Dixie made errors. In tennis, there is a difference between forced and unforced errors. Many of Dixie's errors were forced. Speed is disruptive. It throws off your timing. It makes you think. It makes you uncomfortable. It changes your rhythm. Putting players in motion speeds up the game.

 

Classic example and great coaching move: Baioni does not run for JR Mills when 1B & 2B w 2 out. JR Hennigan drives in JR Ramey with a clutch 2 out hit. Pretty basic move to courtesy run for Hennigan with SR Gesenhues. Genius was to pinch run for Mills with SO Beal. Beal has a much better chance of scoring on another 2 out single than Mills, particularly on turf. As it turns out, Beal and Gesenhues attempt to steal. Beal gets a great jump and slides into 3B. Gesenhues either gets a bad jump OR intentionally gets hung up between 1B & 2B. Caple does the right thing by running at him. Beal pops up and starts down the line. Niehaus is not covering home. It was like a slow motion car accident -- Caple is maybe 20 feet from home at a dead stop & Beal is 40 feet from home on a dead run. Caple hustles but after his first few steps and Beal's first several steps -- both in the same amount of time, even Caple knew he didn't have a chance of beating him to the plate. HHS up 2-0.

 

Echo Horst's S/O to SR Vermeil. When asked to perform, he has done just that. Getting the B6 started with a sharp single was huge. "Add on" was definitely needed and that set the tone.

 

Interesting postseason facts:

* - until Dixie scored 3 runs in the top of the 5th, the Birds had pitched 20 shutout innings in postseason play.

* - if you add in the JV Tourney run, it was 45+ shutout innings in postseason play.

* - after Dixie scored 3 runs in the top of the 5th, that was the 1st time the Birds had trailed in postseason play (JV or Varsity)

* - Birds have not trailed after a full inning in postseason play yet (JV or Varsity)

So you are saying that Coach Baioni sits at home with an imaginary play space weapon and shoots people from his Lazyboy? Exactly what was Mitchell Jones doing? That's just weird.:eek:

 

Agree that the players are doing what it takes to get it done but some of the Dugout behavior is just Bizarre. Good luck to the Bluebirds tonight.

 

Sniper gun made with a broken bat. Good clean fun. Summer teams use them all the time.

I would be curious to see the pitching lines from last night. Did Dixie pitchers allow an earned run?

Don't know much about Dixie, are they a young team, given the defensive meltdown?

No they are not.

Edited May 28, 201412 yr by BLUEHOUND
because

Don't know much about Dixie, are they a young team, given the defensive meltdown?

 

Per the DHHS website, the 2014 roster includes 8 Seniors and 13 juniors. SRs Caple, Daria, Hicks, King, Ruedebusch, and Wehrle had very successful careers at Dixie. JRs Harrison, Kerns, Suttles and Niehaus each played prominent roles this season.

 

Was a bit surpised that Kerns didn't pitch for the Colonels last night. After all, didn't he pitch the regional final last year?

Dixie made errors. In tennis, there is a difference between forced and unforced errors. Many of Dixie's errors were forced. Speed is disruptive. It throws off your timing. It makes you think. It makes you uncomfortable. It changes your rhythm. Putting players in motion speeds up the game.

 

Classic example and great coaching move: Baioni does not run for JR Mills when 1B & 2B w 2 out. JR Hennigan drives in JR Ramey with a clutch 2 out hit. Pretty basic move to courtesy run for Hennigan with SR Gesenhues. Genius was to pinch run for Mills with SO Beal. Beal has a much better chance of scoring on another 2 out single than Mills, particularly on turf. As it turns out, Beal and Gesenhues attempt to steal. Beal gets a great jump and slides into 3B. Gesenhues either gets a bad jump OR intentionally gets hung up between 1B & 2B. Caple does the right thing by running at him. Beal pops up and starts down the line. Niehaus is not covering home. It was like a slow motion car accident -- Caple is maybe 20 feet from home at a dead stop & Beal is 40 feet from home on a dead run. Caple hustles but after his first few steps and Beal's first several steps -- both in the same amount of time, even Caple knew he didn't have a chance of beating him to the plate. HHS up 2-0.

 

Mr. Niehaus would strongly disagree with your assessment. He was screaming and yelling at Seth Caple from the stands for this play. Seth did the right thing by running towards the player. Nick should've covered home, but he stood there and watched. Seth laid into Nick after the play, and Mr. Niehaus did not like that at all either.

Per the DHHS website, the 2014 roster includes 8 Seniors and 13 juniors. SRs Caple, Daria, Hicks, King, Ruedebusch, and Wehrle had very successful careers at Dixie. JRs Harrison, Kerns, Suttles and Niehaus each played prominent roles this season.

 

Was a bit surpised that Kerns didn't pitch for the Colonels last night. After all, didn't he pitch the regional final last year?

 

Really no explanation for what happened last night. Dixie was the best team in the area all year. Unfortunately, they chose a very inopportune time to play their worst game of the year. It seemed like every close call went against them, batters seemed to have no clue what was or wasn't going to be called a strike (both teams). Seven errors, not including the 2 run-scoring plays when home was left uncovered, so really 9.

 

Again, that's baseball in a one and out tourney. Of the 3 years that I have been following this tourney, IMO the best team has won it once (last year).

Really no explanation for what happened last night. Dixie was the best team in the area all year. Unfortunately, they chose a very inopportune time to play their worst game of the year. It seemed like every close call went against them, batters seemed to have no clue what was or wasn't going to be called a strike (both teams). Seven errors, not including the 2 run-scoring plays when home was left uncovered, so really 9.

 

Again, that's baseball in a one and out tourney. Of the 3 years that I have been following this tourney, IMO the best team has won it once (last year).

 

The dreaded mental errors are always tougher than the physical ones.

 

Kuddos to Dixie on their outstanding year. Good luck to the Seniors on their careers going forward.

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Really no explanation for what happened last night. Dixie was the best team in the area all year. Unfortunately, they chose a very inopportune time to play their worst game of the year. It seemed like every close call went against them, batters seemed to have no clue what was or wasn't going to be called a strike (both teams). Seven errors, not including the 2 run-scoring plays when home was left uncovered, so really 9.

 

Again, that's baseball in a one and out tourney. Of the 3 years that I have been following this tourney, IMO the best team has won it once (last year).

I agree the home plate umpiring was a mess. The strike zone changed inning to inning and batter to batter. All you ask is that they define their strike zone and stick to it. That guy was all over the map. Hopefully they come up with someone for the championship game that is familiar with the term "consistent".

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I agree the home plate umpiring was a mess. The strike zone changed inning to inning and batter to batter. All you ask is that they define their strike zone and stick to it. That guy was all over the map. Hopefully they come up with someone for the championship game that is familiar with the term "consistent".

 

I was sitting to the side, so some of the ball calls that looked good, could have been outside or inside. However, I don't think there was a ball above the belt called a strike all night. When the catcher is set up behind the plate and he catches it on his chin, that is a strike!

 

The ones that I had a real issue with were the low strike calls! If it didn't bounce, it was a strike (well most of the time). No consistency!

When the kids start talking like the coaching staff, they are all in! Coach Baioni is doing a great job with the baseball program at Highlands. They are fundamentally sound, execute well and are very well coached.

 

I said several years ago when many of these kids were playing little league that the program was only a few short years away from being a big time contender if the kids did not choose to focus on one sport. Last nights starting 10 had a good mix of football/baseball guys along with a like number of baseball only kids. Just a few short years ago, those football guys were choosing not to play baseball and it showed in the results. The junior and sophomore classes are loaded and this may be the start of a pretty good run over the next several years.

I said several years ago when many of these kids were playing little league that the program was only a few short years away from being a big time contender if the kids did not choose to focus on one sport. Last nights starting 10 had a good mix of football/baseball guys along with a like number of baseball only kids. Just a few short years ago, those football guys were choosing not to play baseball and it showed in the results. The junior and sophomore classes are loaded and this may be the start of a pretty good run over the next several years.

 

Unfortunately for the rest of us you are correct! :thumb:

Official scorer had Dixie pitchers giving up 2 ER.

 

Two games in a row where a good team had bad D. Common denominator? Putting a lot of pressure on the D by the Birds.