13th region tourney updates

[MountainThunder]

FIRST ROUND

 

South Laurel 15 Pineville 0

 

Middlesboro 3 Clay Co 0

 

North Laurel 1 Cumberland 1 (Unable to complete 1st inning due to weather, Cumberland scored 1 in the top, in the bottom of inning, North had 2 batters, 1 scored, 1 on base, 3rd batter at the plate with 0 outs, when the rains came down) Will be completed tonight at 6pm.

 

Corbin vs Knox Central (moved till tonight at 8pm)

[MountainThunder]

Just spoke with NL AD Jimmy Durham, the NL vs Cumberland game is moved up to 530pm with the Corbin v KC game to follow 15 minutes afterwards. Just a slight change in plans. At least 1 of the baseball games has been moved to South Laurel for tonight to get back on track.

[MountainThunder]

North Laurel 11 Cumberland 1 (5 innings)

Corbin 8 Knox Central 3

 

WEDNESDAY'S SEMIFINALS @ North Laurel High School (6pm & 8pm)

South Laurel vs Middlesboro

North Laurel vs Corbin

[Les]

Should be very interesting tomorrow.

[MountainThunder]

Should be very interesting tomorrow.

 

I agree. Should be very interesting.

 

South Laurel is hitting the ball much better and they will need to when they face Jimison. She doesn't throw with the velocity I thought she would, but she works all over the plate, .. inside and out. I like the movement on her ball. I am also interested to see who pitches. Gaines still isn't throwing nearly as hard as normal. It still appears her back is bothering her quite a bit. Curious who South will throw, Gaines, Justice or Fisher. South's advantage is that they have seen Jimison before and know how well she moves the ball around. Very good location.

 

In the North v Corbin game, it will be interesting to see how the Hounds handle the movement and velocity of Sears (if that is who they see). It is much different then what they have seen recently. It will also be interesting to see how North adjusts to the slower pitching. It has seemed to bother them in some games this season considering the older and harder throwing pitchers they have faced.

[MountainThunder]

SEMIFINALS

 

South Laurel 10 Middlesboro 4 (Gaines gets the win, Justice gets the save, Jimison takes the loss)

 

North Laurel 7 Corbin 0 (Sears gets the win, Cobb gets the save, Brock takes the loss)

 

Sets up the final that most figured we would see, North vs South at 7pm on Thursday @ North Laurel High School.

 

Thoughts:

 

- Gaines (SL) looked very good early, not allowing a baserunner in the first 2 innings & only throwing 20 pitches in the first 2 innings combined (14 in the first & only 6 in the 2nd). Her back appeared to tighten up and she lost some velocity. Justice came in and gave South some good innings towards the end. Middlesboro hit South better than I thought they would and South hit Jimison good from the 3rd inning on. Gaines' back may impact her pitching, but not her hitting. She crushed a couple of monster shots.

 

- Sears (NL) looked pretty good, not her best. Allowed a few baserunners, but she clamped down and got the outs ending any Corbin threat. North left a lot of runners on base, but nearly everyone on the team either hit, baseran, or played the field in this one. Cobb looked good getting the save. The slower pitching threw North off a little bit, but they adjusted enough to get the win.

 

South is playing very well right now and I expect a much closer game than the 9-0 win North had earlier in the season. This should be a humdinger!!!

[Les]

South Laurel looked solid offensively against Middlesboro.

I also liked what Gaines did on the mound. She's not 100 percent, but she's a top-notch competitor.

She's also the best hitter I have ever covered. She now has 80 hits on the season, which I believe is a state record.

 

For North Laurel, the Lady Jags keep rolling — they now have 21 wins in a row. Look for Thursday's finals to be very interesting.

[MountainThunder]

South Laurel looked solid offensively against Middlesboro.

I also liked what Gaines did on the mound. She's not 100 percent, but she's a top-notch competitor.

She's also the best hitter I have ever covered. She now has 80 hits on the season, which I believe is a state record.

 

For North Laurel, the Lady Jags keep rolling — they now have 21 wins in a row. Look for Thursday's finals to be very interesting.

 

The record on the KHSAA website shows 64 hits in 1 season. 80 is just amazing! She is quite a player and a great kid as well. You hit the nail on the head, she is a competitor!!!

[MountainThunder]

13th region finals

 

North Laurel 7

South Laurel 0

 

Sears gets the complete game shutout. Jags came up with HUGE defensive plays the entire game. They hit the ball very well and were extremely agressive on the basepaths. North Laurel goes back to state.

[Jim Schue]

13th region finals

 

North Laurel 7

South Laurel 0

 

Sears gets the complete game shutout. Jags came up with HUGE defensive plays the entire game. They hit the ball very well and were extremely agressive on the basepaths. North Laurel goes back to state.

 

Wow! Congrats to Abby and the Jags.

[Les]

Big hits by Megan Taylor in the game.

[MountainThunder]

Big hits by Megan Taylor in the game.

 

Taylor, Cordero and Brittany Lawson. Hensley made a few outstanding defensive plays, especially that diving catch behind 3rd base. Lawson has been hurt most of the year and gives the Lady Jags yet another hitter in the lineup now that she is getting healthy. And none too soon!!!

[Jim Schue]

Taylor, Cordero and Brittany Lawson. Hensley made a few outstanding defensive plays, especially that diving catch behind 3rd base. Lawson has been hurt most of the year and gives the Lady Jags yet another hitter in the lineup now that she is getting healthy. And none too soon!!!

 

Wasn't she hurt pretty much all of last year (back injury, if I recall correctly)? What's she been sidelined with this year?

[MountainThunder]

Wasn't she hurt pretty much all of last year (back injury, if I recall correctly)? What's she been sidelined with this year?

 

It was her back last year. This year just several more minor injuries, but ones that kept her off the field. She was All State as a sophomore. She has played phenomenal down the stretch and is finishing her senior year very strong.