Former Cook County Standout Shining as a Pro

     While Brandon Durden isn't suiting up in a Colorado Rockies’ uniform just yet, there is reason to believe that someday he will.  Durden, a 2002 graduate and former All-State standout at Cook High School, is coming off a solid season in which he split time between Advanced A-ball with the Modesto Nuts and the AA Tulsa Drillers of the Texas League.  With Modesto, Durden was 3-4 with a 4.05 ERA, maybe not the strongest of numbers but it was enough to promote the big lefty to class AA ball with Tulsa.  While at Tulsa, Durden pitched like he was Major League ready.      

     Durden got off to a slow start in his first taste of AA ball.  He was 1-2 with a 4.13 ERA before the All-Star break which included a disappointing June in which he was 0-2 with a 5.41 ERA.  Durden wouldn't lose a game again until August 29th as he pitched solid baseball the final three months giving the Rockies' organization more reason to believe that he will be a big league arm someday.  Durden posted a 6-2 record after the All-Star break with a 3.21 ERA.  Warm weather months seem to be Durden’s preference, he was also unbeaten in July two seasons ago when he want 5-0.  Overall in 2009, he was 7-4 with a 3.46 ERA with Tulsa and a total record of 10-8 with a 3.70 ERA between Modesto and Tulsa, his best season since 2006 when he was 10-4 with a 3.64 ERA with class A Asheville.  For the year, Durden logged 168 innings in 28 starts while walking 36 and striking out 71.      

      Before September, Durden was asked if he would get a call up to the Rockies after September 1st when Major League rosters expand from 25 players to 40.  Durden replied with a simple word, "unlikely."  It is unlikely the Rockies will call on the young lefty since they're in the thick of the West Division and Wild Card races and the need for veteran arms is a key ingredient this time of year for playoff contenders.  There are just a few more weeks to go in the regular season, so it looks as if he'll have to wait until next year.   However, Durden is still 25 and has a lot of upside due to his size, strength, and the fact that he’s a hard throwing lefty.  In the mean time, Durden will have to continue to work hard this off season with hopes that 2010 will be the year he steps onto a big league mound. 

 Background: Brandon Durden graduated and played baseball at Cook High School in Adel, Georgia.  He was a member of the 2000 AA State Championship team, and 2002 Region Championship Team.  Durden was drafted out of high school in 2002 by the Chicago White Sox, but instead chose to go to college first at GCSU, where there after his junior season, he was drafted again by the Colorado Rockies in the fourth round.   

In 2006, Durden was named to the South Atlantic League All-Star team.  Durden was 10-4 in his first full season of pro ball with an ERA of 3.64, totaling 119 strikeouts.  He was also named SAL Pitcher of the Week twice.  Durden was 10-8 with a 3.70 ERA in 2009 between Advanced A and class AA ball.

Interesting Fact: Durden was the pitcher who attempted to pick off Koby Clemens, the son of Roger Clemens, in the popular YouTube video which saw Durden's manager Joe Mikulik display a hilarious temper tantrum. 

By: Christian Malone (Valdosta Daily Times) 

ADEL — Cook High’s baseball team returns to the diamond today for the state semifinals.

 The Hornets (29-5) host Dublin (24-9) at 4 p.m. today at Bruce Long Field in the Class AA state semifinals. Game 2 will follow afterwards, with an if-necessary game 3 to be played on Tuesday.

The winner of the Cook-Dublin series will face the Westminster-Lovett winner for the state championship on Friday.

Only four AA teams are still playing baseball, and Cook is pleased to be one of them.

“We’re glad to still be playing,” Cook head coach Bob Owsley said.

Last week, Dublin advanced to the semifinals with a two-game sweep of Calhoun, a team that had lost just twice all season. The Fighting Irish finished second in Region 3B-AA, behind Toombs County, the team Cook beat in three games in the second round. Owsley expects the Dublin team to be another tough opponent.

“It’s a major challenge,” he said. “They’re very sound defensively. Their pitchers are in the mid-80s, with good off-speed (pitches). They play small ball. Their third baseman is supposed to be one of the finest in the state. They’re pretty solid all around.”

In last week’s quarterfinals, Cook survived a tight three-game series with Blessed Trinity. The Hornets won the first game 5-0, behind a 15-strikeout, no-run performance from D.J. Johnson, but dropped game 2 by the same 5-0 score. Cook then advanced with a 7-5 win in game 3. Kaleb Cowart hit a fifth-inning home run to give the Hornets the lead, and Johnson got the final five outs to close out the victory in relief of winning pitcher Josh Barks.

Owsley is proud of his team, which is made up primarily of underclassmen. The Hornets went 23-3 in the regular season, including 14-0 in Region 1-AA play, and are competing in the semifinals for the second consecutive season.

Johnson and Cowart will throw the first two games, like they have each of the first three rounds. Owsley said he wouldn’t decide which one would start game 1 until today.

Cook and Dublin might have to fight the weather today. Rain has fallen on South Georgia nearly every day the past week. On Sunday night, Bruce Long Field was ready for play, but there was a 40 percent chance of rain on Monday. Other schools, including Valdosta High and Lowndes High, have offered the use of their fields if heavy rains mess up Cook’s field again. But Owsley says the Hornets will do everything they can to get the games played on their home field, and played today.

http://www.tiftongazette.com/sports/local_story_140221348.html - Tifton Gazette

http://www.valdostadailytimes.com/sports/local_story_141010812.html - Valdosta Daily Times

Game 1: Toombs 12, Cook 0
Game 2: Cook 11, Toombs 1

Game 3: Thursday, 5:00

     Adel:  This isn't Toombs' first date with the Hornets at Bruce Long Memorial Field.  In fact, the Bulldogs will be making their fourth trip to Adel in the last nine years in playoff action.  Their previous three trip didn't go so well, as the Bulldogs were swept in 2001, 2005, and 2007.  The #9 ranked Bulldogs (21-6) will look to re-write history Wednesday afternoon as they make the trip to Adel to take on the #3 ranked Hornets (25-3).

     Toombs is the #2 seed out Region 3-AA, and last week swept Henry County 11-0 and 16-4.  Toombs features two quality power arms, in Javec King and Neal Rodgers.  Both are righties, and feature fastballs in the mid to upper 80's.  King is 7-1 on the season, while Rodgers is 5-1 on the year. 

    On the other side, the Hornets, who have won 21 in a row and post a 15-0 record at home, have some power arms of their own in juniors Kaleb Cowart and DJ Johnson.  Cowart is 9-0 on the year (three being no-hitters), and his fastball has been clocked as high as 97 mph.  Consistently Cowart is 90-93 mph.  Johnson, who's fastball is upper 80's and can touch 90-91,  is 9-1 on the season and leads the staff with 104 strikeouts. 

Game times are set for 4:00 and 7:00. 

Notes:  Cook and Toombs past playoff meetings.

2001 - First Round:
Cook 7, Toombs 0
Cook 7, Toombs 3

2005 - First Round:
Cook 5, Toombs 2
Cook 18, Toombs 3

2007 - First Round
Cook 13, Toombs 2
Cook 6, Toombs  2

     Adel:  Hornet Nation was struck with bad news late Monday evening, when Cook football player Roy White died during spring football action.  On Wednesday, before Cook and Toombs square off for their Second Round playoff action, the Hornets will honor Roy with a moment of silence. 

    Roy was a fine young man and an outstanding football player.  He will be truly missed by everyone in the Hornet community.  Prayers and thoughts are with the White family, the Cook football coaches, the Hornet football team, and all of the Cook County community.  May God be with everyone during this difficult time. 

     Adel:  The Cook High Hornets swept the Brantley County Herons 10-0 and 12-1 in first round action of the AA State Playoffs.  Game one saw junior Kaleb Cowart toss a five inning no hitter.  Cowart struck out six and allowed two walks.  He was also 3-3 at the plate with his 12th homerun of the season and drove in three runs.  Parker Nix was 2-3 with two RBI's. 

     Game two saw Johnson go five innings as he struck out 11 batters and surrendered one run on just three hits.  He also homered in the game.  Parker Nix was a perfect 4-4 in the game, making him 6-7 on the day.  Freshman Tyler Norton drove in four runs on three hits and Palmer Betts went 2-3 with a double and an RBI.  With the win, Cook goes to 25-3 over all, and 15-0 at home. 

     Cook will now face a tough Toombs County team.  Toombs is 21-6 on the season, and are the #2 seed out of Region 3-AA.  The series is set to start Wednesday, May 13th.  Game times have yet to be determined.

     Adel:  DJ Johnson struck out nine in seven innings en route to a 3-0 victory over the Jeff Davis Yellow Jackets.  Johnson allowed just two hits and pitched his second shut out of the season.  He was also 2-4 at the plate with a double.  Kaleb Cowart, Parker Nix, and Josh Barks each went 1-3 with RBI's.  Tyler Norton was also 1-3 on the night. 

     Cook honored their six seniors with a ceremony before game, and ended it on a good note with a 3-0 win.  The six seniors for 2009 are Josh Barks, Trevor Hand, Marcus Smith, Austin Steel, Austin Pafford, and Wes Warren. 

     Cook goes to 22-3 on the season and will wrap of the regular season Friday against Fitzgerald.   

     Adel:  The Cook Hornets defeated Brooks County 7-1 to clinch the 2009 Region 1AA Championship, the schools 16th region championship.  Cook rode the arm for six innings of DJ Johnson, and then Kaleb Cowart shut the door in the seventh.  Johnson went six innings, gave up three hits and struck out 11 Trojan batters.  Cowart also struckout three batters to his credit in the seventh. 

     At the plate, Cowart was also 2-4 in the game, with his 10th homer of the season and also drove in three runs.  Wes Warren went 2-4 and Parker Nix added an RBI as well.  Cook goes to 20-3 over all, and 12-0 in Region 1AA.  The championship gives the Hornets back to back titles, and their sixth this decade.  Cook, ranked #1 in AA in the GSWA poll, and #3 in the coaches poll, is back action Tuesday at Albany. 

     Adel:  Josh Barks was lights out against the Suwannee Bulldogs, going the distance for seven innings allowing two runs, one unearned, on five hits and five strikeouts.  Barks at one point sat down the side in the fourth on just seven pitches.  He held the hot swinging Bulldogs to just two runs, on a night when the Hornet offense couldn't manufacture many runs.  Cook scored three runs on eight hits.

     Two of those hits came off the bat of Kaleb Cowart, who drove in two runs with two doubles.  Wes Warren also drove in a run in the first with an RBI single.  That would be all Barks needed, as he kept the Bulldogs in check for the night.  The Hornets go to 19-3 on the year, and still hold an 11-0 record in the region.  A win tomorrow over Brooks will give the Hornets the Region 1AA Championship.  Game time is set for 6:00.

     Blakely:  The Cook Hornets picked up another region win by defeating the Early County Bob Cats 17-2 Tuesday in Blakely.  Kaleb Cowart did his job on the mound and at the plate, tossing five strong innings of 2-hit ball, allowing two runs, while striking out eight.  Cowart was also strong at the dish, going 2-3, with a homerun, single, sac fly, a walk, and groundout.  Cowart also drove in four runs, but he didn't match the RBI total of freshman Palmer Betts.  Betts was 3-4, with two doubles while driving in six runs.  Combined they had ten runs driven in of the seventeen scored Tuesday. 

     The Hornets exploded for eight runs in the top of the fifth, ending what started out as a fairly tight ball game.  Early County was able to score two runs in the first off of two singles and two walks, taking a 2-1 lead.  It wouldn't hold up as Cowart launched his ninth homer of the season in the third to give Cook a 3-2 lead.  Cook would score two more that inning, taking a 5-2 lead before scoring four more in the fourth.  The big inning followed as Cook tallied up eight runs in the fifth to put the game away due to the mercy rulling. 

     Other big hitters for Cook included DJ Johnson, who was 2-5 with a single and double, and Parker Nix was 2-3 with two singles.  Wes Warren drove in two runs on one hit, and Josh Barks and Marcus Smith each added RBI's.  On the hill, Cowart also picked up his seventh win to put him at 7-0 on the year. 

     The Hornets (18-3, 11-0) are back in action Thursday at home, vs Suwannee.  Game time is set for 5:30.  The Hornets took the first meeting between the Bulldogs with a 5-0 win, with Cowart tossing a no-hitter. 

     Adel:  The Cook Hornets scored 20 runs in the first inning Friday night en route to a 23-0 win over the Mitchell County Eagles.  Josh Barks was the winning pitcher, he faced the minimum nine batters in the three inning frame, retired all nine batters with eight strikeouts.  Kaleb Cowart and DJ Johnson homered in the game. 

     Cook is 17-3 on the season, and 10-0 in Region 1AA.  The win clinches a playoff spot for the Hornets, making it 21 years in a row the Hornets have made the post-season.  The Hornets also hold a three game lead over Brooks and Fitzgerald for the Region lead with four games to go.  Cook plays Early County Tuesday, a victory would give them atleast a tie for first, or a win and a loss to both Brooks and Fitzgerald would give Cook the Region 1AA Championship. 

     Live Oak, FLA:  Kaleb Cowart went the distance Thursday night, tossing seven innings of no-hit baseball, his second no-hitter this season.  Cowart has now thrown three no-hitters in his high school career.  Cowart allowed no hits, struck out seven, and walked five on the night.  He also went 2-4 at the plate, with a double and two RBI's. 

     DJ Johnson was also 2-4, and Palmer Betts drove in a run with a hit.  Josh Barks had an RBI and a single as well.  Cook goes to 16-3 on the season, and return home to take on Mitchell County Friday.

     Nashville:  Tuesday night if you bought a ticket to attend the Cook-Berrien game, you were also treated to the "DJ Johnson Show," which featured blazing fastballs, nasty sliders and curveballs, and oh yeah,  lots of strikeouts.  Johnson, coming off a start in which he struck out 14 vs Fitzgerald, continued where he left off Tuesday striking out 16 Rebel batters in seven innings of work.  Just how good was DJ?  Johnson struckout the first six batters he faced, and eight of the first nine during his first stint through the lineup.  He allowed just one hit, walked none, giving him twenty-two batters faced, and twenty-one sent down, and only six of them didn't strike out.  Needless to say, Johnson was dominant, and the lone hit was the only thing that kept him from having a perfect day. 

    There was little offense from both sides, but enough from the Hornets to give them the victory.  Parker Nix homered in the first to make it 1-0, which really would be all DJ would need on the day with his dominating performance.  Josh Barks drove in two runs, who had an RBI single, a walk, and a sac fly.  The Hornets would win the game 5-0, and improve to 14-3 over all, and 8-0 in Region 1AA.

Notes:  Johnson has now tossed 14 innings vs Berrien this season, totalling 30 strikeouts and surrendering just two hits...This marks Johnson's third game this season in which he has recorded 14 or more strikeouts.

     Fitzgerald:  While storms in South Georgia continue their destructive path, DJ Johnson was able to silence atleast one storm, holding the Fitzgerald Purple Hurricanes to just one run on four hits.  Johnson struck out 14 Hurricane batters in the contest.  Cook scored three early in the game, high lighted by a Tyler Norton two run single.  Kaleb Cowart would homer in the third to extend the lead to 4-0. 

     That would be all Johnson needed, who cruised to a victory going six strong innings.  Cowart came on in the seventh to shut the door in the seventh with Cook up 7-1.  Cowart struck out two to end the game, giving Cook a combined 16 strikeouts as a unit. 

     Adel:  It was what many expected, a close ball game between two top ten teams where every pitch seem to matter for both teams.  Cook's pitching was the story once again, however this time without Josh Barks, DJ Johnson, or Kaleb Cowart getting the headlines.  This time it was the guys out of the pen that carried the load against the #1 Pirates.  Cook called on a pair of lefties, Marcus Smith and Trevor Hand to tame the #1 ranked Appling Pirates on Wednedsay. 

     Smith, making his first start since April of last season, and first appearance on the hill since his relief appearance vs Madison three weeks ago, gave Hornet skipper Bob Owsley and the Hornets a strong outing.  Despite some control problems (seven walks), Smith limited Appling to just one hit while striking out four in three innings of work.  In the fourth, Owsley then turned to another senior-left hander, Trevor Hand, who allowed just three Pirate runners in his three innings of relief, allowed just one run on one walk, two hits and he struck out two.  Smith was also charged a run in the 4th, on a sac fly off of Hand, but the runner belonged to Smith who reached on a walk.  Hand got the win, and Cowart came on in the seventh and recorded three outs on just nine pitches for the save. 

     Cook scored two in the third on a sac fly by Josh Barks and later on a passed ball, in which Cowart beat the throw to home for the score on a close play.  DJ Johnson put the Hornets up for good with a solo homer in the fifth, which would prove to be the winning run for the Hornets.  Appling managed two runs on three hits while Cook scored three on six hits.  Tate Carter shined once again on the mound for Appling, going six innings and limiting an offense that had previously scored 55 runs in it's previous four games to just three runs.  Carter as many recall, defeated Cook earlier this season. 

    Appling falls to 11-2 on the season, while Cook goes to 9-3.  The Hornets are back in action Friday night vs Brooks in a Region 1AA showdown for the current top spot.  Both teams are tied at 4-0 in the region.  The game could possibly feature a pair of the state's top pitchers, in UGA signee Robert Shippman for Brooks, against FSU committment Kaleb Cowart.  Game time is set for 6:00 in Quitman.

*Notes of Interest:  The last time Cook knocked off a #1 ranked team in season play was in 2003, when Cook knocked off then region rival Brantley County, 15-5 in Nahunta. (Both Brantley and Cook were part of Region 2AA, and Brantley was ranked #1 and Cook was #2 in the state when two met.) 

     Adel:  The #5 ranked Cook Hornets will take on the #1 Appling County Pirates today in their second meeting of the 2009 season.  Cook, who was then ranked #1, fell 3-1 to the then #3 ranked Pirates of Appling.  Cook enters this game with a hot streak, winning their past four games by scores of 9-0, 13-5, 17-0, and 16-1.  The Hornets have been hot of late beginning with a 9-0 win over Thomasville, with Kaleb Cowart tossing a no hitter.  The Hornets then defeated 5A Lowndes, their first victory over the traditionally powerhouse Vikings in ten years.  Cook then took it to Mitchell and Early County with mercy rule victories.

     No doubt the Hornet bats have been hot.  Josh Barks and Kaleb Cowart have led the power attack the past four games.  Barks has homered in his past three games, driving in over ten runs over four games.  Cowart hasn't disappointed, adding three homeruns the previous four games, including a grand slam against Early County and nearly hit for the cycle against Mitchell.  Wes Warren and freshman Palmer Betts have also added homeruns the past week and half of play.  DJ Johnson has been hot also, adding atleast two hits in each of the four games and displayed a four-hit performance vs Lowndes.  If the Hornets look to sink the ship, they'll need to continue their hitting ways against the 11-1 Pirates.  The Hornets are currenlty 8-3 on the season. 

     Game time is set for 5:30 at Bruce Long Memeorial Field in Adel.   

     Adel:  Cook's DJ Johnson goes to 4-1 on the season as he tossed four innings striking out seven while allowing one hit, a solo homerun in the fourth.  The Hornets scored early and often en route to a 16-1 thrashing of the visiting Bobcats of Early County.  Josh Barks got the fireworks started with a 3-run homerun in the first, his third straight game with a homer, and Kaleb Cowart homered for the second straight game with a grand slam in the second.  From there, the Hornets didn't look back as they tacked on nine more runs as every Hornet batter added atleast a hit, with six of the starting nine having atleast two or more hits. 

     Cowart went 2-2 with a grand slam, double, two walks, and four RBI, and Barks was 2-3 with a homerun and five RBI's.  Austin Steel also drove in four runs on two hits (2-4) and Johsnon, Parker Nix, and Tyler Norton all added two hits each.  Cook takes on the Appling County Pirates Wednesday, who currently ranked #1 in the state.

     Thomasville:  The last time Cook played in Thomasville prior to Friday, Kaleb Cowart tossed a no hitter and Cook won 11-0 and wrapped up the 2008 Region 1AA Championship.  On Friday, the story was the same, except no championship was won.  Cowart no-hit Thomasville again, striking out ten batters through the seven inning frame as the Hornets won 9-0.  Cowart was dominating, with his fastball topping out as high as 96 MPH.  He allowed just two baserunners, a hit batsman and an error, a questionable swinging bunt that was first ruled a hit, but reversed to an error.  Cowart also added a homerun and a single, going 2-3 overall with two RBI's.

     Cook scored five in the first, hitting for the cycle as a team.  DJ Johnson led off with a double, followed by a Parker Nix triple, and Cowart later singled in a run.  The inning and the "cycle" was capped off by a three-run homer by freshman Palmer Betts.  Cook tacked one more in the 5th when Cowart hit a 390 ft. plus homerun to deep right-center.  The scoring was capped off with a three run sixth, with hits by Tyler Gooden, DJ Johnson, and Parker Nix.  Cook is 5-3 overrall and 2-0 in region play. 

     Adel:  DJ Johnson picked up where Kaleb Cowart left off last Friday vs Columbia, when Cowart struckout 14 and surrendered just two hits.  Johnson backed that up with a one-hit performance, striking out ten Rebel batters en route to an 8-2 victory against the arch-rival Berrien Rebels.  Johnson gave up two runs, both unearned, as the Cook defense scattered four errors on the night.  Johnson was nearly unhittable. The soft-spoken righty picked up his third win of the season and by far did his best pitching in the early three week season.  Johnson battled illnesses the first couple weeks, and was not 100% in his first two starts, however, he showed no signs of weakness Tuesday as he looked like typical "DJ" fashion.

     The Hornets used four-two run innings, scoring in the first, second, third, and fifth innings.  Johnson out hit his opposition, going 2-4 with a homerun and two RBI's.  Freshman Palmer Betts, making his first varsity start as the designated hitter, added two hits and two RBI's as well, and another freshman, Tyler Norton drove in two and added a hit.  Parker Nix was 2-3 and Wes Warren and Trevor Hand each had a hit. 

     Adel:  The weather was a little warmer Friday than usual, but Kaleb Cowart was somewhat a little hotter as shined on the mound and at the plate for the Hornets.  Cowart showed why he is considered one of the best high players in the country Friday night when he took the mound against the 6A Fighting Tigers of Columbia, striking out 14 Tiger batters and allowing just two hits.  Cowart was flirting with a no hitter before a bloop single ended all hope in the fifth, but for Cowart, the main thing was pitching his team to victory.  Cook is coming off an upsetting loss to #3 ranked and unbeaten Appling County Wednesday night and needed some momentum heading into next week, when the Region 1AA season kicks off Tuesday against arch-rival Berrien County.  Cook indeed got that momentum behind the arm of Cowart.

     Cowart blowed hitters by with his blazing fastball, but his best out pitch of the night was his curve ball.  He also added fire power at the plate as well, showing opposite field power by hitting a solo homer to left field that would tie the game at 1-1 in the first inning.  He wouldn't see much to hit the rest of the night, he was hit by a pitch and walked his next two at bats.  The game stayed tied until the bottom of the fifth, when Wes Warren sent a shot deep into the Adel night for a two-run homer giving Cook a 3-1 lead.  That would be all Cowart needed, as the Hornets held on to a 3-2 win.  Cowart shut the door on the Tigers by getting strikeouts 12, 13, and 14 in the bottom of the seventh for his first win of the young 2009 season. 

Cook is back in action Tuesday against Berrien in Adel.  Game time is 5:30. 

The Hornet baseball team and Hornet Nation would like to wish Brandon Durden good luck as he leaves us  and is off to continue his quest to make it to the big leagues.  Durden is currently pitching with the Modesto Nuts of the Colorado Rockies, and all of us hope that the big lefty soon dawns the purple and black of the big league Rockies this season.  Thank you for your time you've spent with our young men and we hope that you have a successful 2009 season.  Good luck Brandon, and God Bless!

Durden's Minor League Statistics:

Year  Age Tm  Lg  Lvl Aff      W   L   W-L%   G   GS  CG SHO  GF  SV   IP     H    R   ER   HR  BB   SO  HBP  WP  BFP  IBB  BK   ERA   WHIP
+----+----+---+---+---+---+---+---+-----+----+---+---+---+---+---+------+----+----+----+---+----+----+---+---+-----+---+---+------+-----+
2005   20 CAS PIO Rk  COL   1   4  .200   12  11   0   0   0   0   49.1   72   42   33   7   23   49   3   5   242   3   0   6.02  1.93
2006   21 ASH SAL A   COL   10 4              26  26   0   0   0   0  151    172   83   61  14   43  119   2   9   642       0   3.64  1.42
2007   22 MOD CAL A+  COL   8   9  .471   26  26   0   0   0   0  157    176  103   82  12   42   93   7  12   693   1   0   4.70  1.39
2008   23 MOD CAL A+  COL   4   2  .667   29   8   0   0   4   0   77.2  101   56   50   9   18   43   1   4   351   1   0   5.79  1.53
+----+----+---+---+---+---+---+---+-----+----+---+---+---+---+---+------+----+----+----+---+----+----+---+---+-----+---+---+------+-----+
1 Season          Rk        1   4  .200   12  11   0   0   0   0   49.1   72   42   33   7   23   49   3   5   242   3   0   6.02  1.93
1 Season          A                       26  26   0   0   0   0  151    172   83   61  14   43  119   2   9   642       0   3.64  1.42
2 Seasons         A+       12  11  .522   55  34   0   0   4   0  234.2  277  159  132  21   60  136   8  16  1044   2   0   5.06  1.44
+-----------------+---+-------+---+-----+----+---+---+---+---+---+------+----+----+----+---+----+----+---+---+-----+---+---+------+-----+
4 Seasons                  23  19  .464   93  71   0   0   4   0  435    521  284  226  42  126  304  13  30  1928   5   0   4.68  1.49

Hornets Were One Out Away From Defeat

      Valdosta:  Woooooh!  That is the Valdosta Wild Cat baseball rally cry, a signature trademark derived from former pro wrestler Ric Flair.  It's now a tradition that is used by the players and fans of the Wild Cat baseball program, heck even the press box plays the music with the "woooh's" crying aloud.  However, the Hornets silenced all the "wooohing"  as they upset the homestanding Wild Cats, 6-4 in an eight inning battle.  This was not what the #3 team in class AAAAA had in mind on Friday night. 

     Valdosta scored three early on in the first, taking advantage of Hornet pitcher Kaleb Cowart, who walked two and hit two batters.  A few wild pitches later, Valdosta found themselves up 3-0, without the benefit of a hit.  In fact, Cowart would settle in and dominate the rest of his outing, and didn't allow a hit until the fourth inning, when Cameron Cain poked a grounder through the infield.  The Hornets would scratch three runs across in the second, third, and fourth innings, with one run coming off the bat of Josh Barks, who homered in the second. 

     The scored remained tied at three until the bottom of the sixth, when Valdosta scratched their fourth run on the night on another passed ball.  In the top of the seventh, the Hornets rallied for one run in what was suppose to be their final at bat.  With one out, freshman catcher Tyler Norton reached on an error, and courtesy runner Tim Rowe advanced to second on a passed ball.  After an Austin Steel grounder advanced Rowe to third, Parker Nix stepped in with Cook down to their last out.  Nix lined a line drive up the middle to tie it a 4-all, keeping the Hornets alive.

     In the top half of the eighth, Cook put runners on second and third with nobody out, but Valdosta managed to retire the next two batters.  Austin Pafford stepped in and became Cook's only hope of taking the lead.  After fouling off several pitches, Pafford hit a deep towering fly ball to right center field that was out of reach for the Valdosta outfielders, and Cook took the lead 6-4.  DJ Johnson, who came on in relief of Cowart in the seventh, closed out the ball game to get his second win of the young season.  Cowart was lights out after the first inning, over all he went six innings of two hit ball while striking out seven.  Johnson pitched two innings, striking out four and allowing no hits. 

     Adel:  For Hornet head coach Bob Owsley, being able to watch his players and teams become successful and go on to the next level is the biggest reward of all.  He'll be the first to tell you, "it's all about the kids."  However, on January 17th, it was about Bob Owsley.  Owsley was inducted into the Georgia Dugout Club Hall of Fame this past Saturday, leaving no doubt that his career and his coaching has left a mark as one of the best in Georgia high school baseball. 

     Owsley's baseball coaching career began in Lawrenceville County High in Kentucky, before landing at Cook High in 1979.  Owsley's first stint at Cook ended after the 1991 season, when he left and took the job at Buford High School.  Owsley spent four seasons with the Wolves, and then came back down south to Hawkinsville High School.  In 2000, Owsley made his way back "home" as he calls it,  to Adel and re-united with the Hornets. 

     Owsley's teams have won ten Region Championships and qualified for the state playoffs 20 times.  In the playoffs, his teams have qualified for the Quarter-Finals nine times, the Final Four five times, and one finalist.  Overall, his coaching record stands at 460-206 and counting, as the veteran skipper is showing no signs of slowing down.  Owsley has seen over forty of his players play at the college level, and six have gone pro, most recently is 2002 graduate Brandon Durden, who still actively playing AA ball for the Colorado Rockies. 

The Owsley Record:

Overall Record:  460-206 (30 years and counting)
 (Lawrenceville High (1 season) , Buford (4 seasons), Hawkinsville (4 seasons), Cook (21 seasons))

10  Region Championships
20 State Playoff Appearances
9 Quarter-Finals
5 Final Four Appearances
1 Finalist
40 players have played college ball under Owsley, and six have played at the pro level.

more info to come when sources available

     Senior Josh Barks and juniors Kaleb Cowart and D.J Johnson were named to the Georgia Dugout Club Pre-Season All-State Team.  Cowart made the All-State First Team as a pitcher, and D.J Johnson was named All-State infielder.  Johnson is also one of the Hornets starting pitchers.  Barks, who recently signed with Augusta State, was named to the second team as a pitcher.  

     Also, Barks, Cowart, Johnson, and senior Trevor Hand were named to the Pre-Season Region 1AA team.   

Gasports.com and the GACA poll has Cook sitting at #1 in the latest poll.  

     Adel:  On a cold night that saw temperatures in the 40's, the #1 ranked Cook Hornets heated up with a 7-3 victory over the visiting Worth County Rams.  D.J Johnson picked up the win going five innings, striking out seven, while allowing one run on three hits.  Johnson was relieved by Josh Barks, who went two innings for the save striking out four and allowing two runs on two hits. 

     At the plate, Parker Nix went 2-3 with two doubles, and Kaleb Cowart was 2-2 with a triple, double, walk, and he also drove in two runs.  Wes Warren went 1-3 while driving in two, and Austin Steel also added a hit in the contest. 

Cook is back in action Wednesday vs Madison.  The game will be at Lowndes High at 6:00.  Come out and support the Hornets.