Upstate Fall League not affected by BBCor on Opening Night

By: Barry Mabry – September 6, 2011

The 2011 DP Developmental Fall League got underway this evening in the Upstate with all twenty teams in action. After heavy rain threats from Tropical Storm Lee, surprisingly all games were a go tonight.

I decided to kick the season off by mingling around to all the sites, which gave me a chance to check out multiple teams. Although I wasn’t able to get over to Dorman, Byrnes, or Duncan Park, I did get a sneak preview of 12 other teams. I was expecting to see limited offense this season due to our BBCor/wood only league but I was taken by surprise with the performances that were put up opening night. The league combined for 132 runs (13.2 average per game) and 11 home runs in its first night. I witnessed five dingers myself and all were no-doubters.

My first destination was Woodmont High School. Being the greenhorn of the league, I was really excited on my trek there. Just where I left off in the spring, it was instant offense once again. Woodmont’s Jay Lester and Kody Spencer both left the yard and Blue Ridge’s Daniel Coster blasted one of his own while I was in attendance. Spencer and Lester ended up belting two four-baggers on the night and Woodmont’s Shaun Turner and Blue Ridge’s Jordan Brabo also left the yard during this affair.

I left in third inning and journeyed down highway 86 to Easley. I arrived at Alice Mills Park and brought the offense with me. Mauldin #1 was up 5-3 in the fifth inning as I was walking in, but Easley rallied to go ahead, winning the ballgame 10-7. After staying for a bit I headed over to Chapman High School to check out some action between JL Mann #1 vs Chapman #1 and Mauldin #2 vs Chapman #2; once again bringing my instant offense. Mann #1 and Chapman #1 were knotted up at 5 before Dominic Whiteside blasted a two-run go-ahead homer to put his team up 7-5, eventually winning 9-5. The nightcap at Chapman featured a talented Mauldin squad squaring off against an extremely young Chapman group. The Panthers held their own for a while but inexperience caught up with them and they dropped the game 14-2.