SW4A News

Week 7 Highlights

http://www.southwestern4Abaseball.com/news.html

 

Week 8 Highlights

http://www.southwestern4Abaseball.com/news.html

 

Big Rivalry

I believe we all know what lay ahead. Who will come to play? Ak or Prov? What do you all think?

 

Mincmi

Can you do a roster comparison for the AK vs. Prov. Game. Love to read your take and who you think will win the battle by position and player.
Look forward to reading then watching.

 

epic

It will most certainly be an epic battle between the two teams and i look foward to seeing how it plays out. Thats a very interesting question you bring up that i wouldnt mind hearing a response to either

 

Ardrey Kell at Providence Preview

While it took some twists and turns along the way, what most SW4A prognosticators predicted back in January is falling into place as the Providence Panthers and Ardrey Kell Knights are set to square off for what most likely will be the SW4A regular season title on Tuesday.

Providence (15-4) is currently leading the league standings at 10-1 and will clench at least a share of the title with a win. The Panthers would then only need to win one of their final two games versus Myers Park or East Meck to earn their first conference title since 2006.

Ardrey Kell (16-5, 9-2), who dropped the first go around to the Panthers in an extra inning affair, will need to win out and then hope that Providence drops one of their final two games to claim their second consecutive outright championship. A win by the Knights and identical records for both teams over the final two contests will result in co-champions in 2009.

The Panthers are atop of the standings because they have played the best defense in the league this year. That defense became even more critical since the loss of their top stick in the line-up, Richie Shaffer. In fact, Shaffer’s last swing this season drove in the winning run against AK in March. Shaffer did pitch the following game against Myers Park, beating the Mustangs 5-1 before having surgery to remove the hamate bone in his left hand.

With Shaffer out of the line-up, the Panther run production has dropped from 7.63 RPG to 5.09. Not only have the runs fallen off, but so have the hits as Providence has averaged about a third less hits per contest since Shaffer left the line-up.

Do not be fooled into believing that the Panthers have lost their pop. While they are not collecting as many hits, the ones that they are getting are of the big variety. The Panthers have slugged 10 HRs with Shaffer out of the line up that helped provide the winning margin in four conference victories since the last time these two teams hooked up including three versus Butler to comeback after trailing 5-0 & 8-2, two against East Meck and a three run shot to beat South Meck 3-0, one of only two hits they had against the Sabres. The only contest in which the Panthers did not homer in since the Jack Sink Tournament is the 10 inning 2-1 loss to Weddington.

While Shaffer’s bat is still out of the line-up, his arm is back. Shaffer appeared out of the Panther bullpen to get the final out and nail down the victory against Butler 10 days ago and then shutout the Sabres on three hits last Tuesday.

Ardrey Kell will have their own ace on the mound Tuesday in Alex Wood. Wood is unbeaten in the league, allowing about ½ earn run per contest this season. A solid defensive effort from the Knights could make the scoring opportunities limited for the Panthers on Tuesday.

Shaffer started the first contest versus Ardrey Kell but did not survive the second innings as he was roughed up for seven runs on seven hits in an inning and a third. His task will not be any easier this time around as the hot Knights scored 34 runs last week including games against top teams Myers Park and Richmond.

Tuesday’s contest should be a good one as the Panthers look to even the all-time series between the two clubs at four. But something tells me that this may not be the last time the two rivals see each other this season. A split title would still have the Panthers on the top line in the conference tournament bracket at this time as the two would battle though the tourney for the right to receive the number one seed from the SW4A in the NCHSAA western 4A bracket. And though a repeat of a western 4A regional series between the two is not possible in this year’s draw, a state playoff sectional match-up could be lurking.

 

Match-up

Match-up
Infield
1B – AK: Josh Case - SR; Providence: Cory Smith - SR
Case has had some key hits for the Knights including a two out double to break open the MP game on Friday. Smith’s three run HR was the key blow in the Panther comeback versus Butler.
2B – AK: Jack Reinheimer - JR; Providence: Drew Casella – SR
The sure handed Casella helps keep the Panther defense strong up the middle. Reinheimer has picked it up since moving to second in the field and at the plate.

SS – AK: Logan Ratledge – SO; Providence: CA Clayton – SR
Two of the leagues’ best. Both supply a good deal of punch at the plate. If one of these two has a big game, look for their team to win.

3B – AK: Cody Shelton – JR; Providence: Kurt Semeniuk - JR
After a slow start, Shelton has stepped up his game as he has learned to compete at the top of the SW4A, Semeniuk was well school during last year’s league battles and Providence’s playoff run and now is one of the leagues’ top players.

Outfield
LF – AK: Alex Bartolomeo; Providence: Mike Dunn – JR
Bartolomeo makes the AK offense go. When he is on base, the Knights score. A long one from Dunn in a small ballpark could be the difference. Both are more than competent in the field.

CF – AK: Ryan Stetson – SR; Providence: Tyler Zupcic – SR
The soon to be ASU teammates are the leaders of their clubs. Zupcic has put the Panthers on his back and carried them since the Shaffer injury and is probably the leading candidate for SW4A POY to date. Stetson is right on his heels. The speed from each cuts down the extra base gap hits in the small park.

RF – AK: Zico Pasut – SR; Providence: Brett Austin – SO
Pasut is swinging the hottest stick for the Knights. Austin made the play of the game in the field in the first meeting when he threw out a runner at the plate to send the game into extra innings.

DH – AK: Brett Lang– SO: Providence: Jackson Campana– FR
The future is now for both young DH’s. Both have the power and swing to play a key role.

Battery
C – AK: Taylor Patterson - SR; Providence: Matt Lee – SR
Keeping the potential wild pitch in front of them very well could be the difference in a close contest. Both do an excellent job of blocking.

SP – AK: Alex Wood– SR; Providence: Richie Shaffer - SR
Seems strange to say that the difference here may be Wood’s bat, as he has been a terror since entering the Knight’s lineup. If both are on their game, there will be very few runs in this contest.

Relief Pitching: AK: Ashton Lover, Alex Baker, Ryan Butler; Providence: Alex Askey, Semeuik, Jordan Fuller – Do not be surprised to see the bullpens battle it out again in extra innings.

 

Thank You

Who needs a program when all you have to do is print this out, grab some peanuts, and a chair. All Set, thank you and very appreciative

 

Week 9 Highlights and Tournament Bracket

http://www.southwestern4Abaseball.com/news.html

 

East Meck Senior Night and Special First Pitch

Tonight East Meck hosts Providence for Senior Night. The Eagles will also have a special guest to honor the memory of the famed "Ed Bryant's Field of Dreams Game". Tate Bryant's sister, Kelsey, is a senior at East Mecklenburg and will take the hill tonight for a ceremonial first pitch. It should be a special moment for the Bryant family and the Eagles. For those of you that don't know about Ed Bryant's Field of Dreams, here is a link to the full story. If you check it out, I can promise you won't be disappointed.

http://www.thisboardrocks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=60927&highlight=Miracle+Monroe

and this one

http://www.thisboardrocks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=84762&highlight=Miracle+Monroe

Who knows, maybe there will be some magic tonight.