MIF04

rollins on hil for carthage . 2 top lefties. and a very intense atmosphere. time to play ball.....

Open to all....nominate away.

No surprise here. Well deserved for a kid who is an all-star both on and off the field. Congrats, Jake.

Yes. Austin Crockett was eliminated last week.

This could be a great series. Hales and Thamm vs. Springer and Stone...this alone makes the series remarkable. The Bears support their program well so the matchup of fans should be equal. I agree with other comments. the early start is not good for parents and fans making the game(s). BTW...I also got to talk to both Ross Hales (in his Aggie hat) and Cameron Campbell (wearing his Rice hat) at the BC/Needville game. Both class acts. I really hope the Eagles advance...if for no other reason than these kids deserve it.

This week’s edition of Random Thoughts brings us to graduation week across the State of Texas and that can mean only one thing…a lot of scheduling headaches for those teams remaining in the playoffs. This past week was an outstanding week for SE Texas…all 5 teams won their series…some easily, some not so easily but, bottom line, they all won. We here at SETXSPORTS.COM hope that trend continues next week. The regional semi-finals are upon us and that means (for each classification) only 16 teams remain. Austin is so close you can taste it…but so far that you can’t imagine it. For the “Fab Five†we have remaining in the playoffs, it is a great time to be a HS baseball player. Barbers Hill once again relied on their 1-2 pitching duo of Ross Hales and Kendall Thamm to eliminate Bay City in two games (4-1, 3-1). Timely hitting from C Cameron Campbell led the Eagles’ offense. State-ranked at #8, BH gets a real test this week vs. #3 Montgomery. The Bears swept Austin McCollum behind their own 1-2 pitching duo led by Cody Springer (Sam Houston signee). Their #2? Bobby Stone who “just†threw a no-hitter to close out the last series. Afternoon games (home and home) on Wed. and Thurs. with the ‘if’ game on Saturday at Humble. In 3A. both Jasper and Bridge City rallied from 0-1 holes to win their series. The Bulldogs dropped the opener to Bellville (who eliminated HJ the week before) 4-3 before rallying for a Saturday sweep…11-4 and 3-0. The last game highlighted Ryan Ellis’ sterling performance on the mound. The Bulldogs draw Lufkin Hudson, a surprise semi-finalist with games on Thurs., Fri. and Sat. The BC Cardinals also dropped a 4-3 opener…theirs to Needville in 8 innings. BC came back to win Friday 8-5 behind Philip Meeks then relied on seldom-used Jason Clark to eliminate the Blue Jays 6-3. The road for the Cardinals (ranked #9) gets bumpy…they draw #1 (and undefeated) Carthage this week with games on Thursday and a DH on Saturday. Lastly, 2A also has 2 SE Texas teams left in Region III. #8 Buna swept their series against Nac Central Heights (17-4, 3-2) and moves on to face Hooks. Their games are Thurs. with 2 on Sat. Woodville swept away district foe Hemphill. LHP Winters was (again) nails for the Eagles in game 1. They tangle with Quitman with a Thursday game followed by a DH on Sat. SE Texas could have both Regional finalist in 3A and 2A by week’s end. Good luck to those teams. In 4A, we’re down to one…the BH Eagles. Good luck to them as well. What a week ahead…

Congrats to Rocky. BTW...which all star game is this?

3 games . location and days tba. bc wanted 1 game....lost the flip.

This was a roller coaster ride. BC jumps out with 5 runs (with only 2 hits) courtesy to Needville's pitcher walking/hbp/wp the Cards around the bases. After BC added a 6th run, Needville closes the gap to 6-5, primarily because BC simply couldn't make a play defensively. Dishon's 2-run single provides insurance and 8-5 lead and Meeks slams the door shut. Needville is a fundamentally sound team. Makes few mistakes (so far) and executes well. And they are just tough as nails. These guys make you respect them. BC, on the other hand, is in the proverbial state of confusion. Until they know Hicks' status for today, they do not know who will start on the hill, play SS, play CF (if Dishon pitches) or 2b (if Bolton pitches). Today would be a good day for the entire offense to show up. Cannot wait to see how this one unfolds. Hope BC is in 3rd base dugout...I wanna sit up on the hill again today.

No Stringer?

Good solid playoff game. Stringer did not have his best command but still threw pretty well (and swung the bat well). Needville's P (a freshman) did what pitching is all about -- disrupting timing. Needville played very solid, got every bunt down, etc. Battled every at bat, put a lot of balls in play. BC didn't. I'm not sure why BC didn't walk the last hitter with 1st base open? Just a tough loss for BC, and a great win for Needville. BC needs to have a better approach at the plate tomorrow. We will see...

No details. Did Dean pitch this game for NC?

Sure. We'll add defensive player of the year.

Although the playoffs are still going on, we are beginning the process of selecting our All-SETXSPORTS.COM Baseball Team. As usual, the staff solicits nominations and other information before going through the brutal process of selecting the honorees. First, this is not a vote. We do not tally up who posted the most for a player. Second, the process works better (might even be fairer) when we get some hard facts to support a nomination (such as: batting ave., HR, RBI, W-L, Ks, etc.). The categories will be: MVP Offensive MVP Pitching MVP Defensive Player of the Year Coach of the Year Game of the Year Hit of the Year Performance of the Year 1st and 2nd team, consisting of: Catchers (2) Pitchers (6) Infielders (6) Outfielders (6) DH (2) Utility (2) We will begin this process and announce the team AFTER the playoffs are over. We want your input and your information. This is your board, too... Thanks.

One of the best infielders in this district got moved to CF -- Taylor Hart from Jasper. Also, no one has mentioned Troy Bolton from BC. Last year's Newcomer of the Year in 21-3A and a very solid contributor to this year's team as a jr.

Fortunately, we don't have to when we choose our All-SETX team.

Also a lot of very good pitchers: Flores (PNG) Hales (BH) Harrington (PNG) Helmke (Ned) Listi (Huff) McDonald (Sils) Schooling (Sils) Stringer (BC) Svoboda (WB) Treece (HJ) If we add New Caney to SE Texas, then you gotta add Dean. I haven't seen Thamm (BH) so I can't judge him but his stats look pretty good as well.

The old train wreck...didn't see that with Treece pitching...

I think you need to look at your catchers from all angles (offensively, defensively, and as the leader of your team). Offensively, there are a myriad of stats to help with that factor. Defensively, there really isn't a stat for a blocked ball in the dirt with a man on 3rd. Same is true with leadership. It is subjective. When you pick the 'best' catcher, it is everyone's opinion on what you want and how you select them. I will say this...you probably have to be Bench-esque defensively if you don't hit. Today's game is a hitter's game...

Off the top of my head, this would seem to be a pretty good list of candidates (again, in alphabetical order) Green (Vid) - took program that was down and turned them into a playoff contender, forcing BH to 3 games in bi-district round. Griff (LCM) - had 1 returning starter (his catcher) and wound up with the district champs before 1st round exit. Hooker (High Is) - 1st playoff spot for 1A Cards since the 90s...including a district title. Mixon (Jas) - in perhaps the most competitive of all area districts, they outlasted BC, HJ and Silsbee to become district champs. Still alive in 3A. Stalbaum (BH) - led team even after loss of starting SS to an outstanding year (marred only by 2nd place finish in district) and still kicking in the playoffs. Are there others? Sure. Could this list change? Sure. Someone runs the table and makes it to Austin/wins it (Bridge City?) and you may need to re-consider. Good to debate now...good to debate at season's end. Better than trying to pick the "worst coach of the year"...so many guys did a great job this season.

I have looked but no one has explained or set out what happened in game 1. Can someone let us have that info? Thanks.

There were many very good catchers throughout SE Texas including: Campbell (BH) Carnahan (PNG) Jackson (BC) Massey (Dayton) Rowell (LCM) Steinhagen (Kelly) Wallace (WB) There are others, this is just a starting list. By the way, it is in alphabetical order.

We bring you a special “Mother’s Day†edition of Random Thoughts as the season moves into the Regional Quarter Finals, after 5 of SE Texas’ 10 teams fell from the playoffs in the Area Round. First, the good news: Barbers Hill swept into the QF with 9-4 and 6-2 wins over the Lamar Consolidated Mustangs. After falling behind 4-3 in game 1, the Eagles rallied to pull away with Jake Ponder’s 2 run HR the icing on the cake. Ross Hales was his usual dominant self on the mound. Game 2 saw the Hill fall behind early (2-0) but the bats woke up and Kendall Thamm cruised to a 6-2 win. The Hill gets Bay City (who swept LCM) next. Jasper rode Travis Reagan’s game 1 shutout as the Bulldogs opened their series with a 3-0 win over La Grange. In Game 2, Jasper opened to a quick lead, withstood a Leopards’ rally, and emerged with a 6-3 win to sweep that series. The 21-3A champs move on to tackle Bellville (who swept HJ) this week. Bridge City needed all 3 games of their series with the Wharton Tigers to advance. Jeff Stringer was dominant in game 1 as the Cards won 4-0. Johnny Dishon’s HR broke that game open. After dropping game 2, the Cards roared back to take game 3, 9-2. Freshman Matt Hicks threw 6 1/3 innings of quality baseball AND hit a HR for BC. Interesting note on Game 3: both teams started a freshman on the mound. The Cards move on to tackle Needville. In 2A, the Woodville Eagles swept Mart by scores of 5-4 and 2-0. Next up is district rival Hemphill in the QF. Buna dropped game 1 on their series with Troup only to rally to take games 2 and 3 by scores of 4-1 and 3-2. Tucker Muckleroy closed out the game 3 win for the Cougars. Next up will be Nacogdoches Central Heights. Now, the bad news: West Brook stranded 18 runners over 2 games and were swept from the playoffs by the Pearland Oilers 10-9 and 6-4. With staff ace Josiah Svoboda ill and unable to play, WB never found an answer for Pearland’s talented lineup. While winning 21-5A for the 1st time in 12 years may provide some comfort, the most productive offense in school history will be left with the rest of the playoffs to ponder “what ifâ€. LCM stumbled out of the blocks in their 1st playoff appearance of the year, watching a game 1 lead (3-0) evaporate as the Bay City Black Cats took a 7-3 win. Things got worse in game 2 as a ‘rolled ankle’ on Game 2 starter turned a 4th inning 0-0 game into a 8-0 Bay City win. The Bears no doubt overachieved by winning 22-4A but no one saw this coming. Jake Rowell will live to fight another day (across the river at McNeese) and the Bears return a healthy lineup for ’08. Huffman’s season struck midnight…only it took 3 days for that to happen as their 1 game playoff with Texas City was delayed, resumed and moved from Thurday to Friday to Saturday. The Stings proved too much as the Falcons fell 4-0. It was a superb run for Michael Listi and Company including big wins this year over BH and the playoff sweep over PNG. For Hardin-Jefferson, game 1 of their playoff series with Bellville must have seemed like getting a 2 x 4 across the head. Cruising with a 7-0 lead, the Hawks watched as Bellville scored 9 in the 6th as they rallied past HJ 14-11. With the wind out of their sails, the Hawks were easy pickings in game 2, falling 7-3. It was an improbable run for HJ as they roared through the 2nd half of 21-3A, winning the playoff over Silsbee to earn that district’s 3rd slot. A tough ending but a great season for the guys over at Sour Lake. And, last (but not least) the High Island Cardinals watched their season end as they were swept away at the feet of Fayetteville. Coach Hooker and company have a lot to reflect upon – the first playoff appearance in 8 years as well as the outright district title. Congratulations on a season well-played to HI. And, lastly…a personal note: As I watched my son’s high school career come to an end this past week, I became most reflective. He had a great run playing HS baseball here in SETexas and I have had a great time watching. He has more baseball ahead of him but nothing, I suspect, matches playing for your HS team. More than anything, as the lights went off and the press box closed for the last time in 2007, I drove away 1 last time thinking how proud I am of my kid. I would imagine many dads have had that feeling…but mine happened on Friday evening. So, taking personal license: Thanks, Tim. You done me proud. Good luck to the remaining “fab 5†this week.

By my count, 6 teams could be (and I said could) eliminated after play today: 1. West Brook is down 1-0 in their 3 game series with Pearland after losing 10-9 on Thursday. Game 2 is this afternoon here in Beaumont. 2. LCM is down 1-0 to Bay City after watching a 3-0 lead turn into a 7-3 loss. Game 2 is tonight. 3. Huffman resumes their 1 game, winner take all series with Texas City tonight. TC was leading 1-0 when the game was stopped. 4. Bridge City has a double header today in their 3 game series with Wharton. Granted, they are leading game 1 5-0 in the 5th... 5. Woodville opens with a DH vs. Mart today. 6. High Island plays Fayetteville tonight and the Cards trail in that series 1-0. Only BH is completely immune from 'Elimination Friday'. The Eagles hold a 1-0 lead over Lamar Consolidated. Best of luck to all teams tonight and (hopefully) tomorrow.

Similer to what happened in 21-5A. PA released it to their team and to PA News. Got published and, there you have it -- public disclosure.