from advancing as SC won 3-2 in route to the 4A state championship.

The Black Knights dropped three close contests this year, losing 6-4 to conference rival Davie County and two, one run contests 4-3 to 2A power East Rutherford and 2-1 to rival West Forsyth. Since falling to East Rutherford on 4/26, North Davidson has won six straight, including wins over Davie 12-0 on their way to the CPC tournament title and West Forsyth on senior night 3-1. ND opened the 4A playoffs with a shutout win over SW4A member Butler 5-0 and then stopped Shelby Crest 7-3 and Watauga 11-4 to advance to the sectionals.

Ardrey Kell is 25-4 and champion of, what many consider the strongest league from top to bottom in the state, the SW4A. The Knights (Purple opposed to Black) are in the second year of existence. AK went 18-8 before losing on a walk off inside the park home run to Alexander Central in the second round of the 4A playoffs in 2007.

In the four AK loses this season, all four came in the opponents final turn at bat. Butler rallied in the SW4A opener at AK, scoring three in the fifth and one in the seventh for a 4-3 win. Two days earlier, Richmond County used a three run homer in the bottom of the ninth to hand AK their first loss. Providence Day handed the Knights a similar fate in the final game of the Jack Sink Tournament when a bottom of the seventh walk off HR ended a scoreless contest. AK then went on a 10 game winning streak before Weddington jumped up to score two runs in the seventh in the semi finals of the SW4A tournament to beat the Knights 2-0.

AK opened the 4A play offs with an 11-1 win over Mallard Creek and then shut out Greensboro Page 10-0. A come from behind 7-3 victory over North Meck put the Knights into the sectionals.

The Match-Ups

Infield:
1B – North Davidson: Jarrett Albright – SR; Ardrey Kell: Josh Case– JR
Josh Case plays first for AK when Darnell pitches and has done an excellent job in that role. Albright is solid in the field and batted clean-up in the potent ND line-up for most of the season. – ADV ND.

2B – North Davidson: Tyler Hanover– SR (LSU commit) ; AK: Logan Ratledge – FR
Hanover is one of, if not the best player in the state. He has as many HR’s as the AK team and has played a spotless second base with pro level ability. Ratledge has shown excellent glove skills and can provide a key hit. – ADV ND.

SS – North Davidson: Levi Michael – JR (UNC commit); Ardrey Kell: Jonny Eaker– SR (UNC-A commit)
Michael is not far behind, if at all, Hanover in skill. Has great range at SS and a pro level arm. A switch hitter, he takes advantage of batting in front of Hanover, and will take a pitcher’s mistake deep. Eaker is the sole of the AK club. The pesky lead-off hitter seams to be in the middle of most AK rallies.

3B – North Davidson: Jordan Slate – JR; Ardrey Kell: Jack Reinheimer– SO
Slate is one of ND’s hottest hitters (not named Hanover or Michael) coming into the contest. Reinheimer provided AK key hits in the win over North Meck. Both handle the hot corner well. – ADV ND

Outfield
RF – North Davidson: Aaron Carter - SR; Ardrey Kell: Zico Pasut - JR
Pasut has the ability to leave any part of the yard and most likely will need to have a big game for an AK win. Carter is a solid outfielder with an above average arm. ADV AK

CF – North Davidson: Zach Joyce – SR (App St. commit); Ardrey Kell: Ryan Stetson - JR
Joyce sets the table for the power bats at the top of the ND line-up. He will steal a base and is excellent in the field. Stetson is AK’s top hitter batting at over .440 as well as the Knight’s top base stealer. – ADV AK

LF – North Davidson: Matt Nifong – SR; Ardrey Kell: Andrew Miller – SR
Very similar type players. Both left handed throwers that play solid defense. Miller’s bat maybe a little more potent. Nifong has a little more speed. ADV – AK

Catching – North Davidson: Ben Redmond – SR; Ardrey Kell: Taylor Patterson - JR
Both handle their respective pitching staffs well and are exceptional at blocking pitches and limiting opponent’s running games. Redmond’s bat has been consistently strong but Patterson has been hot at the dish as well. – ADV ND

DH – North Davidson: Zach White – SR (Wake Forest commit); Ardrey Kell: Brett Nyenhuis – SR

Both players will be batting from the left side (at least to start out) where the short porch is easily within range for both players. – ADV - Even

Starting Pitching – North Davidson: Clay Watson – SR; Ardrey Kell: Jordan Darnell (Elon commit) – SR
Both are hard throwing right handers. Watson would be a number one starter on most teams, but on ND he is behind White. Darnell is number one for AK and has thrown most of their big games. ADV - AK


Relief Pitching:
North Davidson: White is ready after 3 days rest. Hanover more than capable to close.
Ardrey Kell: Blake Parsley – SR; Alex Wood (Georgia commit)– JR; Wood also has had 3 days rest; Parsley could be asked to get the tough outs at the end. – ADV ND




Intangibles: ND could almost taste the finals last year. AK has the comfort of home. ADV – ND

 

Ardrey Kell Knights
# Player: Class: Position:
2 Josh Case JR 1B/P
3 Kyle Stetson SR LF
4 Micheal Kruger JR 3B
5 Brady Mattox SR RF
6 Jack Reinheimer SO 3B
7 Jonny Eaker SR SS
8 Taylor Patterson JR C
9 Andrew Miller SR P/RF
10 Brett Nyenhuis SR 2B
11 Jordan Darrnell SR P/1B
12 Derek Ham JR P
13 Jack Byer JR C
14 Logan Ratledge FR 2B/SS
15 Eric Spalding JR P
16 Butler Ryan SO P
17 Zico Pasut JR RF
19 Austin Machicote SO P
20 Ryan Markham SR LF/P
22 Blake Parsley SR P
24 Alex Wood JR P/1B

North Davidson Black Knights
# Player Class Position
1 Zach Fritts SR. 2B
2 Aaron Carter SR. OF
3 Matt Nifong SR. OF
4 Joe Tippett SO. SS/P
5 Jordan Slate JR 3B/2B
6 Levi Michael JR SS/P
7 Zach Joyce JR. OF/P
8 Collin Sullivan JR. C
9 Taylor Briggs JR. OF
10 Tyler Hanover SR. 2B/SS/P
11Clay Watson SR. P/3B
12 Taylor Loaces JR. OF
14 Kelly Sechrest SO. OF/LHP
15 Jarrett Albright SR. 1B/3B
17 Ben Redmond SR. C
19 Travis Swaim SR. P/3B
20 Jordan Ramsey FR. P/OF
21 Jake Muessen JR. C
23 Chris Connor SO. P/1B
25 Zach White SR. LHP/1B

 

Thanks Mincmi......Should be a very good game......see you at the ball field.

 

Great breakdown Mincmi. Two clarities on the ND side. Zack Joyce is a Jr, and Clay Watson is a Catawba commit.

You did a fantastic job on this. Should be a great game.

 

Are there any more superlatives I haven't mention in regards to Mincmi's threads?

I do have another question. Do you have any personal influence on the weather? Right now, it doesn't look too good.

 

ND at AK

I think I'm gonna throw up....

We need the rain to stay away - I may not go to the game tonight - I don't know if I can take it!

 

I think rain would make for a tough decision for Coach Meadows. Personally, I think he would still start Clay Watson even if it rains today. Zach White would, however, be ready at a moment's notice. Zach is a bonefide gamer, but Clay ain't potted meat. He pitched his tail of in the Legion State Tournament in '05 as a freshman and went toe to toe with Jimmy Messer in Sawmills last year, so I have a great deal of confidence in him.

It would make for interesting speculation on TBR tomorrow, though.

 

...parents...ya gotta love 'em

 

ND at AK

Can we have a four-part harmony of "Rain, Rain, Go Away?"

 

I am doing my best with the weather gods. It appears they may be listening