Non-Observer Newspaper Articles about High School Baseball

After much discussion about the Observer, I thought I would check some of the other area newspapers write-ups. Compare and see what you think:

Winston-Salem Journal
By Mason Linker
JOURNAL REPORTER
Published: May 20, 2010
KERNERSVILLE - The only thing bigger than the ice pack on Shane Dickerson's right shoulder was the smile on his face.
Dickerson earned it after shutting down the defending state champions, firing a complete-game five-hitter as East Forsyth blanked Charlotte Ardrey Kell 3-0 in a second-round game of the NCHSAA's Class 4-A playoffs.
Dickerson -- East's catcher when he isn't on the mound -- struck out six, walked two, and got out of all the trouble he faced. Home runs from Luke Dunlap and Landon O'Dell provided all the offense for East, which will be at home in the third round on Friday against the winner of tonight's North Davidson-North Mecklenburg game.
"We are getting hot at the right time," Dickerson said. "We have had two strong pitching performances and timely hits. Hopefully we can keep the momentum going and keep doing what we are doing."
Dickerson got out of his first jam in the first inning, when Ardrey Kell's first two batters reached -- one on an error, the other on a sacrifice in which East's second baseman couldn't cover the bag at first in time for a throw. But Dickerson retired the next three batters, including two by strikeouts.
Then, Dunlap hit the third pitch he saw from starter Alex Baker of the Knights off the scoreboard in left for a home run and a 1-0 lead.
"Striking that one guy out, that just jump-started us the rest of the game and then we come in and hit a homer with the first batter and that started us off good," Dickerson said.
From there, Dickerson and Baker dueled. Baker faced 15 batters before he allowed another hit, and Dickerson -- who didn't allow an extra-base hit -- got out of a bases-loaded, two-out jam in the fourth.
Evan Orenstein of East led off the sixth by dropping a bunt single down the third-base line, and then O'Dell -- who had struck out in two previous at-bats -- crushed a pitch from Baker deep over the fence in left-center field for a two-run homer that had East's players bursting from their dugout.
"You breathe a whole lot easier going into the seventh leading three rather than by one," said Coach Alan Plaster of East. "Landon struggled a little at the plate tonight but I just had a feeling he would put a good swing on one, and he did. He has been one of the top hitters on our team all year. He came out of what he was doing earlier and hit a big home run."
Then Dickerson, despite allowing a two-out single in the top of the seventh, slammed the door on the Knights.
"Shane is one of the ones that will battle you to the end and it doesn't matter what kind of stuff he has on the mound that night," Plaster said. "He is a bulldog and he wants the ball every day. He might not have the best stuff as a lot of people, but he will battle you to the end.
"The league we played in with Glenn and Ragsdale and Northwest (Guilford) and Southwest (Guilford), we had tough games night in and night out. I think we are prepared. It just comes down now to we have to make a big hit, and we have to make a good pitch. That's what it comes down to."

 

Second and Third Article

Asheville Times
O'Kelley leads Roberson to win in baseball playoffs

By Keith Jarrett • May 23, 2010

SKYLAND — For much of Saturday's NCHSAA 4-A baseball playoff game, it was a classic pitching contrast, Roberson High's junkballer vs. Myers Park's fireballer.
The off-speed stuff won, as Rams sophomore Dillon O'Kelley won his third straight postseason game in an 11-3 victory at Holmes/Smith Field.
Back-to-back infield errors by the Mustangs (15-12) allowed Roberson to break a 3-all tie in the sixth, and the Rams broke the game open with five hits and seven more runs in the inning.
Roberson (19-5) will host Porter Ridge in a regional semifinal game at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
The 15-year-old O'Kelley mixed four-seam and two-seam fastballs, sliders, knuckle curves, forkballs and even a couple of eephus pitches (an exaggerated change-up) to keep Myers Park hitters off balance, and he gave up only one run over the final six innings after falling behind 2-0 in the first.
“It's fun pitching that way,” said O'Kelley, who has allowed just four runs in three playoff games.
“I tried to keep them off balance, and my defense played great behind me. When you get eight runs in the sixth inning, you're going to win.”
“That kid is a competitor and has no fear,” Roberson coach Donnie Suttles said of O'Kelley. “His mechanics aren't right, his motion isn't right, and his fast ball is about 76 mph, but he gets guys out.”
Trailing 3-1, Roberson tied the game on solo home runs by Joel McKeithon in the second inning and Chandler Wrightenberry in the fourth. A one-out walk to Alex Ledford and the two infield errors, including a potential inning-ending double play ball, gave the Rams a 4-3 lead, and then they unloaded on Myers Park starter Grant Fisher, an Elon signee.
Aaron Wright had two hits and three RBIs for Roberson.
“(O'Kelley) did a heckuva job,” Myers Park coach John Spencer said. “If you can't throw the ball past hitters, you have to figure out a way to get them out, and he did that. He has a herky-jerky motion and throws a lot of junk, but he's a tough guy to hit.”


Winston Sale Journal
By Bryant Galbaugh
JOURNAL REPORTER
Published: May 22, 2010
KERNERSVILLE
Glenn got solid pitching and defense from its underclassmen, savvy play from its seniors and just enough offense to beat Davie County 3-0 in a third-round game of the NCHSAA Class 4-A baseball playoffs last night.
Sophomore Noah Pearl pitched a gem for the Bobcats. Pearl went all seven innings, giving up four hits and four walks. He struck out three and helped Glenn advance to a sectional-round game against crosstown rival East Forsyth next Tuesday.
"I've got to tip my hat off to Pearl, he kept us off-balance," said Coach Mike Herndon of Davie (13-12). "We've really been swinging it well, and we had runners at second and third in two innings and we just didn't capitalize."
Coach John Fowler of Glenn said he wasn't surprised by Pearl's performance.
"People say he's had an up-and-down year, but we don't score any runs behind him for whatever reason," Fowler said. "But he's kept competing and kept competing. He's young but he just keeps going out there and he's gotten better. He's gotten better in the last couple of weeks in a couple of brief appearances and then he goes out and beats an exceptional team that is battle-tested -- they play in a great league -- and shuts 'em out."
Pearl was almost matched by Davie's Zach Long, a senior making his first start of the season. Long pitched a complete game, giving up four hits and seven walks. He struck out five.
"I thought he did an awesome job on the mound," Herndon said of Long. "I thought he competed, and that's what he is -- he's a competitor.
"I think it was an evenly fought match between two guys that threw it real well. The difference was they got a key hit and we had opportunities and didn't get that key hit."
The game was scoreless heading into the bottom of the fifth, when Glenn staged its decisive rally. Colby Sato drew a one-out walk, followed by a sharp opposite-field single to left by Parks Jordan, a North Carolina signee. Luke Manuel then drew a walk to load the bases.
Ryan Parker got the first run home by pulling a grounder to the right side. Second baseman Tyler Jordan fielded the ball, but his only play was to first and Sato came home with the first run of the game.
Andrew Smith then came to the plate with two outs and ripped a single to left to drive in two runs and give the Bobcats (17-11) a 3-0 lead.
"It was the heat of the moment there…. I was on the spot and I came through," Smith said.
Pearl made the lead hold up, thanks to some solid defense. Jordan, Glenn's first baseman, snagged a liner off the bat of Davie's Tyler Jordan and turned it into an unassisted double play in the second by tagging out Kirklin Bowles, who was on first.
In the fifth, shortstop Shane Billings started a nifty double play for Glenn. He fielded a grounder up the middle, then made a spinning move to tag second base and throw to first in one motion to double up Alex Newman.
"Great play by him, just an athletic play and he's going to be a good one for us," Fowler said of Billings, a freshman.
Glenn will now have the opportunity to extend its surprising postseason run next week, with ace Justin Hunt scheduled to pitch against East Forsyth.
"He's won two for us in the playoffs already," Fowler said of Hunt, a UNC Asheville signee.
"He pitched tremendously against one of the most dangerous offensive teams I've seen in awhile against Southern Alamance….. He's our senior, he's our number one, and he'll go out there Tuesday night."