Live from Gardner-Webb at South Carolina basketball (11/26)

It's been a while since I've attempted a live game blog (or glog), but I'm going to give it a shot from Columbia, S.C. tonight.

The Southeastern Conference has a "blogging policy" now, so I'll only be able to post five times per half, once at halftime and twice per overtime period if we go to OT tonight. Game time is 7 p.m., so look for the first game update shortly after that.

The Gamecocks and Runnin' Bulldogs are out on the court shooting around, and about to get a bite to eat here in the media room.

Here's a quick advance of the game from Tuesday's edition of The Star ...

GWU to face South CarolinaTonight (Tuesday) the Runnin' Bulldogs hope to bag a band of Gamecocks at The University of South Carolina's Colonial Life Arena in a 7 o'clock encounter.Coach Rick Scruggs' squad from Boiling Springs has had a series of near misses during a 0-3 start. In road losses to Longwood, Virginia Tech of the ACC and 12th-ranked Oklahoma, the ‘Dogs have fallen by a combined margin of nine points.

First-year head coach Darrin Horn has the Gamecocks off to a 3-0 start following a blowout victory against USC-Upstate. Senior guard Zam Fredrick - son of the former Gamecock standout bearing the same name - leads South Carolina with a 17.3 scoring average. Devan Downey is producing 16.4 points a game with Mike Holmes and Evaldus Baniulis contributing 11.7 and 11.0 points per contest, respectively. Holmes leads USC in rebounding with 10.7 boards per game.

Gardner-Webb has five players averaging double figures, led by junior guard Grayson Flittner.

The lefthanded Indiana native is pouring in 19.3 points per contest. Aaron Linn (18.3 ppg), Anton Silver (11.7), Joshua Henley (11.7) and Auryn McMillan (11.5) are also providing scoring punch for the ‘Dogs.


13 minutes until tip-off ...
Plenty of good seats still available at Colonial Life Arena for this non-conference contest in Columbia, S.C.

Injury update ... GWU guard Nate Blank, a returning starter, is dressed out tonight and should see his first action of the season. It's especially impressive that GWU hung tough with the likes of Virginia Tech and Oklahoma without Blank, who was the A-Sun Freshman of the Year and a mid-major Freshman All-American last season. The sophomore from Terre Haute, Ind. averaged 10.8 points and 3.6 rebounds as a freshman.

Starting lineups
GWU
Joshua Henley, G
Jonathan Moore, F
Grayson Flittner, G
Aaron Linn, F
Auryn McMillan, C

South Carolina
Brandon Conrad, G
Michael Holmes, F/C
Dominique Archie, F
Zam Frederick, G
Devan Downey, G

At the 14 minute mark of the first half ... first update of first half.
GWU leads 12-8 after a made jumper by Aaron Linn. The Runnin' Bulldogs have missed a handful of easy shots as well and look poised on the defensive end.

With 10 minutes left in the half ... second update of first half.
GWU leads 17-13 despite no points from sharp-shooter Grayson Flittner and with Nate Blank struggling to find his rhythm on the court for the first time this year. Jonathan Moore has eight for GWU, while Aaron Linn has five. The Bulldogs are scrapping on the defensive end with three steals.

With 7 minutes left in the first half ... third update of first half.
USC grabs a 20-19 lead. Neither team lighting it up from the floor. GWU shooting 30 percent on 7-of-23 shooting. The Gamecocks are at 36 percent on 8-of-22 shooting. Most of the other stats are practically even ... turnovers, steals and blocks. Despite a height advantage, USC leads the rebounding margin just 17-16.
Flittner hits his first basket of the game (a three) at 6:30 to put GWU up 22-20.

With 2:30 left in the first half ... fourth update of first half.
GWU cuts the lead to 34-32 on Flittner's second three of the half. The southpaw appears to be finding his rhythm. Moore has the hot hand for the Runnin' Bulldogs with 15 points. Mike Holmes leads USC with 10.

With one minute left in the first half ... final update of the first half.
I'll have another update at halftime. Evaldus Baniulus hits a three to push USC's lead up to 43-34 late in the half. USC is getting it done at the defensive end late in the half, creating steals and getting points off the turnovers.

A few halftime stats

Leaders: GWU: Jonathan Moore, 15 points, four rebounds; Grayson Flittner, eight points, three assists, two rebounds; Aaron Linn, eight points, two rebounds. USC: Zam Frederick, 11 points, six rebounds; five assists; Mike Holmes 10 points, two rebounds; Dominique Archie seven points, five rebounds.

GWU shooting just 32 percent from the floor and 4-of-12 from 3-point land. USC picked up steam late in the half and is now shooting 44 percent from the floor and 4-of-9 from deep. USC owns the rebounding edge 27-21. The turnover margin is even at 8-8. The Gamecocks hold a 13-7 edge in fast break points, and own a 18-10 margin on points in the paint.

At the 17 minute mark of second half .... first update of second half.
USC is really getting it done on both ends on the backboards and now leads 49-36 after 2-of-2 by Holmes. GWU is consistently getting outside looks, but can't catch fire from the perimeter. It's a big "if," but if the Bulldogs were making their jumpers this is a different ballgame.

At the 14 minute mark of the second half ... second update of second half.
Flittner, who has a knack of getting to the line after being fouled on a 3-point attempt, makes 3-of-3 to cut the lead to 51-41. USC answers with two quick baskets to make it 55-41. Not long after my last update, the play of the game transpired ....
USC point guard Devan Downey drove the lane, then passed through a GWU player's legs to an open Dominique Archie, who dunked it home dwith two hands to make it 51-36. Not sure if the folks at the Worldwide Leader will pick that one up on its top 10 plays or not, but I'd say it would be worthy.

At the 10 minute mark of the second half ... third update of second half.
GWU had several chances to get the lead under double digits but hasn't been able to cash in. Score now USC 61, GWU 51. The shooting percentage continues to stand out ... GWU at just 31 percent and USC at 45 percent.

At the 5 minute mark of the second half .... fourth update of second half.
USC leads 75-63. Blank and Flittner both hit 3's for GWU to get the lead under double figures, but each time USC answers with a 3 of its own to increase the lead. Downey has really stepped up in the second half for the home team, both with his passing and shooting. He now has 17 points.

At the 2 minute mark of the second half ... fifth and final update of the game (unless we go OT).
USC leads 79-68 and the Bulldogs have a huge uphill battle at this point. Flittner was just called for a charge and the Gamecocks seem to have this one wrapped up. Check back to www.shelbystar.com for the game story in about an hour or so.
Downey just scored his 23rd points of the night to put the icing on the cake for USC.

Final score, South Carolina 85, Gardner-Webb 70

Thanks, Ed Hochuli

On a normal Sunday during football season, I'm usually checking in on my fantasy football team pretty consistently through the day. This Sunday was a little different. I worked in The Star's booth at the Cleveland County Fair, then afterward ran into a few friends and decided to stay and take in the sights and sounds at the fairgrounds. I'm still regretting a couple of trips to the Tilt-a-Whirl.

Just when I thought my equilibrium was approaching normal Sunday night, a closer look at my fantasy football score made me shake my head again.

Long story short, I have the Panthers defense, which posted a sub-par six points for me. Six should have been 14. Carolina's Richard Marshall returned an interception for a touchdown (the pick and TD would have been eight points for me) on the opening drive, but it was called back when muscle-bound referee Ed Hochuli (remember him from the Broncos-Chargers game two weeks ago?) nullified Marshall's score by flagging Julius Peppers for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Falcons' quarterback Matt Ryan.

Replays showed Peppers made contact as Ryan released the ball, and appeared to hit him first with his shoulder. As Freedom News Service Panthers' beat writer Steve Reed put it, "the call appeared to be a little, well, ticky-tacky."

I ended up losing my fantasy game by six. Without that questionable call by Hochuli, I win by two and I'm 3-1 and one game out of first in my league. Now, I'm 2-2 and in the middle of the pack. I'm stunned that one play/call, which was insignificant in the outcome of the Panthers' win over Atlanta, changed the outcome of my fantasy contest.

I usually shake off a fantasy loss pretty quick, but I have a feeling this one is going to sit with me for a while. At least the Tilt-a-Whirl hangover wore off.

In case you missed Hochuli's blunder two weeks ago ....

(AP) - Two weeks ago, Hochuli’s missed call helped Denver’s comeback 39-38 win over San Diego.

Denver quarterback Jay Cutler dropped back to pass, the ball slipped from his hand and a San Diego player recovered. But Hochuli, who has refereed two Super Bowls, ruled it an incomplete pass. He later admitted it was the wrong call.

Denver retained possession, scored a touchdown and then won with a successful 2-point conversion.

Live from Sumter Post 15 vs. Shelby Post 82

It's a big one tonight on Day 4 of the Southeast Regional as host Shelby Post 82 (3-0) takes on Sumter, S.C. (2-1). Game time is set for 5 p.m., so we're about 10 minutes from first pitch.

The scenario: Post 82 is the only team left in the tourney without a loss. If they win, they'll take on Randolph County (a 6-1 winner against Tuscaloosa, Ala. earlier) at 4 p.m. Monday. Randolph County has one loss and would need to beat Shelby twice to win the Regional. The second game would follow at 7 p.m. Monday.
If Shelby loses to Sumter, S.C., Randolph and Sumter would play at 4 p.m. with the winner facing Shelby at 7 p.m. in a winner-take-all situation for the Regional title.

The lineups: Sumter (Visitor): Quantrell Nelson (RF); Bruce Caldwell (SS); Travis Witherspoon (CF); Matthew Price (3B); Michael Blackmon (C); Tony Micklon (DH); Matthew Talley (1B); Joshua Hayden (LF); Robert Benenhaley (2B); Tyler Broome (P). Broome is a righty.

Shelby (Home): Seth Canipe (CF); Brett Wease (SS); Kyle Kendrick (C); Adam McFarland (3B); Julian Ridings (DH); James Gold (1B); Eric Shuford (RF); Corey Cline (2B); Jordan Robinson (LF); Sterling Cole (P). Cole is a lefty.

Top 1st
First pitch at 5:03, a strike by Cole.
Sumter goes down 1-2-3 with Cole striking out Witherspoon for the final out.
Score - Sumter 0, Shelby 0

Bottom 1st
Canipe gets Post 82 out of the box with a bang, slugging a solo home run to left. Broome escapes any further damage by retiring three straight to end the inning. He picks up his first strikeout by fanning McFarland for the third out.
Shelby 1, Sumter 0

Top 2nd
Cole pitches out of a two-out bases loaded jam to keep Sumter scoreless. Micklon and Talley notched back-to-back singles up the middle before a walk to Hayden loaded them up. Cole got Benenhaley to fly out to RF to end the threat.
Shelby 1, Sumter 0

Bottom 2nd
Gold starts the inning with a single, then Sumter catches a bit of a break on a pickoff attempt. The ball got past the first baseman on the throw, but hit the umpire, giving second baseman Benenhaley time to get to the ball and fire to shortstop Caldwell for the second out. Cline struck out for the third out.
Shelby 1, Sumter 0

Top 3rd
Wilson starts the inning with a single to RF. Caldwell flies out to deep CF as Canipe makes a solid play on the run near the fence for the first out. Sumter pulls even on 2B by Matt Price as Witherspoon (fielder's choice) comes around to score from second for Post 15's first run. On Witherspoon's fielder's choice, Post 82 second baseman Corey Cline was shook up on a force play at second. Cline shook it off, then later made a nice play to his right to end the inning.
Shelby 1, Sumter 1

Bottom 3rd
Post 82 goes back on top as Robinson slugs a one-out, solo home run to leftcenter to make it 2-1
Shelby 2, Sumter 1

Top 4th
Sumter goes down 1-2-3. The shortstop Wease ranges to his left to make a nice play on a grounder to end the inning.
Shelby 2, Sumter 1

Bottom 4th
Kendrick, the fastest high school/Legion catcher I've ever seen, reaches on a leadoff bunt single. McFarland follows with a long single to leftcenter. Kendrick only advanced to second on the play as he had to wait to see if the leftfielder could make the grab. Ridings follows with a sac bunt attempt, fielded by Broome, who tossed to third to get Kendrick on a close play. Gold grounds out to third to move McFarland to 3rd and Ridings to 2nd. Shuford grounds out to short to end the threat.
Shelby 2, Sumter 1

Top 5th
Caldwell knocks in Benenhaley with a single to CF to tie the game at 2-2. Benenhaley singled to start the inning, then moved to second on a sac bunt by Nelson. Cole walks Witherspoon, putting runners on 1st and 2nd. Shelby Post 82 head coach Mike Grayson makes his second trip to the mound and hands the ball to Jacob Tisdale. Tisdale strikes out Price and gets Blackmon to ground into a force out to end the inning.
Shelby 2, Sumter 2

Cole's pitching line: 4.1 innings, 6 hits, 2 runs, 1 earned, two walks, 1 strikeout, five flyouts, seven groundouts.

Bottom 5th
Cline robbed of at least of a double by Sumter leftfielder Joshua Hayden, who makes a diving catch just in front of the fence to his right for the first out. Robinson grounds out, Canipe reaches on an error, then Wease strikes out looking for the third out.
Shelby 2, Sumter 2

Top 6th
Sumter goes down 1-2-3 as Tisale makes quick work of Post 15.
Shelby 2, Sumter 2

Bottom 6th
Shelby goes down 1-2-3. Other than the long balls allowed to Canipe and Robinson, Broome has turned in a solid outing through six.
Shelby 2, Sumter 2

Top 7th
Tisdale posts another 1-2-3 inning. The righthander from Crest has retired eight in a row since entering the game in the fifth.
Shelby 2, Sumter 2

Bottom 7th
Cline hits into a 5-4-3 DP to end the inning. This one has settled into a nice pitcher's duel, especially over the last several innings. Baserunners have been few and far between.
Shelby 2, Sumter 2

Top 8th
Price, Blackmon and Micklon post three straight one-out singles to load the bases against Tisdale. Talley attempts a two-strike, bunt and fouls it off for the third strike and the second out.
Martin grounds to third, McFarland comes up with a tough short hop and tags the bag to end the threat.
Shelby 2, Sumter 2

Bottom 8th
Canipe reaches on an error with one out, then Wease grounds into a 6-3 double play to end the inning.
Shelby 2, Sumter 2

Attendance numbers: Sunday's day session: 2,611; Sunday's night session: 4,822. Sunday's total: 7,433. Tournament total: 25,236

Top 9th
Benenhaley leads off with a 2B and is moved over to third by Nelson on a sacrifice bunt. Caldwell follows with a double to the leftcenter gap, scoring Benenhaley to make it 3-2 with one out. Post 82 head coach Mike Grayson out to the mound to talk it over with the Shelby infield. Witherspoon reaches on an error, then Price follows with a deep, three-run home run to leftfield. Sumter now leads 6-2. Blackmon follows with a sharp single to LF. Grayson hands the ball over to Wease, who was at short. Position changes: Ridings goes to right. Robinson in centerfield. Shuford in left. Canipe at shortstop. Micklon singles to CF, moving Blackmon to third. Talley drives in Blackmon with a sac fly to left to make it 7-2. Post 82 nearly catches Micklon trying to go from first to second after the throw to the plate, but Micklon scampers back to first. The inning ends when Tyler Smith grounds into a fielder's choice force out.
Sumter 7, Shelby 2

Bottom 9th
Kendrick shows Post 82 has plenty of fight left as he homers to left to make it 7-3. All three of Shelby's runs have came by way of the long ball. Gold hits into a 6-4-3 double play to end the game. Double plays ended the last three Post 82 innings.
Final score - Sumter 7, Shelby 3

On Monday, Randolph and Sumter will play at 4 p.m. with the winner facing Shelby at 7 p.m. in a winner-take-all situation for the Southeast Regional title.

Gabe Whisnant: We'll miss ya Skip Caray (8/4)

Growing up, I learned a lot about baseball primarily from my father and a number of good coaches in Cleveland County.
What I didn't learn from them, I picked up from radio and television announcers. We didn't have cable until I my 6th grade year, so I listened to a lot of Braves games on the radio - in the car and at home. Atlanta announcers Skip (Caray), Pete (Van Wieren) and Ernie (Johnson) essentially became part of my family in the summer.
The Braves and their many fans lost a legendary part of that family Sunday when Skip died in his sleep. Caray, the son of legendary Cardinals and Cubs announcer Harry Caray and the father of current TBS announcer Chip Caray, covered Braves games on the radio and TV for three-plus decades.
No doubt, Skip knew the game but he also made it fun with his witty and sarcastic quips. He also had the unique voice, often imitated, that made him stand out. Needless to say, Braves nation and all of baseball will miss Skip the rest of this season and beyond.

It's tough to find video to go along with the audio of his call of Francisco Cabrera's game-winning hit in Game 7 of the 1992 NLCS against Pittsburgh, which sent the Braves to the World Series. Here's audio of that legendary call. Oddly enough, my desktop background on my computer over the last several weeks has been of Sid Bream's slide at home plate on this play. This call will always give me goosebumps and I admit it brought a tear today.

http://www.bayblitz.com/WEB%20GIFS%201/The%20Slide%20-%20NLCS%20-%201992%20-%20Atlanta%20Braves.mp3

Braves fans will also remember this one from the 1995 World Series ...

"Mark gets the sign, the wind and the pitch here it is... swung, fly ball deep left center, Grissom on the run... Yes! Yes! Yes! The Atlanta Braves have given you a championship! Listen to this crowd! A mob scene on the field. Wohlers gets 'em one, two, three. A couple of fans rushing on the field. The Atlanta Braves have brought the first championship to Atlanta!"

A great quote from Van Wieren from a recent story by Carroll Rogers' of the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
"But behind the humor there was an honesty and a commitment to telling it like he believed it to be that never, ever varied," Van Wieren said. "If he didn't like it that a game was two minutes late getting started, everybody knew about it. If he had an opinion on a player, he said it. And he had a way of saying it that was sometimes humorous. The way he could take a bad ball game, in some of those bad years especially, and turn it into a fun broadcast, whether it was by talking about something in the game or whether it was talking about something that didn't have anything to do with the game, maybe it was a movie that was coming up after the game or maybe it was a restaurant that he'd gone to. It could have been anything. He was just a very entertaining broadcaster and a very good one. The game was still the most important thing, but if game was decided by the fourth or fifth inning, people would still watch the rest of the game just to hear what he had to say about things. That's a very, very unique ability."
Full story here with quotes from Braves' players and coaches ...
http://www.ajc.com/news/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/08/03/reaction_skip_caray_dies.html

Live from Cherryville at Shelby

Just a few minutes from first pitch between Cherryville (34-4) and Shelby (33-12) here at Veterans Field and Keeter Stadium. Nice invocation prayer by Mel Campos and a sparkling rendition of the Star Spangled Banner by Shelby High's Caroline Allen before the game. Great crowd here, as expected, for Game 2 of the series.

Starting Lineups
Cherryville
1. Al Benson CF
2. Aaron Haynes P
3. Jake Watts RF
4. Nate Wright 1B
5. Seth Freeman C
6. Korey Martin LF
7. Tripp McSwain SS
8. Drew Reynolds 2B
9. Tyler Buff 3B

Shelby
1. Seth Canipe P
2. Brett Wease SS
3. Kyle Kendrick C
4. Adam McFarland 3B
5. Julian Ridings LF
6. Jacob Tisdale RF
7. Tyler Rabb 1B
8. Corey Cline 2B
9. Jordan Robinson CF

Top 1st
Canipe runs into trouble as Aaron Haynes, Jake Watts and Nate Wright reach with one-out singles. Canipe escapes trouble by getting Seth Freeman to hit into a 6-4-3 double play to end the threat.
Cherryville 0, Shelby 0

Bottom 1st
Shelby goes down 1-2-3.
Cherryville 0, Shelby 0

Top 2nd
Cherryville puts runners on 1st and 2nd with one out on a pair of hit by pitches. Korey Martin is doubled off of 2nd for the 3rd out on a throw from Jordan Robinson to Corey Cline after a flyout to left by Tyler Buff.
Cherryville 0, Shelby 0

Bottom 2nd
Post 82 gets on the board as Jacob Tisdale brings in Adam McFarland, who walked, with a sacrifice fly to get the home team on the scoreboard. Jordan Robinson brings in Julian Ridings, who singled to right after McFarland's walk, with a sacrfice fly. Brett Wease slugs a grand slam to right, scoring Tyler Rabb (walk), Corey Cline (walk) and Seth Canipe (walk). Haynes gets out of the inning by getting Kendrick to pop up to third.
Shelby 6, Cherryville 0

Top 3rd
Canipe pitches around a 1-out walk to Jake Watts to get out of the third with no damage.
Shelby 6, Cherryville 0

Bottom 3rd
Tyler Rabb doubles to rightcenter. Cherryville centerfielder Al Benson races to track it down, hits cut-off man Tripp McSwain, who fires to catcher Seth Freeman to get Jacob Tisdale trying to score from first for the last out.
Shelby 6, Cherryville 0

Top 4th
Cherryville goes down 1-2-3. Canipe records his first strikeout of the game for the final out.
Shelby 6, Cherryville 0

Bottom 4th
Canipe reaches on a wild pitch after a strikeout, but Haynes escapes damage by getting a groundout to end the inning.
Shelby 6, Cherryville 0

Top 5th
Aaron Haynes helps his cause with a three-run home run to leftcenter, scoring Tyler Buff (walk) and Al Benson (single) to make it 6-3. After a walk to Jake Watts, Wright reaches on an error then Seth Freeman (bunt) and Korey Martin (RBI) follow with singles to make it 6-4. Shelby head coach Mike Grayson brings in Eric Shuford out of the bullpen with the bases loaded and one out. Canipe goes to first and Rabb comes out of the game. Shuford gets a strikeout and a flyout to end the inning. Cherryville has now stranded 7 runners, including 4 in scoring position, in 5 innings.
Shelby 6, Cherryville 4

Bottom 5th
Kyle Kendrick doubles, then Adam McFarland follows with a single to right to make it 7-4. Julian Ridings sacrifices McFarland to second. Tisdale doubles to rightcenter, setting up 2nd and 3rd with one out. Haynes escapes further damage with a groundout to short and a popup to second base to end the inning.
Shelby 7, Cherryville 4

Top 6th
Tyler Buff reaches on an error, Benson strikes out, then a 5-4-3 double play ends the inning.
Shelby 7, Cherryville 4

Bottom 6th
Wease posts a 2-out single before Haynes gets out of the inning with a flyout to center.
Shelby 7, Cherryville 4

Top 7th
Jake Watts walks and Nate Wright singles to start the inning. Shuford then records a pair of strikeouts for the first two outs. Kendrick fires to 3rd to catch Watts trying to steal for the 3rd out.
Shelby 7, Cherryville 4

Note: Local musician Al Dunkleman's song Baseball Has Come to Shelby, a tune about the upcoming Southeast Regional and World Series, was released to the public over the loud speaker during the middle of the seventh.

Bottom 7th
Julian Ridings, who doubled, scored on a single to left by Eric Shuford with two outs. Jacob Tisdale had a sacrifice fly to move Ridings to third before Shuford's single.
Shelby 8, Cherryville 4

Top 8th
Drew Reynolds doubles with one out, but Shuford keeps Cherryville off the board.
Shelby 8, Cherryville 4

Note: Jeff Gibson wins the 1/2 and 1/2 drawing of $324 - the biggest pot of the season at Keeter Stadium.

Bottom 8th
Wease doubles with two outs for his third hit of the game (triple away from the cycle) but Haynes gets a groundout to end the inning.
Shelby 8, Cherryville 4

Top 9th
With one out, Shuford walks in a run to make it 8-5 as Jake Watts (single) scores. Tripp McSwain's sacrifice fly scores Nate Wright (fielder's choice) to make it 8-6. Shuford gets a groundout to the mound to end it.
Final score: Shelby 8, Cherryville 6

Blogging from Cherryville at Shelby (7/21)

I'll have a live inning-by-inning blog from tonight's Game 2 matchup between Cherryville and Shelby at Veterans Field and Keeter Stadium. Game time is 7 p.m. Cherryville leads the best-of-5 series, 1-0, after a 20-8 win at Fraley Field Sunday night.

Live from Shelby vs. Cherryville

Set up for the first time in the revamped and roomy pressbox at Veterans Field and Keeter Stadium. We're about 20 minutes from game time ... Shelby Post 82 has already taken infield and Cherryville Post 100 has just started its infield warmups.

I'll have updates every half inning during tonight's Area IV West Division game. Post 82 enters the game at 14-11 overall and 8-4 in league play. Post 100 is 20-1 overall and 13-0 in the division.

Starting lineups
Cherryville
1. Al Benson, CF
2. Aaron Haynes, DH
3. Jake Watts, RF
4. Nate Wright, 1B
5. Seth Freeman, C
6. Korey Martin, LF
7. Tripp McSwain, SS
8. Drew Reynolds, 2B
9. Tyler Buff, 3B
Starting pitcher - Cory Parks

Shelby
1. Seth Canipe, CF
2. Brett Wease, SS
3. Kyle Kendrick, C
4. Adam McFarland, 3B
5. Brett Mabry, 1B
6. Julian Ridings, DH
7. Jacob Tisdale, RF
8. Corey Cline, 2B
9. Jordan Robinson, LF
Starting pitcher - Adam Izokovic

Top 1st
Al Benson reaches on an infield single, moves to 2nd on a ground, then steals 3rd with two outs. Izokovic leaves him stranded by getting a flyout by Wright.
Shelby 0, Cherryville 0

Bottom 1st
Seth Canipe reaches on an error to start the inning, then gets caught stealing for the first out. Kyle Kendrick reaches on a hit by pitch with two outs before the inning ends on a flyout by Adam McFarland.
Shelby 0, Cherryville 0

Top 2nd
Izokovic gets a strikeout to start the 2nd, then Korey Martin walks. The inning ends on a 5-3-6 double play as Martin tried to go from first to third on a slow roller to 3rd.
Shelby 0, Cherryville 0

Bottom 2nd - Rain delay at 7:40 p.m.; Rain stops around 8 p.m. and it looks as if they are going to try to get the field ready to play. I understand there is a new irrigation system here at the field and the field actually held up pretty well considering the amount of rain that just came through ... only a few puddles in the infield.
Jordan Robinson singles home Julian Ridings, who posted a one-out single a right to reach, to make it 1-0. Seth Canipe walked to load the bases with two outs before the heavy rain started.

UPDATE at 8:47 p.m. - The Post 82 coaches continue to work on the field and it looks as if we're just a few minutes away from resuming play.

Bottom 2nd continued - Lefthander Phillip Russ is on in relief for Cherryville with two outs and the bases loaded. Brett Wease is at the plate for Post 82. Game resumes at 8:54 p.m. Russ gets Wease to pop up in foul territory to end the threat.
Shelby 1, Cherryville 0


Top 3rd - Izokovic pitches around an infield single by Drew Reynolds and a hit-by-pitch to Aaron Haynes to keep Post 100 off the scoreboard.
Note: Kudos to P.A. announcer Joseph Tallent for the Dixie Chicken by Little Feet between innings ... one of my favorite songs of all-time.
Shelby 1, Cherryville 0

Bottom 3rd - Post 82 goes down 1-2-3 in the 3rd. Nice play by Jake Watts in right on a long flyball by Brett Mabry to end the inning
Note: Tallent blasted Cherry Pie by Warrant after the 3rd. It's hit-or-miss in the pressbox sometimes, just like on the field.
Shelby 1, Cherryville 0

Top 4th - Korey Martin reaches on a two-out walk, but no damage by Cherryville as Izokovic continues his consistent effort in his 3rd start of the season.
Shelby 1, Cherryville 0

Bottom 4th - Shelby goes up 2-0 as Corey Cline, who doubled, scored on an error on a long flyball hit by Jordan Robinson. Russ records 2 strikeouts in the inning.
Shelby 2, Cherryville 0

Top 5th - Al Benson singles with two outs then Izokovic gets a pop up to end the inning. Post 100 has no stranded 5 in 5 innings, including 3 in scoring position.
Shelby 2, Cherryville 0

Bottom 5th - Adam McFarland singles with two outs for Post 82's fourth hit of the night. Russ gets a flyout to center to end the inning. Shelby has also stranded 5 through 5, including 2 in scoring position.
Shelby 2, Cherryville 0

Top 6th - Tripp McSwain's 2-out single to center off Izokovic brings home Jake Watts and Seth Freeman to tie the game. Watts and Freeman both singled and advanced to 2nd and 3rd on steals.
Shelby 2, Cherryville 2

Bottom 6th - Corey Cline singles with two outs but Russ ends the inning with a pop up to the infield.
Shelby 2, Cherryville 2

Top 7th - Aaron Haynes doubles with one out, but Izokovic keeps the score at 2-2. Corey Cline makes a diving play at 2nd to end the inning.
Shelby 2, Cherryville 2

Bottom 7th - Seth Canipe is cut down at the plate for the 2nd out as Cherryville leftfielder Korey Martin fires to catcher Seth Freeman after a single by Kyle Kendrick. Canipe also singled and moved to 2nd on a sacrifice fly by Brett Wease. Adam McFarland grounded out for the final out.
Shelby 2, Cherryville 2
Note: Got a chance to interview former Post 82 standout Tyler Trice between innings. Trice recently signed with the Colorado Rockies. Trice, who went to the College World Series three-straight times during his collegiate career with the Tar Heels, was a 21st-round selection in the recent major league draft and will report to the Rockies' Class A affiliate in Pasco, Wash., on Monday June 30.
Look for a story on Trice in Saturday's edition of The Star and online at www.shelbystar.com.

Top 8th - Seth Freeman is hit by a pitch, then caught stealing on a throw from Kendrick to Cline for the first out. McSwain adds a 1-out single in the inning, then Izokovic gets Drew Reynolds to ground out to end the frame.
Shelby 2, Cherryville 2

Bottom 8th - Brett Mabry reached on an error then moved to 2nd on a sacrifice bunt by Julian Ridings. Pitching change for Post 100. Seth Freeman to the mound from catcher to face Post 82 pinch-hitter James Gold. Aaron Haynes moves behind the plate for Cherryville.
Shelby gets runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out after a pair of Post 100 errors. Corey Cline hits a sharp liner to shortstop Tripp McSwain, who gloves it, then tags 3rd to double off Brett Mabry for the final out.
Shelby 2, Cherryville 2

Top 9th - Izokovic pitches around a leadoff 2B by Benson and keeps the score at 2-2.
Shelby 2, Cherryville 2

Bottom 9th - Seth Canipe walks, then moves to 2nd on a sacrifice bunt, then alertly races to 3rd when Cherryville holds on to the ball in the infield with nobody covering the bag. Canipe scores on an infield error on a pop up to win the game for Post 82.
Final score, Shelby 3, Cherryville 2