hardball

Very odd - the semi-state matchups were a bit lopsided this year. At least there's no doubt that the best 8 teams made it from their semi-states to Applebee's.

It's good to see Coach Brown and Coach Harris have some success in their first years at SL. I'll be rooting for the former 12th region Cards at Applebee's.

I'm not bashing their kids - I'm bashing their coaches for letting the kids act that way... The coach was tossed for arguing the tag play between first and second. Duhram was tossed for coming out of the dugout to first base to argue the same call (a play in which he wasn't involved), then had to be restrained. The Lynn kid was tossed for arguing with the home plate umpire while warming up his pitcher between innings, then after he was tossed, looked like he was going to try to fight the plate umpire. Are these the circumstances you were asking about? And this was the fifth Danville game I've seen this year, not the first. Anyway, congrats on a good season Danville; good luck Lexington Catholic.

I hope you're right and I'm wrong, but it didn't sound like it.

Let's hope that these kids get their attitudes from their parents and not coach Morse, then. But in the end, who fills out the lineup card every day? And by the way, maybe someone can answer this for me. What did Danville's team break their pre-game and post-game huddles with? I may be wrong, but it sounded like something I don't think I can type on BGP.

Lexington Catholic was the better team. However, let me add this... I attended both games of this tournament and had planned on supporting Danville, since they were the representative of the twelfth region. However, after seeing the sportsmanship of their fans and players, I'm happy Lexington Catholic pulled this one out. Frankly, I have never seen fans or players act this way. I was there, and I actually heard fans cursing at umpires from the stands and even challenging them to fights after the game. The worst part, though, was watching Danville's first baseman and catcher get tossed from the game and, get this, physically challenge the umpires - both had to be restrained. I have no respect for the Danville program at all, from coach Morse down. To allow a teenage kid to act this way is reprehensible; to condone such behavior is a joke, period. On a higher note, the Witten kid from Danville had two opposite field homers, and more than that, he showed some class on the field. He is the real deal with the stick.

Grimes may fare better against Catholics bats than Witten; Witten throws hard, but it's straight, straight, straight. Grimes has a little better off speed stuff. However, if Danville doesn't catch the ball any better than they did last night, they may get ten-runned... With their #'s 1 and 2 left, Catholic is in great shape. Maronde pitched to one hitter last night (Witten, and jammed him up badly), so he should be fine tonight.

I think Catholic will hit Witten harder than Grimes. Is Durham Danville's #3?

I thought that was Laurel County's GJ Smith?

A little better than Somerset's baseball team, too, I might add. In all seriousness, congrats to Pulaski's girls, they've worked really hard.

After seeing the grimes kid throw, I'll take Danville in 3.

LexCath and Danville. Should be a good one...

Not a real big surprise in this one; SL was the team to beat in the 13th.

5-one day 6-two days 7-three... I look for South to come away with this; I think they've been the team to beat in this region all year long.

Molen may not impress people with his size, velocity, etc., but he flat out gets the job done. For my money, he's one of the two or three best pitchers in the 12th region, and I sure never thought I'd say that before the season started.

They could throw Price or Fitzpatrick and beat Lincoln; Lincoln just doesn't have another pitcher to turn to...

Southwestern's bats were awful today; pretty big upset.

Good win for Somerset; their 1-5 hitters are potent. They should be able to hold Wallen for the semifinal against Lincoln - you have to like their chances to win the whole thing.

If he throws strikes, but I'd put money on Perkins starting the opener for Rock.

Depends on what SW does w/ Branscum in the opener. I would think Somerset would have to throw Molen vs Mercer; the Scotties may be the best team in the tournament.

Mercer vs Somerset Southwestern vs Lincoln Danville vs Wayne Rockastle vs E. Jessamine

First of all, I am not anti Somerset. Actually, I hope they win the region tournament. However, much of this backlash can be traced to a couple different things. First, I think that many people, myself included, feel that these kids received a lesser punishment because of who their parents were. Let's face it, other student athletes in the Somerset school system have been suspended indefinitely during their seniors years, and there were no special board meetings (do the names Sullivan or Langford ring a bell?). Call a spade a spade. Somerset "bent" the rules for certain individuals; that cannot be argued. Is this the way we want our children to raised? Is this the way any of you raise your children? I certainly hope not. Second, I think that many people across the road were really tired of the purple and gold nation going on and on about a certain set of brothers at Pulaski (who shall hopefully remain nameless on this board). All I heard all basketball season was why one or both of these kids should not be able to represent their school and how Pulaski only cared about winning, etc., etc. In fact, I even watched as an apparently crazy Somerset parent actually walked down and tapped Mark Flynn on the shoulder, during a game, and told him he should remove these players from the game (on a side note, if I were the Pulaski AD, this person would have left the gym in handcuffs; check the Kentucky revised statutes). But now that the shoe is on the other foot, well, you see what happens. And BTW, even though Somerset has beaten Pulaski twice this season in baseball, PC is still a ridiculous 20-4 against them the past 8 years, so that jealousy theory is a wash.... But oh well, I think I am done on this subject.

Region tournament rule of thumb: If you have three quality pitchers you can (theoretically) save your best because you have another for relief that first game (then one, or both of them can return for the championship). If you only have two, you go with your best in the opener if you have any doubts...

I think they were runner ups in '01, so I think it would be 1997.