Take away the 1st inning, CCH vs. St. Henry and the 4th inning, Conner vs. Bellevue; left you with 4 pretty fair pitching performances. Highlands completely dominated a Beechwood team that had no resemblance of the team it was throughout the season. The GEM of the day, Dixie's King vs. Boone's Ganns left you heart broken for Ganns in his dominant outing but leaping for Dixie Pride as this funny game of Baseball isn't over til' it's over.

 

• Was final pole #3 Beechwood's Tank empty after a nail biting battle in their District Championship Game?

• Highlands and Conner may be the 2 hottest Teams, can they advance again over #1 & #2 in final season pole? Can these 2 aggressive teams at the plate be slowed down at this point?

• Cov.Cath ?? Did they through their ace, do they have an ace? How dangerous is their offense?

• Is it Destiny Dixie after that kind of win over Boone? They have been the season's most consistent.

 

Your Call.

I'm sure I'll get blasted for saying this, but Beechwood losing isn't a surprise to me. I know all the hype they have gotten the last 2 years and will get again for the next 2 years with their super sophs, but just like last year even though they put up good record, when they play against teams that have quality player up and down their lineup Beechwood seems to struggle.

 

I'm a huge Beechwood fan as they are my alma matter and I played for them and also have a cousin on the coaching staff etc. but I just think too much is made of the young sophs just like last year and too many people think having 3 or 4 very good ballplayers automatically make them one of the best teams in the state which they simply aren't. Everyone knows baseball and how good a team does is 90% pitching period. If you don't have at least 2 studs who can start for you on the mound then you will struggle. Having 2 good pitchers will win you some games but against quality teams with good bats you will lose some too. Combs getting hurt hurt the team and when they faced great pitching they struggled. I made a comment earlier in the season about how I didn't think they were very solid from 1-9 hitters and I was told I was wrong. I just think their hitting abilities, or lack of that when it comes to hitting breaking balls hurt them this last week. I don't think the district game had anything to do with them losing yesterday, that is simply an excuse to try and quiet the folks who put that team on the pedestal this year just like last year.

 

Beechwood is a very good team, but not the best in the area and it showed when they faced quality opponents this year.

 

I picked Dixie to be the team to beat all season and the reason I said that is because they are very solid at the plate from 1-9

They still seem to be the team to beat and it could be fate as the way they got their win the other day. They are the most complete team I've seen this year.

• Was final pole #3 Beechwood's Tank empty after a nail biting battle in their District Championship Game?

Tank empty????? It's baseball. Old guys who drink beer and are out of shape can play baseball.

Even the worst teams in baseball seem to be able to win baseball games.

 

I will agree that at the high school level, pitching can dominate, but unlike basketball, there are no ra-ra high-pshcye, get up for games in baseball. You go out and play the game. Sometimes you win big, sometimes you lose big. On this day Beechwood lost big. It's baseball.

 

There is nothing to say that if it were a three game series, that Beechood wouldn't have come back to lay a 10-0 on Highlands. It's the nature of the game.

• Was final pole #3 Beechwood's Tank empty after a nail biting battle in their District Championship Game?

• Highlands and Conner may be the 2 hottest Teams, can they advance again over #1 & #2 in final season pole? Can these 2 aggressive teams at the plate be slowed down at this point?

• Cov.Cath ?? Did they through their ace, do they have an ace? How dangerous is their offense?

• Is it Destiny Dixie after that kind of win over Boone? They have been the season's most consistent.

 

Your Call.

 

Great first post and welcome to BGP! :thumb:

 

Now as to your questions:

 

1) I have no idea what happened to Beechwood yesterday. Shocking to me (not that they lost but the manner in which they did).

2) There are going to be two very good baseballs games this evening in Florence and it could be that Highlands and Conner win or it could be Cov Cath and Dixie or some combination. All I know is that the games should be very competitive.

3) Cov Cath did not throw their ace. I believe one of the Hepplers is their ace and he should throw this evening against Conner's ace. The Blue Colonel offense has been pretty solid the majority of the year but didn't look well yesterday. It'll be a tough task to come out of a slump against Ross but if any team can do it, it's Cov Cath.

4) I don't know if Dixie is a team of destiny but 3 of the past 4 regionals game they have been in (going back to last year) have ended in walkoff fashion for them. Fans are getting their money worth when Dixie is on the field at UC Health Stadium.

 

Hope to see some big crowds tonight. Best time of the year!

We were one pitch away from 4 shutouts yesterday.

We were one pitch away from 4 shutouts yesterday.

 

I had made that same comment to someone as Ganns headed out to start the 7th inning yesterday.

We were one pitch away from 4 shutouts yesterday.

 

Dixie has been 3 or 4 pitches away from being 0-4 in their last 4 regional games. Instead they are 3-1. Gotta love this game!

Ok, I'll weigh in....I'm not scared! I will say at least one and maybe both games will be an upset. I think Conner & Highlands are both playing fearless and confident and are capable of winning the region. I believe HHS has enough pitching to make it through, are battle tested with their schedule and although noted their "subpar" record against regional participants .....they played them all close. Conner is playing well with some big wins down the stretch and may be the "hottest" team.

 

All the teams left are district winners so all are on top of their game........but I like upsets from here out.

Who will the home teams be? If I remember right, last year teams from the lower bracket were home teams. Hopefully, it is the same.

Ok, I'll weigh in....I'm not scared! I will say at least one and maybe both games will be an upset. I think Conner & Highlands are both playing fearless and confident and are capable of winning the region. I believe HHS has enough pitching to make it through, are battle tested with their schedule and although noted their "subpar" record against regional participants .....they played them all close. Conner is playing well with some big wins down the stretch and may be the "hottest" team.

 

All the teams left are district winners so all are on top of their game........but I like upsets from here out.

 

What is considered an upset? I think that Conner is more talented than CCH right now so I would consider a CCH win as the upset. Dixie is pretty balanced and has some solid pitching but Highlands is not too far behind, so it is hard to say that game would produce a big upset.

What is considered an upset? I think that Conner is more talented than CCH right now so I would consider a CCH win as the upset. Dixie is pretty balanced and has some solid pitching but Highlands is not too far behind, so it is hard to say that game would produce a big upset.

Just from what I've seen and read this season... It sure seems to be the year of Dixie and Conner. But, you're right. Surely no one could be surprised if CCH and HHS both advance.

Who will the home teams be? If I remember right, last year teams from the lower bracket were home teams. Hopefully, it is the same.

 

CCH and HHS will be home teams tonight.

 

Winner of CCH v. Conner will be home team tomorrow night.

CCH and HHS will be home teams tonight.

 

Winner of CCH v. Conner will be home team tomorrow night.

 

Boo - no more walk-off magic for Dixie! Oh well, hopefully they can just win a couple going away!

I'm sure I'll get blasted for saying this, but Beechwood losing isn't a surprise to me. I know all the hype they have gotten the last 2 years and will get again for the next 2 years with their super sophs, but just like last year even though they put up good record, when they play against teams that have quality player up and down their lineup Beechwood seems to struggle.

 

I'm a huge Beechwood fan ...

 

This is the biggest laugh I've had all day!!! I'd never know you were a huge Beechwood fan--all you do is bash them.

I'm sure I'll get blasted for saying this, but Beechwood losing isn't a surprise to me. I know all the hype they have gotten the last 2 years and will get again for the next 2 years with their super sophs, but just like last year even though they put up good record, when they play against teams that have quality player up and down their lineup Beechwood seems to struggle.

 

I'm a huge Beechwood fan as they are my alma matter and I played for them and also have a cousin on the coaching staff etc. but I just think too much is made of the young sophs just like last year and too many people think having 3 or 4 very good ballplayers automatically make them one of the best teams in the state which they simply aren't. Everyone knows baseball and how good a team does is 90% pitching period. If you don't have at least 2 studs who can start for you on the mound then you will struggle. Having 2 good pitchers will win you some games but against quality teams with good bats you will lose some too. Combs getting hurt hurt the team and when they faced great pitching they struggled. I made a comment earlier in the season about how I didn't think they were very solid from 1-9 hitters and I was told I was wrong. I just think their hitting abilities, or lack of that when it comes to hitting breaking balls hurt them this last week. I don't think the district game had anything to do with them losing yesterday, that is simply an excuse to try and quiet the folks who put that team on the pedestal this year just like last year.

 

Beechwood is a very good team, but not the best in the area and it showed when they faced quality opponents this year.

 

I picked Dixie to be the team to beat all season and the reason I said that is because they are very solid at the plate from 1-9

They still seem to be the team to beat and it could be fate as the way they got their win the other day. They are the most complete team I've seen this year.

 

HB ... you often get an idea fixed in your head and you find ways to justify it is right. You want to try and prove your early season hypothesis that Beechwood wasn't "that good" so you are jumping on yesterday to try and prove it.

 

The fact is Beechwood had quite a few quality wins, so saying they struggle against good teams is just wrong. Losing 10-0 yesterday doesn't mean Highlands is clearly superior to Beechwood. In fact, Beechwood beat Highlands earlier in the year. That is the way baseball goes and you can't use one game to judge a team. In addition to beating Highlands, Beechwood beat CCH, Dixie, Trinity, Scott, high quality teams in the All A games down state.

 

As to having players up and down the lineup, Beechwood is not a 3 or 4 player team. I will make an educated guess and say 6 players in yesterday's lineup will have the opportunity to play college baseball if they choose to, and that doesn't include Combs.