2011 LANIER COUNTY BASEBALL: Welcome

WELCOME TO THE HOME OF THE BULLDOGS, LOCATED IN REGION 2-A IN LAKELAND GEORGIA. WE ARE LOCATED JUST 18 MILES NORTH OF VALDOSTA. THE BULLDOGS HAVE A LONG TRADITION OF BEING THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP HUNT .

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR- AUSTIN COOK

1ST TEAM PITCHER OF THE YEAR - BUSTER ALLEN

1ST TEAM 1B - COLE LIVINGSTON

2ND TEAM OF - DEE JENKINS

2ND TEAM OF - THEO VAGGALIS

2ND TEAM IF - AVERY TAYLOR

2ND TEAM  C - RUSTY ZIRKLE

2ND TEAM IF - ANDREW PATTEN

HONORABLE MENTION- BRANDON CARTER 

COACH KENNY YANZETVICH IN HIS FIRST MOVED HIS BULLDOGS TO A 17-7 RECORD AND MARKED THE FIRST TIME THAT A BULLDOG TEAM NOT LED BY COACH WHITE HAS MADE THE STATE PLAYOFFS SINCE 1986. LANIER WILL TRY AND MATCH THE BULLDOGS SUCESS LAST OF GETTING TO THE 2ND ROUND AND SETTING UP A PROBABLE REMATCH CALVARY BAPTIST WHO ELIMINATED LANIER LAST YEAR.

LANIER IS LED BY SENIOR DUO PITCHER AUSTIN COOK AND BUSTER ALLEN WHO HAVE COMBINED FOR 16 -3 RECORD TOGETHER.. OFFENSIVELY SENIOR COLE LIVINGSTON AND FRESHMAN ANDREW PATTEN LEAD LANIER. DEFENSIVLEY , LANIER HAS BEEN LED BY RUSTY ZIRKLE AND DEE JENKINS.!

GAME TIME IS 2 AND 5 IN MILLER COUNTY 

LANIER USED THE STRENGTH OF A 3 RUN HOMER BY ANDREW PATTEN AND A 3 FOR 3 PERFORMANCE BY AUSTIN COOK AT THE PLATE TO CARRY THEM TO A 5-3 WIN OVER ATKINSON COUNTY.  STARTER AUSTIN COOK WENT FIVE STORNG INNINGS ALLOWING NO RUNS BEFORE THE RAIN HALTED THE GAME AFTER 5 INNINGS.  RELIEVER BUSTER ALLEN PITCHED THE LAST 2 INNINGS ALLOWING 3 HITS BUT NO UNEARNED RUNS. THE WIN PUTS LANIER AT 11-5 OVERALL 7-2 IN THE REGION.

LANIER;S JV FELL CTO COOK COUNTY 12-7 AS STEPHEN JONES TOOK THE LOSS. LANIER ACTUALLY LED 7 TO 6 ENTIERING THE 6TH INNG. 

LANIER'S JV BOYS DISMANTLED THE CLINCH JV TEAM 9-2 AS JUSTIN NORTH WAS THE WINNING PITCHER. AUSTIN LIUEPO AND AUSTIN DAVIS WERE POWERFUL AT THE PLATE. IT WAS AN AWESOME OUTPUT BY THE YOUNG DOGS.

IN THE NIGHTCAP, BUSTER ALLEN AND BILL HENDRICKS HOOKED UP IN A PITCHING DUEL AFTER THE FIRST INNING. BOTH LOOKED GOOD AFTER THE FIRST INNING. LANIER LED 3-2 AFTER ONE INNING. THE SCOREBOARD ZEROS THE REST OF THE WAY UNTIL TACKED ON 5 MORE RUNS IN THE 6TH . BUSTER GOT THE WIN WHILE AUSTIN COOK CAME ON FOR THE SAVE. 

LANIER LOST 14-2 IN A KEY SUGBREGION BATTLE THAT HAD BIG IMPLICATIONS IN THE REGION. CHARLTON NOW HOLDS ANY TIEBREAKER OVER THE DAWGS SHOULD THEY MAKE A LATE RUN IN THE FINAL ROUND OF THE SUBREGION. CHARLTON MOVES TO 6-0 AND LANIER IS AT 5-2.  CHARLTON TOOK AN EARLY 1-0 LEAD UNTIL A COUPLE OF KEY ERRORS OPENED THE DOOR FOR THE INDIANS. SMITH NEVER LEFT UP ON THE MOUND FOR CHARLTON AS HE DOMINATED ALL NIGHT LONG.

LANIER WILL NOW TURNS HIS ATTENTION TO CLINCH AT HOME ON FRIDAY IN ANOTHER BIG GAME. SHOULD LANIER WIN , THEY ALL BUT WRAP UP THE 2 SEED IN THE REGION WHICH CARRIES WITH IT  HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE.  LANIER PLAYS AT 6:30 IN FRIDAY! 

THE BACON COUNTY RED RAIDERS LAYED CLAIM TO THE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP WITH A DECISIVE 18-3 WIN OVER LANIER IN ALMA MONDAY. THE BULLDOGS PLAYED VERY POORLY AS THEY GAVE UP 15 UNEARNED RUNS.  STARTER MATTHEW WHITE WAS CHASED AFTER ALLOWING ONLY 1 SINGLE, 2 WALKS AND LANIER MADE 3 ERRORS. WALKER BASS, BLAKE KOTTERMAN AND TRENTON BERRYHILL GOT NO MORE HELP ON THE MOUND AS THEY SURRENDERED 13 MORE RUNS WITH THE AIDE OF 7 MORE ERRORS...  LANIER WAS LED BU MATTHEW WHITE WHO WENT 1-1 WITH A WALK AND 1 RUN SCORED!

LANIER MOVED TO 13 -4 ON THE SEASON AND FINISH THE SEASON ECHOLS ON THURSDAT! 

THE RAIN CAME AND THE LCMS OUTLASTED IT AND THE CHARLTON COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOO TEAM SATURDAY IN  A THRILLING 4-3 COMEBACK WIN THAT WAS INTENSE DOWN TO THE END.  AFTER LANIER TRAILED MOST OF THE GAME, THE BULLDOGS ON A BASES LOADED RBI SINGLE BY BRICE BORUFF  WON THE GAME IN THIER LAST AT BAT.  STARTER BLAKE KOTTERMAN WAS CHASED EARLY . RELIEVER TRENTON BERRYHILL AND WALKER BASS KEPT CHARLTON AT BAY THRE REST OF THE WAY SETTING UP THE VICTORY AND 10TH STRAIGHT WIN BY THE BULLDOGS.  MATTHEW WHITE, WALKER BASS, CADE GIDDENS AND BRICE BORUFF EACH AHD A HIT. CADE GIDDENS STOLE HOME TO TIE THE GAME EARLIER.

IN GAME 2, THE YOUNGER BULLDOGS PLAYED TUFF ,BUT STRUGGLED AT THE PLATE. STARTER TRENTON BERRYHILL PITCHED VERY WELL ,BUT COULD NOT GET GOOD RUN DEFENSE TO HOLD OFF CHARLTON AS THEY LOST THE 2ND GAME 6-2.  DYLAN METTS LED LANIER WITH 2 HITS.BRANDON CROSB PLAYED WELL FOR THE YOUNG DOGS!

MONDAY LANIER TRAVELS TO BACON WITH A CHANCE TO TIE FOR FIRST PLACE IN THE CONFERENCE. THEY FINISH THE SEASON AT  ECHOLS  COUNTY ON THURSDAY! 

Austin Cook dominated on the mound along with Buster Allen. Buster got the start and the win and cook closed the game out.

Cook also went 3 for 5 to lead lanier. Freshmen andrew patten and Dee Jenkins also collected 3 hits apiece in the win . lanier jumped out to a 8 to 1 lead early and cruised the rest of the way.

LANIER STAYED ONE GAME BACK OF ATCO AND BACON IN THE CONFERENCE STANDINGS AT 5-2 WITH A THRILLING 6-5 WIN OVER CLINCH. LANIER LOST GAME 2 5-4 WHICH DOES NOT COUNT IN CONFERENCE PLAY.  BLAKE HOOTERMAN STARTED AND GAVE WAY TO WLAKER BASS WHO KEPT CLINCH AT BAY . MCKINLEY CROSBY AND CADE GIDDENS HAD 2 HITS APIECE TO LEAD LANIER.  IN GAME 2, MATTHEW WHITE THREW A LITTLE WITH BLAKE KOTTERMAN BEFORE 6TH GRADER TRENTON BERRYHILL WAS STRONG TIL THE LAST INNING .. CLINCH RALLIED TO SCORE 2 IN THE LAST INNING TO WIN 5-4.

IT WAS LCMS 'S 6TH GAMES  IN 5 DAYS . THEIR RECORD IS NOW 11-3 

WLAKER BASS AND MATTHEW WHITE ALLOWED JUST 3 HITS IN THE OPENER AS LANIER WON 8 -2 BEHIND 3 RBIS APIECE BY KEITH SIMS AND MATTHEW WHITE. ROBERT ZIRKLE CONTINUED TO BE RED HOT OFFENSIVELY AND DEFENSIVELY FOR THE DAWGS. BLAKE KOTTERMAN PLAYED TOO!'

IN GAME 2 , CADE GIDDENS LED THE OFFENSIVE SHOW AS THE DOGS WENT UP EARLY 6 TO 0. WALKER BASS ADDED 2 HITS TO IGNITE THE BULLDOGS.  BRYCE BORUFF HAD A COUPLE OF RUNS AS WELL. DEFENSIVELY ROBERT ZIRKLE AND MCKINLEY CROSBY AND J.T. PIKE MADE SOME NICE PLAYS . 6TH GRADER TRENTON BERRYHILL WENT THE DISTANCE ALLOWING 5 HITS.

LANIER MOVES TO 10-2 ON THE SEASON AND PLAYS AT CLINCH ON MONDAY! 

THE MIDDLE BULLDOGS SWEPT THE INDIANS IN OCILLA TO MOVE THEIR CONFERENCE RECORD TO 4-2 AND 8-2 OVERALL. 7TH GRADER BLAKE KOTTERMAN WENT THE DISTANCE IN AN 11-2 WIN . 7TH GRADERS CADE GIDDENS. WALKER BASS ROBERT ZIRKLE AND MATTHEW PROVIDED THE OFFENSIVE PUNCH ACCOUNTING FOR 7 RUNS AND 10 HITS AMONG THEM AS THEY JUMPED ALL OVER IRWIN. ZIRKLE AND GIDDENS HAD 3 HITS APIECE.

IN GAME 2 MATTHEW WHITE WON HIS THIRD GAME HOLDING THE INDIANS AT BAY WHILE THE BULLDOGS USED TIMELY HITTING TO TAKE A 13-1 LEAD . TRENTON BERRYHILL PITCHED IN RELIEF AND FELLOW 6TH GRADER DYLON METTS HAD 2 RBIS.MATTHEW WHITE AND WALKER BASS LED LANIER IN HITTING IN THE 2ND GAME WITH 2 HITS AND 3 RBIS APIECE. 

THE YOUNG BULLDOGS LOST TO BACON COUNTY AT HOME 7-1 AS THEY  DID NOT PLAY VERY WELL ALLOWING 3 ERRORS THAT COST THEM 6 RUNS!  WALKER BASS WAS THE LOSING PITCHER.. CADE GIDDENS WAS THE LEADING HITTER IN THE GAME!

SATURDAY LANIER DEFEATED HAHIRA'S BTEAM 10-0 AND 6-2.... IT WAS THE DAWGS BEST EFFORT OF THE YEAR. WALKER BASS WENT THE DISTANCE STRIKING OUT 14 AND ALLOWING JUST 1 HIT. BRYCE BORUFF, KEITH SIMS AND MATTHEW WHITE LED LANIER AT THE PLATE..... IN GAME 2, BLAKE KOTTERMAN WENT THE DISTANCE ALLOWING JUST 3 HITS AND STRIKING OUT 7. MATTHEW WHITE DID MOST OF THE DAMAGE AT THE PLATE WITH A DOUBLE AND TRIPLE. DYLAN METTS HAD A BIG HIT AS WELL!!  J.T PIKE PLAYED WELL AS DID MOST OF THE DAWGS ON DEFENSE......   BIG ZIRKLE HAD A REALY GREAT DAY AND HE WAS VERY IMPRESSIVE!!!!!!

IN WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A PITCHING DUEL BETWEEN OF THE BEST PITCHERS IN REGION 2A, CHARLTON USED AN EARLY ERROR AND SOME TIMELY HITTING TO GO UP 6-0 IN THE FIRST INNING. AFTER THAT SENIOR AUSTIN COOK SETTLED IN AND ALLOWED 2 HITS OVER THE REST OF THE GAME. IT WAS TOO MUCH FOR THE DAWGS TO OVER COME AS THEY LOST 8-3 AT FOLKSTON. LANIER MOVES TO 5-3 AND 2-1 IN THE SUBREGION.......

COOK LED LANIER WITH A DOUBLE AND BRANDON CARTER ADDED A HIT TO LEAD LANIER!!!

LANIER TRAVELS TO CLINCH TUESDAY IN A VERY IMPORTANT SUBREGION GAME!!! GAME TIME IS AT 630!!! 

THE YOUNG DAWGS WITH NO STARTERS RETURNING UPPED THEIR RECORD TO 3-1 WITH A 6-3 WIN OVER CLINCH AND A 7-2 LOSS TO ATKINSON ON THE ROAD. IN THE GAME VERSUS CLINCH , MATTHEW WHITE WAS THE WINNING PITCHER ( 2-0) GOING  4 INNINGS BEFORE WALKER BASS CLOSED THE GAME . WHITE AND GIDDENS LED THE DAWGS WITH 2 HITS APIECE WITH WHITE SOCRING 3 TIMES.

MONDAY VERSUS ATKINSON , LANIER PLAYED POORLY AS LANIER TOOK A 1-0 LEAD AFTER MATTHEW WHITE WALKED, STOLE 2ND AND 3RD  AND SCORED ONA CADE GIDDENS SINGLE. WALKER BASS HAD AN INFIELD SINGLE AND BRICE BORUFF GOT ON BEFORE LANIER STRUCK OUT 2 TO END THE THREAT!. LANIER LEFT 9 BASERUNNERS ON THIER POOREST EFFORT OF THE YEAR. WALKER BASS TOKK THE LOSS WITH BLAKE KOTTERMAN RELIEVING HIM.... WE JUST FLAT MADE TOO MANY MISTAKES TO HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN TODAY!!! 

AFTER  JUMPING OUT TO A 2-0 RECORD, THE BULLDOGS HOSTED TWO OF THE STATES PERENNIAL STATE POWERS IN CLASS A.IN  CLAVARY BAPTIST OUT OF SAVANNAH ( STATE RUNNERUP) AND BROOKSTONE OF COLUMBUS .  THE CAVS PUT LANIER OUT LAST YEAR IN SAVANNAH IN THE 2ND ROUND OF THE STATE PLAYOFFS.

LANIER STARTED THE MORNING OFF VS. THE CAVS AND THEIR ACE LEFTY WHO SIGNED WITH VSU. JUNIOR STEPHEN JONES THREW WELL THE FIRST 3 INNINGS UNTIL THE BULLDOG DEFENSE GOT ERRATIC. ALLOWING 7 UNEARNED RUNS AS THE DOGS FELL BEHIND 9-0 . FRESHMEN CHRISTIAN CROSBY CAME IN AND THREW 4 GREAT INNINGS FOR THE DOGS.  COLE LIVINGSTON DELIVERED THE BIGGEST HIT OF THE GAME DRIVING IN A COUPLE OF RUNS.  LANIER LOST THE GAME 9-2.

 IN THE NIGHT CAP , LANIER FARED NO BETTER AS THE DEFENSE PLAYED POORLY AGAIN AND BROOKSTONE TOKK ADVANTAGE OF EVERY BULLDOG ERROR AS THEY WON 12 TO 1. BUSTER ALLEN TOOK THE LOSS ON THE MOUND. OVERALL, WE PLAYED NOT VERY WELL AGAINEST 2 VERY GOOD TEAMS. 

LANIER 4 PELHAM 1

 SENIOR AUSTIN COOK WENT THE DISTANCE ALLOWING NO RUNS AFTER THE FIRST INNING. THE BULLDOGS LED 2-1 GOING TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEVENTH BEFORE ADDING 2 RUNS AS AUSTIN COOK AND COLE LIVINGSTON SINGLED. LIVINGSTON STOLE 2ND AND AUSTIN COOK SCORED ONTHE THROW.

LIVINGSTON SCORED ON AN ERROR BY THE PITCHER TO CLOSE OUT THE SCORING.  RUSTY ZIRKLE HAD A BIG TRIPLE, AVERY TAYLOR HAD 2 HITS AND SEVERAL  OTHERS ADDED A HIT!

LANIER 10 BROOKS 0

SENIOR BUSTER ALLEN WENT THE DISTANCE AS LANIER WON THIER SECOND GAME OF THE YEAR.  LANIER SCORED OFTEN AND EARLY AS THEY ROUTED THE TROJANS.  LANIER PLAYS THEIR FIRST HOME GAME SATURDAY VS. BROOKSTONE AND LAST YEARS STATE RUNNER UP CALVARY DAY.

THE YOUNG DAWGS TRAVELLED TO ASHBURN AND WON THIER FIRST 2 GAMES OF THE SEASON. WITH 6 7TH GRADERS AND ONLY 3  8TH GRADERS, LANIER  PLAYED PRETTY WELL. IN GAME 1 , 7TH GRADER WALKER BASS WAS THE WINNING PITCHER .  7TH GRADER MATTHEW WHITE , CADE GIDDENS  AND 8TH GRADER BRYCE BORUFF SCORED 2 TIMES APIECE AS LANIER BROKE A 2-2 TIE IN THE 4TH  WITH AN 8 RUN BURST. BRYCE BORUFF LEAD LANIER WITH 3 HITS. DAKOTA BAILEY, CADE GIDDENS AND MATTHEW WHITE ADDED 2 HITS.

IN GAME 2 MATTHEW WHITE WAS THE WINNING PITCHER. LANIER BROKE THIS GAME OPEN BY SCORING SCORING 2 RUNS IN THE THIRD AND 6 MORE IN THE 4TH TO GO UP 9 TO 1.  WALKER BASS WAS 3 FOR 3. BORUFF AND WHITE ADDED 2 HITS APIECE..... 6TH GRADERS TRENTON BERRYHILL, JACOB HAMM. DILLION METTS  AND JD PIKE PLAYED WELL FOR THE DAWGS.  RUSTY ZIRKLE MADE A COUPLE OF NICE PLAYS AS WELL.... 

THE 2011 TEAM FINSIHED IN THE SWEET SIXTEEN  THRUSTING THE BULLDOGS BACK TO WHERE THEY ARE USED TO BEING EVERY YEAR. THE BULLDOGS WERE THE REGION2-A RUNNERUPS LOSING A CLOSE TO GAME TO BACON COUNTY. THE DAWGS (20-9) UPSET SCHELY COUNTY IN THE FIRST ROUND BEFORE FALLING TO STATE RUNNERUP CLAVARY DAY IN SAVANNAH.

RETURNING ARE 1ST TEAM ALL REGION PLAYERS  AUSTIN COOK, COLE LIVINGSTON AND BUSTER ALLEN FOR THEIR FINAL SEASON. COOK WILL LEAD THE DAWGS ON THE HILL AND AT THE PLATE!!!BUSTER ALLEN WILL AIDE HIM ON THE HILL ALONG WITH SOPHOMORE AVERY TAYLOR, STEPHEN JONES , AND THE FRESHMAN TRIO OF AUSTIN LIEUPO , ANDREW PATTEN , AND  CHRISTIAN CROSBY .

 THE BULLDOGS RETURN 7 STARTERS AND A TOTAL OF 11 PLAYERS THAT HAD  PLAYED ALOT .  COACH Y REPLACES THE HEAD COACH AND HE KEPT HIS STAFF INTACT ALONG WITH COACH WHITE WHO WILL ASSIST HIM~