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LANIER COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL
BULLDOG BASEBALL
2008 GHSA Final State Poll
Another memorable season for Lanier County Bulldogs went 22-10, made it to state quarterfinals
By Christian Malone
The Valdosta Daily Times
LAKELAND — Lanier County’s baseball team was disappointed with Tuesday night’s outcome. But the Bulldogs are pleased with a a season where they won 22 games and made it to the state quarterfinals for the second time in four years.
The Bulldogs’ season ended Tuesday night with losses to Landmark Christian School in the Class A state quarterfinals. The War Eagles, who are 24-6 and ranked No. 4 in Class A, won the first game 16-6, then completed the sweep with an 11-4 win in a rain-delayed game 2.
“We gave them too many outs, and we didn’t get any breaks,” Lanier head coach John White said. “Landmark Christian has a good baseball team. They were the better team that day.”
Lanier ends its season with a 22-10 overall record and ranked #7 in the final state coaches poll.
“I’m proud of this team,” White said. “They had a good year. They exceeded the expectations we set for them.”
This was a special group for White. The Bulldogs were led by their 10 seniors, most of whom played baseball all four years at Lanier. Some had been playing for White even longer.
“This was a good group of kids,” White said. “These kids played hard and just got after it, and we had a good year.”
The Bulldogs were led by their three All-State players, catcher Ethan McRae, pitcher Nathan Bass and shortstop/pitcher Ryan White. White has already signed a baseball scholarship with Carson-Newman, a strong Division II school, while McRae and Bass are expected to sign with schools in the next few weeks.
The Bulldogs rebounded from a rough start earlier in the season, when injuries hurt the team. They lost four of their first six games, and even 16 games into the season, they were just 10-6. But after an 8-5 loss to Appling County on April 10, they were almost unbeatable for the next five weeks, going on a nine-game winning streak that lasted until the second round of the playoffs. They won their first Region 1-A title since 1984.
“I’m ecstatic about how we finished,” Coach White said. “We were (10-6) at one point. Bass was hurt, and we weren’t sure if we’d get him back. But we got him back and started playing well. To win the region and make the elite eight is great.”
In game 1 against Landmark, Bass went 2-for-3 and hit a three-run homer for the Bulldogs, but took the loss on the mound. Josh Fender hit a two-run homer for LCHS. Lanier fell behind 4-0 in the third inning of game 2, then heavy rains delayed the game for almost three hours. The field was not in great shape, but the umpires insisted the field was playable, so the game resumed at ten o' clock that night. But despite Lanier cutting the deficit to 7-4, Landmark scored four late runs to pull away and win.
“The first game, they just pounded us,” Coach White said. “The second game, our kids gave a good effort trying to battle back, but we just couldn’t pull it out.”
Jordan Patten was 3-for-3 for the Bulldogs in game 2. Ryan White, Bass and McRae each went 2-for-4. White pitched a complete game, and struck out nine batters.
Lanier travels to Landmark for Quarterfinals
By Chris Walsh Valdosta Daily Times
LAKELAND – The Lanier County Bulldogs are taking their show on the road today for a quarterfinals matchup against the No. 4 Landmark Christian Screaming Eagles.
The first two games of the three-game series will begin today at 4 p.m. in Fairburn.
“I think we’ve got a pretty good chance,” said Lanier head coach John White from the road on Monday. “We played just nine of our 26 games at home this season, so I feel we’ve prepared our kids all year for this series.”
Last week, the Bulldogs escaped a potential second-round upset with a 2-1 series win over the Schley County Wildcats. The two teams, which have started a great out-of-region rivalry, gave it their all through nearly nine hours of play. Schley pounded Lanier 17-4 in the first game, but the Bulldogs were able to hold on for a 2-1 extra-innings win in the second game.
On the second day, in the third game, the Bulldogs exploded out of the box. Lanier put up 10 runs on the Wildcats in the first inning alone en route to a 21-5 series-clinching win.
“I felt like we had three different teams last week,” said White. “In game 1, we came in a little overconfident, and Schley jumped on us. We had to play on the defensive, rather than attacking like we had all year long.
“Our experience paid off, like I felt it would, in game 3, and we came back ready to play. We came out and completely crushed the ball like I knew we could.”
The Bulldogs will now face the Region 5-A champion Screaming Eagles on their field in Fairburn. Landmark Christian (22-6, 15-1) is coming off two straight series sweeps in the postseason.
Landmark defeated Wilkinson County by scores of 13-3 and 13-0 to advance past the first round. Last week, they defeated Athens Christian 6-3 and 15-1 for a chance to meet the Bulldogs this week.
“They’re going to be sound defensively, and they hit the ball well,” said White. “It is really going to depend on which team comes out and plays for us.”
The Screaming Eagles have been soaring high over the past two months, losing just once since mid-April. Half of their final 12 games ended on a mercy rule.
But White remains confident that his veteran squad will be able to play with Landmark and possibly advance to the semifinals.
“Our kids have played three years on the road in the playoffs, so I don’t think that’s going to be a big factor,” said White. “We’re probably going to have as many fans as them, too, so their only advantage will be that they’re playing on their own field.
“I just think that, with the experience we have, it’s going to take a good team to beat us.”
The Bulldogs’ quarterfinals series begins today at 4 p.m. and can be heard on the radio on 98.7 FM.
Elite Eight Bound Lanier pounds Schley 21-5 in three innings By Bryan Fazio The Valdosta Daily Times
VALDOSTA — As Schley County scored run after run against Lanier County Wednesday, it appeared things couldn’t get much worse for the Bulldogs as they lost 17-4 during game one of a three-game series.
What a difference a day makes.
The Bulldogs, armed with their No. 1 pitcher, pounded Schley 21-5 in three innings to advance to the Elite Eight of the Class A baseball playoffs.
With Lanier’s No. 3 pitcher hurt all season long, any series that went past two games brought a little skepticism to head coach John White.
“We knew we were at a disadvantage early, because our No. 3 pitcher had been hurt all year,” White said. “I felt like if we went three games, we would be in trouble. But we got our starting pitcher out of the game early Wednesday and was able to bring him back in Thursday.”
While starter Nathan Bass had to go just three innings Thursday, he was effective at keeping the Wildcats at bay while the Bulldogs poured on the runs.
Down 2-0 in the first inning, the hit parade started early for the Bulldogs.
Lanier sent 14 batters to the plate, connecting on six hits, including a home run, while walking four times. Ryan White led off the inning with a single, but was called out on a fielder’s choice hit by Nathan Bass. Ethan McRae then flied out to the second baseman for the second out. Lanier wouldn’t get the last out, however, until 10 runs crossed the plate.
Josh Fender moved Bass to third on a double, and both scored on a single by Corey Martin. Brandon Mastin was hit by a pitch, to move Martin to second, and Jordan Patton brought them both in on a two RBI single. With Patton on first, Wayne Palmer was the first of four consecutive batters to walk. Palmer also marked the last full batter Schley starter Jessie Colter would face. Colter allowed four runs on five hits in just 2/3 inning.
Chad Crook replaced Colter, and didn’t fare much better as he finished the walk on Codey Fricke, and then walked White and Bass during their second at bats of the inning. With the bases jammed, Ethan McRae delivered the first of three Lanier home runs on the day, this one counting for four runs. After a Fender single, the Wildcats finally got out of the inning, but the damage was already done.
Schley would continue to claw at the lead, but the first inning, combined with a blistering third would be too much.
After two games of not hitting the ball well, the Bulldogs’ batters were on the mark, striking 13 hits, with McRae going 4-for-4, White going 2-for-2 and Fender hitting two more. Every Bulldog reached base and scored in the three innings of play.
Schley tacked on two more runs in the second three hits, but the Bulldogs responded in kind.
Mastin led off the inning on a bad throw by Schley County’s catcher Will Gordon, and would later score on a single by Patton. Fricke added another run on a single by Bass.
“We didn’t hit the ball well in the first two games,” White said. “(Thursday) we came out and hit the ball a little better.”
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
VALDOSTA DAILY TIMES: http://www.valdostadailytimes.com/sports/local_story_131000456.html
LANIER TRAILED 3-1 EARLY AS THE BLAZERS (18-5) SCORED ON 2 UNEARNED RUNS IN THE 3RD INNNG BEFORE THEY BROKE LOOSE WITH A SOLO HOMERUN BY RYAN WHITE (7TH) AND ETHAN MCRAE FOLLOWED WITH A 2 RUN BLAST (8TH) TO TIE THE GAME UP . THE DAWGS SCORED ANOTHER RUN IN THE INNING TO TAKE A 4-3 ON AN RBI SINGLE BY BRANDON MASTIN . IN THE 5TH, LANIER PUT THE GAME AWAY WITH 4 MORE RUNS AS BASS WALKED, MCRAE SINGLED. JOSH FENDER HAD A 2 RBI DOUBLE TO RCF. JORDAN PATTEN DELIVERED A 2 RBI SINGLE TO MAKE IT 9-3. LANIER ADDED ONE IN THE 6TH ON A WALK BY MCRAE AND AN RBI SINGLE BY BRANDON MASTIN. SENIOR NATHAN BASS PITCHED ALLOWING 7 HITS AND EXTENDING HIS STREAK OF NO WALKS IN 30 STRIAGHT INNINGS. BASS RAN HIS RECORD TO 8-2 ON THE SEASON AND PERFECT IN REGION PLAY 6-0. WITH THE WIN LANIER ADVANCES TO TAKE ON SEMINOLE COUNTY IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME IN DONALSONVILLE ON TUESDAY.
THE BULLDOGS ROLLED INTO PEARSON FOR THE BUBBLE GAME WITH DEFENDING CHAMPS FROM ALMA. WHEN THE DUST CLEARED, THE BULLDOGS WERE THE CHAMPIONS OF THE EAST AS THEY WON 5-1 . STARTER NATHAN BASS WENT THE DISTANCE FOR HIS 5TH STRAIGHT REGION VICTORY . HE IS NOW 6-2 ON THE SEASON. HE SCATTERED 7 HITS IN THE GAME AND JOSH FENDER MADE A COUPLE OF OUTSTANDING PLAYS AT THIRD. ETHAN MCRAE GOT THING STARTED WITH A SOLO HOMERUN IN THE FIRST. LANIER'S DEFENSE HELD STRONG UNTIL THE DAWGS WENT UP 2-0 ON A NATHAN BASS HOMERUN. AFTER MCRAE REACHED ON AN A ERROR AND CORY MARTIN SINGLED, BRANDON MASTIN DELIVERED A 2 RBI BLAST OFF THE RCF FIELD FENCE. MASTIN LATER SCORED ON A SACRIFICE BUNT TO MAKE IT 5-0. FROM THERE BASS AND THE DEFENSE HELD OFF A BARRAGE OF HARD HIT BALLS TO ALLOW JUST ONE RUN. OVERALL , JOSH FENDER LEAD LANIER GOING 2 FOR 3. IT WAS A GREAT EFFORT ON THE MOUND FOR BASS WHO DID NOT HAVE HIS BEST STUFF. GOOD PITCHERS WIN WHEN THEY ARE NOT ON TOP OF THEIR GAME. THE DEFENSE PLAYED EXTREMELY WELL. WE JUST GOT THE BIG HITS WHEN WE HAD TO, AND WE MADE BIG PLAYS DEFENSIVELY WHEN THE GAME WAS ON THE LINE.
SENIOR ETHAN MCRAE THREW THE FIRST 2 INNINGS BEFORE RYAN WHITE THREW THE LAST 5 INNINGS TO SECURE THE WIN. LANIER SCORED 4 IN THE FIRST TO GO UP 4-1 WITH WHITE , MCRAE , MARTIN AND JORDAN PATTEN ALL GETTING HITS. WHITE DOUBLED IN THE 2ND AND SCORED ON A SACRIFICE BY MCRAE TO MAKE 5-1. IRWIN WOULD RALLY TO TIE IT 5-5 BEFORE WHITE SHUT THE INDIANS DOWN THE REST OF THE WAY AND LANIER SCORED 4 MORE RUNS IN THE 5TH AS BRANDON MASTIN , JORDAN PATTEN AND RYAN WHITE ADDED RBI HITS. FOR THE GAME , RYAN WHITE WENT 3 FOR 4 WITH 2 DOUBLES, JORDAN PATTEN WAS 3 FOR 3 WITH 2 RBI'S. CORY MARTIN AND BRANDON MASTIN ALSO HAD 2 HITS AS WELL.
THE REBELS CAME READY TO PLAY AFTER LANIER ROUTED THEM 10-2 IN PEARSON 2 WEEKS EARLIER. THE BULLDOGS CONTINUED THEIR POOR DEFENSIVE PERFORMANCE AS MCRAE MADE 2 ERRORS IN THE FIRST INNING AND JORDAN PATTEN ADDED A THROWING ERROR. ATCO WENT UP 2-0 AFTER 1 INNING ON ONE HIT. IN THE 3RD, THE BULLDOGS DEFENSE STAGGERED AGAIN AS CF ANTONIO OWENS MISJUDGED A FLY BALL AND A MENTAL ERROR BY WHITE OPENED THE DOOR FOR LANIER TO GIVE UP 4 MORE RUNS ON 3 HITS. RYAN WHITE TOOK THE LOSS AGAIN ALLOWING NO EARNED RUNS IN 4 INNINGS OF WORK. WITH LANIER TRIALING 6-0 AFTER 4 INNINGS, NATHAN BASS MADE HIS FIRST APPEARANCE SINCE BEING SIDE-LINED WITH A BROKEN FINGER. HE MOWED DOWN ATCO STRIKING OUT 7 OUT OF 9 BATTERS TO GIVE THE BULLDOGS SOME LIFE. IN THE 5TH , LANIER CUT THE REBELS TO 6-3 AS WHITE , BASS, AND MCRAE SCORED . IN THE 6TH CODEY FRICKE REACHED ON AN ERROR AND SCORED ON A GROUND BALL BY CORY MARTIN. IN THE DRAMATIC 7TH , NATHAN BASS SINGLED , MCRAE REACHED ON AN ERROR, AND A DOUBLE STEAL BY LANIER PUT THE DAWGS IN GREAT SHAPE WITH NO OUTS.JOSH FENDER GROUNDED TO 2ND TO PUT IT TO 6-5 . THAT WAS AS CLOSE AS LANIER WOULD GET AS THEY MISSED A SQUEEZE BUNT ATTEMPT TO GET MCRAE OUT AT THE PLATE. FOR THE GAME, WAYNE PALMER HAD 2 HITS, ALONG WITH NATHAN BASS.
BAXLEY - HEAD COACH JOHN WHITE GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT HIS FORMER SCHOOL AND COACH AGAINST ONE OF HIS FORMER PLAYERS. THE BULLDOGS CAME OUT AND PUT ON A GREAT DISPLAY OF BASEBALL WITH ETHAN MCRAE THROWING WELL FOR 4 INNINGS. LEADING 5-2 ON THE STRENGTH OF KEY HITS BY BRANDON MASTIN, COREY MARTIN, AND WAYNER PALMER. JORDAN PATTEN AND RYAN WHITE REMAINED STELLAR IN THE FIELD FOR LANIER. THE BIG INNING FOR APPLING WAS A 6 RUN 6TH IN WHICH APPLING CAUGHT A COUPLE OF BREAKS. RF CODY FRICKE LOST A BALL OF THE BAT IN RIGHT FIELD AND IT SCORED 2 RUNS. A VERY DEBATABLE BAD CALL ON A FOUL BALL WAS RULED FAIR ALLOWING APPLING TO SCORE THE GO AHEAD RUNS WITH 2 OUTS. IT WAS A TOUGH CALL, BUT OUR KIDS CONTINUED TO PLAY WELL AND WE ARE PROUD OF THEIR CONTINUED EFFORTS. EVERYTHING IN LIFE DOES NOT COME OUT PEACHES AND CREAM. THEY STOOD TALL AND BATTLED UNTIL THE END. RELIEVER RYAN WHITE CAME IN AND STRUCK OUT THE SIDE IN THE 5TH. NATHAN BASS PITCHED A SCORELESS 6TH. WHITE AND PALMER HAD 2 HITS TO LEAD LANIER IN HITTING.
FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE CLASS OF 1981, LANIER'S SENIOR CLASS SWEPT THE PANTHERS FOR 4 STRIAGHT YEARS. THIS WAS THE CLOSEST AS LANIER WON 2-1 TO MOVE INTO 2ND PLACE IN THE REGION. BASS WENT THE DISTANCE ALLOWING NO EARNED RUNS AND STRIKING OUT 6. THE DAWGS GOT ALL THE RUNS THEY WOULD NEED IN THE 1ST AS RYAN WHITE LED THE GAME OFF WITH A SOLO HOMERUN TO LEFT FIELD . THE DOGS HAD A CHANCE TO BREAK IT OPEN EARLY AS THEY LOADED THE BASES BUT COULD NOT GET BUT 1 MORE RUN ON AN RBI BY JORDAN PATTEN. FROM THERE, BASS WOULD DOMINATE AND SHORTSTOP RYAN WHITE AND CF JORDAN PATTEN MADE SOME GREAT DEFENSIVE PLAYS. THE DAWGS IMPROVE TO 6-2 IN THE REGION WITH 2 GAMES LEFT.
ETHAN MCRAE , RYAN WHITE, AND AUSTIN KLINE COMBINED TO THROW A 3 HITTER AS THE DAWGS SCORED 8 RUNS EARLY ON THE STRENGTH OF ETHAN MCRAE RBI SINGLES IN THE FIRST AND SECOND INNING. BRANDON MASTIN ALSO ADDED A 2 RBI DOUBLE IN THE FIRST. IN THE 2ND INNING , JORDAN PATTEN , CODEY FRICKE, AND CORY MARTIN ADDED SUCCESSIVE HITS AS LANIER WENT UP 8-0 AFTER 2 INNINGS. LANIER ADDED ONE IN THE 6TH ON DOUBLES BY RYAN WHITE AND NATHAN BASS TO CONCLUDE THE SCORING. MCRAE LEAD LANIER WITH 3 HITS FOLLOWED BY BRANDON MASTIN WITH 2. RYAN WHITE SCORED 3 TIMES FOR THE DAWGS. RYAN WHITE GOT THE WIN GOING 3 INNINGS AND STRIKING OUT 7 IN HIS WORK.
