March 31, 2008                        Check Out previous Blogs

With cold, wet weather during their preseason preparations leaving many teams throughout the State rarely able to practice outdoors, the issue as the season gets underway is which clubs are able to execute effectively. Those teams which play good defense, pitch well, or swing bats with authority, contact and consistency, figure to get off to good starts. Do more than one of those things and not only will a team win, it likely will win big. These qualities are greatly impacted  by the "indoor" facilities of a school.

Some by-products, if all of teh above aren't in place for a team, are some lopsided games, many rallies (often late in the game) due to tired pitchers or leaky defenses, some HUGE offensive or pitching stats for a game (or week). We have great examples of all of the above this week.

Personally, I don't see the need to be scheduling or playing so many games in March. Have you EVER heard a coach talk about their big win in March ?

Play baseball as it's meant to be played. If you are a game short in your schedule due to a rain out in April or May, so be it. The world won't end.

The risk of injury, unsuitability of the game, all the extra time spent postponing, canceling, changing these early season (not very consequential) game, to what point ?

State Champions aren't determined if you play 24 games or 26 game schedule. Be ready in May ... not March.

BEST GAME OF THE WEEK IN MISSOURI....

Chaminade's 3-2, 10 inning win over St Charles had a strong defense with just a couple errors (always a good sign even in mid-season), good pitching and a score of a late-season battle.

TOUGHEST LOSS OF THE WEEK....

The Glendale Falcons committed two costly errors in the 5th inning. That was all that was needed, as the visiting Lake Zurich (Chicago suburb school) took advantage of the miscues and scored their only two runs in a 2-1 heartbreaking defeat for Glendale. Glendale's Mike Kickham took the loss despite hurling a 2-hitter !

The exciting, late inning rally games of the week....

While touring Florida, the Hickman Kewpies (3-1) used three hits, triple and 2 RBI's of Drew Mitrisin to rally from a 10-4 deficit in the 6th to defeat S.Brunswick (NJ)11-10. In an earlier game, Mitrisin tossed a five hit 8-0 whitewash over St. Dominic (NY)

The Marionville Comets scored 2 runs in the bottom of the 7th to edge Billings 7-6. The Comets had a HR from Grubbs in the win.

Down 7-1 midway in the 4th, Duchesne Pioneers offense kicked into gear. The pioneers scored in each of the next 3 innings as they edged the Troy Trojans 8-7 in GAC conference action.

The Carthage Tigers carried a 14-11 lead into the bottom of the 7th. Nevada scored 4 runs in the bottom half to hand Carthage a 15-14 defeat. It was the 2nd tough loss of the week for Carthage

Another 7th inning, 4 run rally took place as Lee Summit West (4-1) saw a double from Matt Valded knock home the winning tally in a 10-9 win over intra-district rival, Lee Summit Broncos (2-3). The Titans offense was ignited by Tyler Riddle's two hits, 3 RBI's and Dillan Brady slugged a solo home run.

After only 1 run in 6 innings, Bolivar Liberators offense ignited with 6 runs in the 7th to upend El Dorado Springs 7-3.

FIRST 10 DAYS OF BASEBALL....DO YOU BELIEVE.....

Tim Mehlville (Holt) highly acclaimed pitching prospect leads the ST Louis area with four home runs already! WOW! Some teams don't hit 4 home runs in a month! Holt, a final four team in 07, is 3-3 but putting the pieces together. Which coach wouldn't like to have Mehlville in his lineup and on his mound ?

David Mullins (DeSmet)is 3-0 while throwing just 15.3 innings for the Spartans. I would say that is "maximizing" the value of your innings.

These hitters are ON FIRE !  Cody Asche (Ft Zumwalt West) is 17 of 21 from the plate-a cool .810 average. TJ Smreker (Hillsboro) is 14 of 19 and stands at .737 for this early season as he leads the Hawks to a 4-2 record. One of Hillsboro wins, the 7-1 win over Windsor is available as a replay FREE to be heard on www.prepcasts.com 24-7-365.Check it out.

Prepcasts has six baseball games on tap for this week! A girls lacrosse game is also on the slate!! Join us for all the fun...www.prepcasts.com.

MISSOURI ATHLETIC CLUB

Vandalia Bus Lines