The Scribe
03-23-2007, 02:15 AM
Fifth Region Baseball Preview
Despite the loss of several top players to college, the Fifth Region appears to be just as balanced and deep with any one of six teams that could walk away with the region title.
Taylor County (26-10) returns seven starters from last year’s team that lost to North Hardin in the region championship.
Jordan Osborne, who hit .395 at second base with 35 RBIs, will serve a dual role on the mound after going 5-2 with a 1.98 ERA.
Head coach Jeff Gumm feels senior Neil Sanders could be the staff ace this year, with a good breaking pitch now complimenting a blazing fast ball.
John Whitley (.399) and Chase Cox (.325) also return for the Taylor County offense along with junior catcher Mike Brown (.390, 27 RBIs).
Taylor County has won the 20th District 10 of the past 12 years and have won 24 games or more for the past decade. If Gumm can get some pitching contributions from his juniors, Taylor County could very well make their first state tournament appearance.
North Hardin (31-10) survived the always tough 17th District to win the region title before running into the PRP buzz saw at semi state.
The Trojans return senior pitcher Evan Doub, who won eight games last year.
Travis Franklin and Mark Jenkins also return for North Hardin, who will try to overcome the loss of All-State performers Nathan Adcock and Jared Yates. Adcock was a fifth round draft pick of the Seattle Mariners while Yates is at the University of Louisville.
Elizabethtown (22-16) won the region title two years ago and saw their chances to repeat end with a 10 inning loss to Taylor County in the regions semis last year.
The Panthers will try and ride the arm of junior Sean Bouthilette (8-2, 1.69 ERA) to the school’s first state tournament in 15 years.
Senior Shane Stancill (4-2, 1.72 ERA) and senior Eric Sullivan, who didn’t allow an earned run in his final 17 innings last year, also return for new head coach Don Pitts, who took over for Thad Elmore who resigned after seven years and a 178-74 record. Pitts, who says he favors more of a “small ball” approach to the offense, has been an assistant at E-town for seven years.
Returning on offense for Pitts is Stancill, who hit .315, senior Arron Withers (.304), and Bouthilette, who hit .342 last year.
“Pitching should be our strength. We return our top three pitchers and sophomore Chris Gohman, who would have been in the rotation if not for an injury,” Pitts said.
Adam Lindsey takes over a John Hardin team that was 12-18 last year. Three starters did graduate, but Lindsey will have the services of seniors Levi Hardin and Bryce Olsen, and juniors Cody Mitchell, Da’ton Brown, and Ross Redmond, and sophomore Tyler Burnett.
Campbellsville (24-11) lost five starters from last year’s team that advanced to the All-A Classic State Tournament and won the 20th District title.
Justin Cox (8-1, 1.42 ERA) anchors a pitching staff that will also include Clay Pickett.
Wes Bright led the Campbellsville offense with a .370 batting average.
Bethlehem (21-12) is coming off their best record in the program’s history, and head coach Josh Cammack feels they are turning the corner.
Senior Alex Medley is the first Bethlehem player to get a college scholarship, as he will head to Kentucky Wesleyan College next year. Medley hit. 340 last year with a .500 OBP and was the staff ace with a 3.76 ERA.
Senior Chris Greenwell hit .330 and led the team with 35 stolen bases, and first baseman Ryan Samuels hit .406 and led the team with 32 RBIs.
Ryan Spaulding and John Martin also return in the outfield for Bethlehem.
Cammack also has the services of one of the better coaching staffs in the region, bolstered by the addition of former Reds farmhand Jason Ellis who will work with the catchers and offense.
Two schools who also have a wealth of starters returning are Larue County (18-16) and Marion County (16-13).
Fifth Region Rankings
1. Taylor County
2. North Hardin
3. Elizabethtown
4. John Hardin
5. Campbellsville
6. Bethlehem
7. Larue County
8. Marion County
9. Central Hardin
10. Green County
11. Adair County
12. Nelson County
13. Bardstown
14. Caverna
15. Hart County
16. Washington County
17. Fort Knox
Despite the loss of several top players to college, the Fifth Region appears to be just as balanced and deep with any one of six teams that could walk away with the region title.
Taylor County (26-10) returns seven starters from last year’s team that lost to North Hardin in the region championship.
Jordan Osborne, who hit .395 at second base with 35 RBIs, will serve a dual role on the mound after going 5-2 with a 1.98 ERA.
Head coach Jeff Gumm feels senior Neil Sanders could be the staff ace this year, with a good breaking pitch now complimenting a blazing fast ball.
John Whitley (.399) and Chase Cox (.325) also return for the Taylor County offense along with junior catcher Mike Brown (.390, 27 RBIs).
Taylor County has won the 20th District 10 of the past 12 years and have won 24 games or more for the past decade. If Gumm can get some pitching contributions from his juniors, Taylor County could very well make their first state tournament appearance.
North Hardin (31-10) survived the always tough 17th District to win the region title before running into the PRP buzz saw at semi state.
The Trojans return senior pitcher Evan Doub, who won eight games last year.
Travis Franklin and Mark Jenkins also return for North Hardin, who will try to overcome the loss of All-State performers Nathan Adcock and Jared Yates. Adcock was a fifth round draft pick of the Seattle Mariners while Yates is at the University of Louisville.
Elizabethtown (22-16) won the region title two years ago and saw their chances to repeat end with a 10 inning loss to Taylor County in the regions semis last year.
The Panthers will try and ride the arm of junior Sean Bouthilette (8-2, 1.69 ERA) to the school’s first state tournament in 15 years.
Senior Shane Stancill (4-2, 1.72 ERA) and senior Eric Sullivan, who didn’t allow an earned run in his final 17 innings last year, also return for new head coach Don Pitts, who took over for Thad Elmore who resigned after seven years and a 178-74 record. Pitts, who says he favors more of a “small ball” approach to the offense, has been an assistant at E-town for seven years.
Returning on offense for Pitts is Stancill, who hit .315, senior Arron Withers (.304), and Bouthilette, who hit .342 last year.
“Pitching should be our strength. We return our top three pitchers and sophomore Chris Gohman, who would have been in the rotation if not for an injury,” Pitts said.
Adam Lindsey takes over a John Hardin team that was 12-18 last year. Three starters did graduate, but Lindsey will have the services of seniors Levi Hardin and Bryce Olsen, and juniors Cody Mitchell, Da’ton Brown, and Ross Redmond, and sophomore Tyler Burnett.
Campbellsville (24-11) lost five starters from last year’s team that advanced to the All-A Classic State Tournament and won the 20th District title.
Justin Cox (8-1, 1.42 ERA) anchors a pitching staff that will also include Clay Pickett.
Wes Bright led the Campbellsville offense with a .370 batting average.
Bethlehem (21-12) is coming off their best record in the program’s history, and head coach Josh Cammack feels they are turning the corner.
Senior Alex Medley is the first Bethlehem player to get a college scholarship, as he will head to Kentucky Wesleyan College next year. Medley hit. 340 last year with a .500 OBP and was the staff ace with a 3.76 ERA.
Senior Chris Greenwell hit .330 and led the team with 35 stolen bases, and first baseman Ryan Samuels hit .406 and led the team with 32 RBIs.
Ryan Spaulding and John Martin also return in the outfield for Bethlehem.
Cammack also has the services of one of the better coaching staffs in the region, bolstered by the addition of former Reds farmhand Jason Ellis who will work with the catchers and offense.
Two schools who also have a wealth of starters returning are Larue County (18-16) and Marion County (16-13).
Fifth Region Rankings
1. Taylor County
2. North Hardin
3. Elizabethtown
4. John Hardin
5. Campbellsville
6. Bethlehem
7. Larue County
8. Marion County
9. Central Hardin
10. Green County
11. Adair County
12. Nelson County
13. Bardstown
14. Caverna
15. Hart County
16. Washington County
17. Fort Knox