High school baseball: Jayhawks overcome adversity
The adversity has made the Jayhawks a stronger team.
St. Joseph cruised to the Region 17 championship, wrapping up league play with a 15-0 win over Mount Vernon on Friday. The Jayhawks finished the regular season 10-0 in league play and 15-3 overall.
"It's so nice to see us playing how we need to be down the stretch run," said third-year St. Joseph coach Josh Smith. "We're still finding ways to win games. We've gone on a roll."
The Jayhawks' season could have gone the other way after Sawyer Kenny, an all-state pitcher in 2007, transferred to Weber High before school began. But they have taken on the personality of defensive standout and team captain Oliver DelCarlo, who has continued to play despite being at less than 100 percent with a hand injury the last few weeks.
It's helped that pitcher Dylan Evans has been dominant and efficient. He went 10-0 and walked less than 10 batters in more than 70 innings of work during the regular season.
"He takes it up another notch," Smith said. "He just loves to pitch and play baseball. He gets a kick out of it."
"As a team these guys are as closely bonded as you would want them to be," Smith said. "Everything is about the team, and having a we-type of attitude. It's cool to see that out of any kids. With private-school kids, there's a little more appreciation for it."
SURPRISING PIRATES: Green River coach Greg Parsons was stunned to find out late in the summer that he would have only nine players on his team. He then figured if his team finished above .500 it would be a successful season.
The Pirates greatly exceeded Parsons' expectations, finishing league play with a 9-1 record and with a share of the Region 18 crown. Green River and Dugway tied for first place in the region. Dugway won the coin flip and get Region 18's No. 1 seed in the state tournament.
"Overall, I'm totally happy with how things finished up," Parsons said. "Everything that happens now is a bonus."
Green River expected to have more players on its roster, but a few returning players were academically ineligible. The personnel losses motivated the Pirates, who had little margin for error in their games.
In fact, the Pirates had to win one game with just eight players when one was injured in a doubleheader with Wasatch Academy. Parsons didn't use a rightfielder in the second game of the doubleheader, in which Green River rallied with nine runs in the fifth to beat the Tigers 13-12.
Recent comments
But EVERYONE knows who is the best.
Anonymous | Oct. 6, 2008 at 9:48 p.m.
If I won two STRAIGHT state championships, I'd be proud of it too…
Coached against Wayne | Oct. 6, 2008 at 9:45 p.m.
Its a beautiful day for baseball! The fans are trash talking everyone…
Baseball Fan | Oct. 6, 2008 at 8:28 p.m.
