March Round-Up
By: Austin Alexander-April 1, 2007
March began with a major storm system that wiped out baseball everywhere but Georgetown. Eventually the weather gave way to sunny skies and warm temps as the prep season kicked it into high gear. We take a look at the past month and some things that stood out for DP.
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Diamond Prospects Statistics
Teams covered-45
Games seen-24
Fields-21
College games seen-5
Rainouts-2
Miles traveled-2,619
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DP Accolades
Quickest game: Wando-James Island, 1:35
Longest game: Lake City-South Florence, 3:19
Best game: Conway 1 Sumter 0, 10 innings
Best comeback: GOLD Medal-Trailing Dillon 9-1 in the fourth inning, Aynor went on to score nine unanswered runs to win 10-9 on a walk-off single by Keaton Capps. SILVER Medal-Down 11-1 at Lake City, South Florence came back to tie the game at eleven in the seventh only to lose 12-11 in ten innings.
Wildest play: Tied 0-0 in the bottom of the tenth, Conway’s Ryne Hardwick led-off with a walk and was bunted to second. With one out, Jonathan Sharpe fouled off pitch after pitch to extend the at-bat. Finally he got a pitch out over the plate and smoked it into right-center…game over, right? Well, Hardwick got a late jump from second as Sumter rightfielder Tyler Smith quickly retrieved the ball and unloaded a strike to the plate. As the ball and runner each moved closer to the plate, it was clearly going to be a bang-bang play. The throw became a perfect one-hopper to catcher Tony Micklon who applied the tag just after Hardwick slid into the dish…game over, right? The umpire wound up and banged Hardwick for the second out! Sharpe, who rounded first, certain that he’d delivered the game-winner now found himself halfway between first and second walking into the infield grass. Out of the baseline and inning over, right? He was ruled safe! Sharpe later stole third and scored the winning run on Bobby Watford’s single.
Best home to first time: Alex Dozier (Dorman) 3.73 on a drag bunt
Best home to first time (turn): Alex Dozier (Dorman) 4.25
Best pop time: Drew Wingo (Mauldin) 1.81
Longest homerun: Brett Thomas (AC Flora)
Best defensive play: Playing second base, Conway’s Michael Fink ranged far to his right to snag a bad hop groundball, set his feet and made a strong throw to nail the runner. The play was the 21st out of a perfect game.
Best pitcher’s duel: Colby Holmes (Conway) versus Matt Price (Sumter), Conway won 1-0 in ten innings.
Most dominant pitching performance: Colby Holmes (Conway) versus Sumter-Perfect game through seven, ended up allowing two hits in nine innings, 13 K’s, no walks.
Hardest fastball: Logan Munson (AC Flora)
Best baseball name: Mo Holler (AC Flora)
Cleanest round of pre-game: Wando HS, Conway HS
Top Fungo Guy: John Daurity (Socastee)
Best Catcher’s Pop-up: Ritchie Causey (Conway)
Worst Call: Plenty of nominees this month…Sumter’s Tyler Christman had two strikes on him with the winning run at third base, was hit on the hand getting out of the way of the pitch and it was ruled he was out for attempting to bunt the ball, strike three.
Best Argument with an Umpire: Greg Dozier (Dillon)
Best line from a parent in the bleachers: “Open ‘dem eyes blue!”
Best Playing Surface: Aynor HS
Best pre-game tunes: Wando HS
Best in-game tunes: Wando HS
Best Dressed Evaluator: Scott Brickman (Wofford)
The Gary Randall Attendance Award: Tom Fleenor (USC Sumter); the award could be issued to Gary Randall (MLB Bureau) each month so we’ve decided, instead, just to name the award after him!
Hospitality Award: Georgetown at the IP Classic