By: DP Staff-April 1, 2008
What a start to the 2008 season we have had! Quality weather, for the most part, has allowed Diamond Prospects to set new DP records for coverage so far this spring. Some new clubs have made a name for themselves, others have stumbled out of the game but many, many new names have surfaced and been exposed in the early going. As we pass the midway point of the season, DP takes a look back at the campaign to date and provides our audience a snapshot of the first six weeks of the season as we build toward playoff contention and every indication of a wide-open post-season in all four classifications.
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Diamond Prospects Statistics
Teams covered: 123
Games seen: 107
Fields: 50
Parents dropping off drinks at the dugout: >100
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DP Accolades
Quickest game: 1:28, South Pointe vs Chaminade-Madonna Prep
Latest game: Mauldin versus North Augusta at the IP Classic, the final pitch was made at 2:32 AM!
Best game: Brookland-Cayce 2 Riverside 0 at the IP Classic
Best comeback: AC Flora led Sumter 11-2 in the fifth inning, only to see the Gamecocks rattle off 16 unanswered runs en route to an 18-11 non-conference win.
Best Team: Hartsville, Riverside, Brookland-Cayce, Sumter, Dorman
Biggest Surprise: York, Greenville, Belton-Honea Path, Greenwood, Union
Biggest Disappointment: North Augusta, Greer, Mauldin, Spartanburg, Midland Valley
Wildest play: Stay with us for a second and put on your thinking cap…Bases loaded and one out, Landrum at the plate, Spartanburg in the field. On the pitch, the hitter made contact with the catcher’s mitt (catcher’s interference) and the ball bounded into the baseline between first and second and directly toward the Spartanburg second baseman. He, the ball and the Landrum runner arrived at the same time and the ball was jarred loose. Well, it should have been a dead ball (from the interference in HS, the play is dead on a balk or interference call) and a potential ejection for the Landrum runner, all runners should have moved up a base with no out being recorded on the play and Landrum plating a run. As the umpires discussed the play, both head coaches were having words over what had happened with the collision, and unbeknownst to the umpires, was becoming very heated! Cooler heads finally prevailed, an out was called on the Landrum baserunner and he was also ejected. The craziest part of the entire ordeal is that the plate umpire came to the backstop and explained the ruling to all of the parents and fans in its entirety amid a chorus of boos from the patrons!
Best home to first time: 3.78, Rock Harling (Westside)
Best home to first time (turn): 4.18, Bradley Victor (York)
Best pop time: Trey Wimmer (Greenwood), 1.94 in between innings
Longest homerun: Mac Doyle (Conway), Brad Zebedis (South Pointe).
Best defensive play: With JL Mann leading 7-3, Gilbert loaded the bases with one out…With the tying run at the plate, a line drive was smoked to leftfield. Charging in, Patriot senior Kellen Moman made an outstanding diving snag as he was fully out-stretched when he picked the ball out of the air, just before it scooted under him. The Gilbert runner at third tagged a broke for the plate, Moman bounced to his feet and fired a perfect strike to the dish to nail the runner and nail down the victory. Both ends of the play were noteworthy and it ended the game; Zeke Rollins (Landrum) crashing into the leftfield fence against Mid Carolina at AC Flora during a pre-season scrimmage. It was the first out of the game but spelled the end of the day for Rollins.
Best pitcher’s duel: Adam Westmoreland (Brookland-Cayce) versus Matt Pegler (Riverside), BC won 2-0; Jordan Lyles (Hartsville) versus Matt Price (Sumter), Hartsville won 2-1 on two unearned runs.
Most dominant pitching performance: Charlie McCready (Fort Mill versus Dillon), Adam Westmoreland (Brookland-Cayce versus Riverside), Zac Fuesser (York versus Nation Ford), Daniel Palka (Greer versus Greenwood).
Hardest fastball: Madison Younginer (Mauldin) 93 MPH, Adam Westmoreland (Brookland-Cayce), Matt Price (Sumter), Tyler Wilson (Gaffney), Colby Holmes (Conway), Jordan Lyles (Hartsville), Josh Adams (Midland Valley) 91 MPH…
Best baseball name: Cub Cook (batboy for Lake City and 3-year old son of skipper Jason Cook).
Tallest Player: Case Stiglbauer (Dreher) 6’8"
Shortest Player: Hunter Burton (Palmetto) 5’5"
Cleanest round of pre-game: White Knoll
Top Fungo Guy: Mark Bonnette (White Knoll), Jeff Young (Riverside), Brian Hucks (Brookland-Cayce)
Best Catcher’s Pop-up: Jason Cook (Lake City)
Valiant effort on a Catcher’s Pop-up: Brian Hucks (Brookland-Cayce) x 4 at the IP Classic!
Coach that could still play: Billy Sylvester (Carolina Academy)
Energy Award: (tie) Travis Henson (Landrum), Ben Waddle (Dorman)
Worst call by umpire: Too many to list, it’s been a rough spring statewide for the men in blue!
Best Argument with an Umpire: Kevin Atkins (Broome)
Best line from a parent in the bleachers: "We don’t yell at your kids, don’t yell at ours!!"
Best Playing Surface: AC Flora, Mauldin, North Myrtle Beach
Best pre-game tunes: Myrtle Beach
Best in-game tunes: Georgetown
Best Hamburger: AC Flora
Best Chicken/Chicken Bog: White Knoll, Midland Valley, AC Flora, Waccamaw
Best Dressed Evaluator: Dominic Viola (Baltimore Orioles)
The Gary Randall Attendance Award: College-Monte Lee (South Carolina), Pro-Billy Best (Atlanta Braves).
Hospitality Award: Georgetown at the IP Classic, Waccamaw at the Coastal Invitational
*Accolades only apply to games that Diamond Prospects covered.