From the Dugouts at East Cobb

Game One: Canes North vs Mid Atlantic Mustangs

Site: Legion Field in Alpharetta at 9 am on Tuesday...Dimensions 335 385 335

Pre-game Chatter:
Head Coach Doug Collins loves seeing the future pro players on the other teams. His son assistant coach Bryan Collins enjoyed watching Will Edgerton-UNCW hitting a bomb off of Michael Givens on a 93 mph fastball in the 2009 consolation game against the All American Prospects.

What I saw:
Austin Chrismon-ECU commit and Astros draft pick toss 3 innings of no hits no walks
Nick Thompson-ECU commit toss 4 innngs of 2 hit no walk ball
Michael Gill of Texas sing like Darius Rucker in the dugout
Josh Tobias-Florida commit this kid is scary rock solid built from head to toe and faster than a doberman pincher......actually I would rather have a doberman chasing me than Josh, at least the doberman can only bite you, this kid could rip your limbs off he is so strong.

In game quote: With the score only 2-0 entering the bottom of the 6th coach Collins told his team "Don't let this team bite you in the ass"
Grayson Atwood-Mt Pleasant HS promptly responded with a solo shot for an insurance run.

Final Score: Canes 3 Mustangs 1

My player of the game: Josh "Mohawk" Clark-West Forsyth HS...he did not get to play in this game BUT he did a great job of keeping his teammates loose in the dugout all game with his fun personality.

Up Next: Dirtbags vs World of Baseball Jacksonville Florida

 

Great job Stretchy...this is fun

 

Dirtbags vs World of Baseball Jacksonville Florida

Site: Championship Field at the EC Sports Complex 2 pm Tuesday Dimensions 315 with a 50 ft wall 385 325

Pre-game Chatter:
Andy Partin's favorite moment was the 2006 Championship game with the Bags down 1-0 to the All American Prospects with 2 outs in the bottom of the 6th inning LJ Hoes stole home to tie the game....they would eventually
lose the game but they went 9-1 in the tournament and 54-4 on the year.

What I saw:
The Dirtbags flirt with disaster in the 3rd, 4th and 5th innings loading the bases with no outs, one out and one out in each of those innings.
In the 3rd Benton Moss-UNC commit got a strike out and an inning ending groundball double play.
In the 4th Moss got the batter to pop out to the catcher on a bunt attempt and another inning ending groundball double play.
In the 5th Dylan Dickens in relief of Luis Paula-UNC commit induced an easy groundball to end the threat. He had ice in his veins on the hill of course he is used to pitching in the cold on that mountain at Person High School.
At one point I head the WOB parents say they saw lightning but what they really were seeing was Mikal Hill-USC commit reaching base all 4 at bats and running like lightning. He would lead off the bottom of the 5th inning with a walk and would eventually come around to score the game winning run. Peter Hendel and Michael Russell had rbi's in the inning.


In game quote:
After the three innings where WOB almost scored I asked assistant coach Jason Mills what he thought and he said "Just don't give up a run as a tie will not hurt us in pool play"
Sure enough the team would score 4 runs in their half of the inning.

Final Score: Dirtbags 4 World of Baseball 0

Post game comment: "Very tough first game matchup for us so this is a big win" said Coach Partin.

My player of the game: Dylan Dickens with 2 1/3 innings of relief work to get the win striking out 5 including all 3 batters in the 7th inning.

Up Next: CBC Diamond Rats Navy vs New York Gothams

 

CBC Diamond Rats Navy vs New York Gothams

Site: Field 2 at the EC Sports Complex 7 pm Tuesday Dimensions 320 360 320 with a 30 foot wall all around

Pre-game Chatter:
Head Coach Mike Hennessey telling me how he loves the 24 hour feel of baseball in the East Cobb area

What I saw:
A web gem play at the plate to nail a Gotham runner: JC Howze-Marvin Ridge HS throw from left field gap to relay man Blaine Hill-JM Robinson HS to catcher Chris Ferrante-Wesleyan Christian Academy HS.
A web gem scoop and throw from 3rd baseman Max Wasser-Myers Park HS.
Brandon Wilkerson-Mallard Creek running a 3.95 from home to first
Coach Hennessey loves to run his kids on the base paths to create offense
Spencer Allison-Ft Mill HS struck out 4 in 2 1/3 innings of relief work
I enjoyed hearing the Gothams 3rd base coach giving his kids the signs in Spanish if Mike only knew I am fluent in Spanish and could have stolen all the signs for him...LOL
The Latin Lefty on the mound for New York was outstanding and was my player of the game.
NOTE: I got to hang around some with my good buddy Amfy Ferrante.

Special Guest:
Head coach of the CBC Diamond Rats Army Jeff Schaef spent some time with me in the Navy dugout and gave me some info on the Army win in the morning over the Staten Island Orioles. His team came from behind twice in the game to win 5-2. Ryan Yoder-Central Cabarrus HS had a hit and 2 rbi's and Anthony Dimino-North Mecklenburg HS had a big rbi hit. LJ Newman-Wren HS got the win tossing 5 innings and Lee Harrison-Charlotte Country Day HS recorded the save. Schaef thinks this is the best event for his kids to compete against other top level players.

Final Score: NY Gothams 6 CBC Navy 2

Up Next: South Charlotte Panthers vs NY Clippers National

 

South Charlotte Panthers vs New York Clippers National

Site: Blessed Trinity High School 9 am Wednesday Dimensions 315 385 315 (immaculate field)

Pre-game Chatter:
Head coach Danny Hignight loves seeing the excitement of the kids when they first walk into the East Cobb Sports Complex.


What I saw:
Watched 3 Panthers hit solid gap doubles: Elliot Fowler, Logan Ratledge, Jake Fincher-NCST commit
Chip Helton worked out of a first inning bases loaded jam with confidence
Enjoyed seeing batboy Little Lewis brother of catcher Blaine Lewis having fun with the big boys
Was amazed by Tyler McCarthy and Brett Lang leading special sound effects cheers for each Panther batter it was really cool
Coach Higs really keeps the kid loose in the dugout
Alex Leach and Hayden Hendry each drove in a run

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Final Score: Panthers 6 Clippers 4

Post game comment: "It's always good to get that first win because the week is a grind" said Coach Higs

My players of the game: Stephen Gilmore with 2 2/3 innings of outstanding pitching in relief and Logan Ratledge-NCST commit for his overall game intensity

Up Next: South Canes vs Team Elite of Georgia

 

South Canes vs Team Elite of Georgia

Site: Cartersville Sports Complex 2 pm Wednesday (HOT AS HADES) Dimensions 330 375 330

Pre-game Chatter:
Head Coach Jeff Petty telling me story of the 2009 semi-final game vs the South Carolina Cyclones where he called for a suicide squeeze which failed and he was down in the dumps after the call, the game then went into extra innings where the Cyclones plated 2 runs and figured it was over BUT his kids came back to score 3 runs to win the game putting them into the Championship game. He was so thankful that his kids bailed him out from being the goat.

What I saw:
The centerfield fence had a HUGE sign that read Hurricanes making it look like the Canes home field.
The sign should have read Runnicanes as every runner that reached base stole the next base.
Josh Sborz worked out of a bases loaded jam with a perfect double play ball to end the 3rd inning where team Elite was hoping to knock him off the mound.
Patrick Corbett and Hunter Higgerson had the rbi's for the Canes.
The most amazing stat of the game was that of the last 19 Canes batters to go to the plate not one reached base on a base hit. Obviously the Elite pitcher was a stud.

Fun moment: The Canes players in the 7th inning turning to the rally cap stacking as they had seen the USC team do at the College World Series. They managed to stack 16 hats on the head of player Mike Wood.

In game quote: Canes player Johnny Mildner of Massachusetts at one point during the game said "Man all the teams are great in this tournament".....I guess this was his first trip to this National event.

Final Score: Elite 4 Canes 2

Post game meeting: Coach Petty telling his kids that this is the first time in all his years at East Cobb that the team is out of contention after the first 2 days BUT that he and the coaching staff would not quit on the team and that the kids should play the rest of the pool play games for their name and not stop playing hard.

My player of the game: Stephan Godfrey with 3 great shutout innings in relief against a powerful team.

Up Next: Carolina Cubs vs Chattanooga Cyclones

 

Carolina Cubs vs Chattanooga Cyclones

Site: Field 2 at the EC Sports Complex 7 pm Wednesday Dimensions 320 360 320 with a 30 foot wall left to right

Pre-game Chatter:
Head Coach Mike Loyd told me about his nightmare in 2007 when a boy on the team broke the main bone in his leg on the base paths but he also told me about the great moment in 2009 when Carlos Rodon-Holly Springs HS threw a no hitter and John Allen-Kerr Vance Academy HS tossed a one hitter in the first 2 games of the playoffs.
Ricky Keith is very excited about having this group of boys back this year at East Cobb after finishing 5th last year.


What I saw:
John Allen walk walk and hit the first 3 batters in front of 30 college coaches and then get a strike out a fly ball and and popup to get out of the mess. Great job!!
The smoking bat of Justin Manning-Holly Springs HS who hit a Grand Slam, a single and a double in his 3 at bats shame the game ended as time ran out with him on deck.
Slick fielding shortstop Luis Renvill-Hoke County HS made some hard plays look nice and easy.
When the Cyclones got their first hit of the game off of John after 2 1/3 innings it was the first hit he had given up in 9 1/3 straight innings and 13 1/3straight innings off any Cubs pitcher. Nice streak!!!
Tyler Barnett-hickory HS, Charlie Herring-JH Rose HS each had rbi doubles.
Kyle Byrd and Carlos Rodon both of Holly Springs HS each had 2 hits in the game.
Allen, Travis Long-Fuquay Varina HS, and Womack combined to strike out 11 of the 18 outs.

Special moment: When Lefty Ronald Womack-Hoke County HS came into pitch in relief at least 5 scouts came to the end of the dugout fence to ask me who the "windup energizer strikeout machine was?" Hilarious.

In game quote: With the Cubs down 1-0 Justin Manning stepped to the plate and hit a monster Grand Slam over the high wall in left field into the parking lot trees, when he got back to the dugout I asked him what was his first thought and he said "please let this be a sac fly to tie the game"....Priceless

Final Score: Cubs 9 Cyclones 4 in 6 innings

Post game comment: Head Coach Mike Loyd "the BATS arrived today"

My players of the game: Ronald Womack 1 2/3 innings pitched with 5 strikeouts and Justin Manning with the 3 hits and the 5 rbi's and Scott Johnson-Hoggard HS with 3 hits including a home run and 2 rbi's.

I had a great time watching these 6 games. I just wish I had more time to be able to go to a game for the other great NC teams that were there. Maybe next year.

 

I am curious.... does the college scout attendance become fewer as the weeks go by and the teams at E Cobb becomes younger? This was a great read by the way.