The Scribe
03-23-2008, 12:28 AM
16th Region Baseball Preview
Greenup County (28-13) moved past region favorites Ashland and Boyd County to win the 16th Region title last year. Strong pitching moved the Musketeers past South Laurel at semi state where they advanced to the state tournament for the first time since 1996.
Head coach Greg Logan has six starters and seven of his nine pitchers returning from last year’s squad that lost to Pleasure Ridge Park in the first round of the state tournament.
And that means the bulls eye for the rest of the region is squarely on the back of the Musketeers.
Morehead State signee Tyler Hieneman hit .352 with three homers and 34 RBIs with over a third of his hits going for extra bases.
Hieneman also returns as the ace of the Greenup staff after going 8-4 with an ERA of 2.20 and 88 strikeouts in 70 innings.
The senior is just part of a deep pitching staff Logan has at his disposal.
Sophomore Dakota Greenslate (5-0, 3.06 ERA) and senior Drew Scaggs (3-1, 4.04 ERA) gave Logan quality innings last year and should comprise the top half of the rotation.
Seniors Steve Rister and Jeff Kaplan could see their roles increased this year as well.
Junior Billy Logan (.396) led the Musketeers in RBIs with 36 and is one of four players returning who hit over .350 last year. The other three are Hieneman, junior catcher Eric Craft (.387, 27 RBIs, 15 SBs), and senior Zach Stringfellow (.365, 20 SBs).
Infielder Juan Staten (.338) and Zach Reed (.321) are part of a talented sophomore class Logan has coming up through the ranks.
East Carter (20-8) joins Greenup County in the experience returning department as head coach Jeremiah Shearer has seven starters returning.
Also like Greenup, the Raiders have a deep pitching staff returning that is capable of producing a long postseason run.
Seniors Ryan and Eddie Seagraves have combined for over 30 wins in their careers and will top the rotation, which should also include senior Bobby Fitzpatrick and sophomore Kyle Blair and Dylan McDavid.
The speedy Tyler Jackson returns to lead off the for Raiders and set the table for the rest of the lineup that includes catcher Ty Back, shortstop Derek Stapleton, first baseman Craig Brammer, and outfielders Crestin Salyers and Nate Carroll.
Replacing second baseman Tommy Dearfield may prove to be tough, but if the pitching comes through as expected, the Raiders could make the schools’ first trip to the state tournament since their state title season of 1984.
Fans who visit Grayson will also notice some improvements to East Carter’s field.
“We have a new fence that measures ten feet high in the outfield. We have leveled the entire field, installed a sprinkler system, and new sod for the infield, and replaced the roof on the dugouts and press box,” Shearer said.
Raceland (20-13) put together another 20-win season but was bounced from the district tournament by Greenup County in the first round.
Head coach Randy Vanderhoof has a nice mix of experience and youth returning as John Scott Carver, Peyton Martin, and Josh Wilson will be expected to lead the Rams to a third straight 20-win season.
Boyd County (26-10) has won 81 games the past three seasons and appears primed to make another run at a region title.
However, the Lions begin the year a little banged up as starters Gatlin Barker and Zach Wilson have been slowed by injuries.
Head coach Ben Maynard will look to Logan Helms, Joey Alcorn, and Chase Wiler to pick up the slack until he can field a healthy squad.
The Lions are also looking to junior Brett Moore to provide some depth on a pitching staff that will get better when Barker returns.
Ashland (18-14) was one win away from another region championship but was upstaged by Greenup County in the title game.
Head coach Jeff Wilcox will see his team tested against the best the 16th Region has to offer in addition to playing in tournaments in Florida over spring break and in a tourney hosted by Mason County.
The Tomcats are expecting huge seasons from Chris Duvall, Caleb Rigsby, and Nicholas Jackson.
Morgan County (22-11) blew through the competition en route to the 63rd District title before falling to Lewis County 20-19 in a 12-inning epic game in the first round of the region.
The Cougars will still field a young team in 2008, but should have a strong pitching staff to compete with East Carter for the district crown.
Shortstop Jon Lopez and pitcher Andy Fannin give the Cougars a nice 1-2 combo on the mound. If they younger players develop through the season, Morgan County could surprise some people in the postseason.
The Red Devils of Russell (15-15) are rebuilding with the return of just one starter and two part-time starters from last year.
B.J. Hamilton, a pitcher and outfielder, is the lone full-time starter returning for head coach Mike Martino. Hamilton was 4-4 with a 2.33 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 33 innings pitched last year. At the plate, he batted. 363.
Senior Tyler DeHoff will join Hamilton in the rotation after notching a 3-2 record and a 2.81 ERA.
Junior Andrew Feltrop will round out the top three of the rotation.
Martino is also expecting junior Joe Roark and eighth grader Logan DeHoff to battle for a starting position.
Elliott County (1-24) has seven starters coming back from last year’s team that recorded one win – a forfeit over Wolfe County.
Tyler Maynard, Gabe Lewis, and Corey Wright will be the key components of an offense that should improve over last year’s total of 41 runs in 25 games.
Greenup County (28-13) moved past region favorites Ashland and Boyd County to win the 16th Region title last year. Strong pitching moved the Musketeers past South Laurel at semi state where they advanced to the state tournament for the first time since 1996.
Head coach Greg Logan has six starters and seven of his nine pitchers returning from last year’s squad that lost to Pleasure Ridge Park in the first round of the state tournament.
And that means the bulls eye for the rest of the region is squarely on the back of the Musketeers.
Morehead State signee Tyler Hieneman hit .352 with three homers and 34 RBIs with over a third of his hits going for extra bases.
Hieneman also returns as the ace of the Greenup staff after going 8-4 with an ERA of 2.20 and 88 strikeouts in 70 innings.
The senior is just part of a deep pitching staff Logan has at his disposal.
Sophomore Dakota Greenslate (5-0, 3.06 ERA) and senior Drew Scaggs (3-1, 4.04 ERA) gave Logan quality innings last year and should comprise the top half of the rotation.
Seniors Steve Rister and Jeff Kaplan could see their roles increased this year as well.
Junior Billy Logan (.396) led the Musketeers in RBIs with 36 and is one of four players returning who hit over .350 last year. The other three are Hieneman, junior catcher Eric Craft (.387, 27 RBIs, 15 SBs), and senior Zach Stringfellow (.365, 20 SBs).
Infielder Juan Staten (.338) and Zach Reed (.321) are part of a talented sophomore class Logan has coming up through the ranks.
East Carter (20-8) joins Greenup County in the experience returning department as head coach Jeremiah Shearer has seven starters returning.
Also like Greenup, the Raiders have a deep pitching staff returning that is capable of producing a long postseason run.
Seniors Ryan and Eddie Seagraves have combined for over 30 wins in their careers and will top the rotation, which should also include senior Bobby Fitzpatrick and sophomore Kyle Blair and Dylan McDavid.
The speedy Tyler Jackson returns to lead off the for Raiders and set the table for the rest of the lineup that includes catcher Ty Back, shortstop Derek Stapleton, first baseman Craig Brammer, and outfielders Crestin Salyers and Nate Carroll.
Replacing second baseman Tommy Dearfield may prove to be tough, but if the pitching comes through as expected, the Raiders could make the schools’ first trip to the state tournament since their state title season of 1984.
Fans who visit Grayson will also notice some improvements to East Carter’s field.
“We have a new fence that measures ten feet high in the outfield. We have leveled the entire field, installed a sprinkler system, and new sod for the infield, and replaced the roof on the dugouts and press box,” Shearer said.
Raceland (20-13) put together another 20-win season but was bounced from the district tournament by Greenup County in the first round.
Head coach Randy Vanderhoof has a nice mix of experience and youth returning as John Scott Carver, Peyton Martin, and Josh Wilson will be expected to lead the Rams to a third straight 20-win season.
Boyd County (26-10) has won 81 games the past three seasons and appears primed to make another run at a region title.
However, the Lions begin the year a little banged up as starters Gatlin Barker and Zach Wilson have been slowed by injuries.
Head coach Ben Maynard will look to Logan Helms, Joey Alcorn, and Chase Wiler to pick up the slack until he can field a healthy squad.
The Lions are also looking to junior Brett Moore to provide some depth on a pitching staff that will get better when Barker returns.
Ashland (18-14) was one win away from another region championship but was upstaged by Greenup County in the title game.
Head coach Jeff Wilcox will see his team tested against the best the 16th Region has to offer in addition to playing in tournaments in Florida over spring break and in a tourney hosted by Mason County.
The Tomcats are expecting huge seasons from Chris Duvall, Caleb Rigsby, and Nicholas Jackson.
Morgan County (22-11) blew through the competition en route to the 63rd District title before falling to Lewis County 20-19 in a 12-inning epic game in the first round of the region.
The Cougars will still field a young team in 2008, but should have a strong pitching staff to compete with East Carter for the district crown.
Shortstop Jon Lopez and pitcher Andy Fannin give the Cougars a nice 1-2 combo on the mound. If they younger players develop through the season, Morgan County could surprise some people in the postseason.
The Red Devils of Russell (15-15) are rebuilding with the return of just one starter and two part-time starters from last year.
B.J. Hamilton, a pitcher and outfielder, is the lone full-time starter returning for head coach Mike Martino. Hamilton was 4-4 with a 2.33 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 33 innings pitched last year. At the plate, he batted. 363.
Senior Tyler DeHoff will join Hamilton in the rotation after notching a 3-2 record and a 2.81 ERA.
Junior Andrew Feltrop will round out the top three of the rotation.
Martino is also expecting junior Joe Roark and eighth grader Logan DeHoff to battle for a starting position.
Elliott County (1-24) has seven starters coming back from last year’s team that recorded one win – a forfeit over Wolfe County.
Tyler Maynard, Gabe Lewis, and Corey Wright will be the key components of an offense that should improve over last year’s total of 41 runs in 25 games.