Friday at LakePoint: Funkhouser carries the cow bell
EMERSON,
Ga. – Although they were only in town for one day, the Tennessee
Volunteers and Lipscomb Bisons faced off under the lights, and snow,
at Perfect Game Park South at LakePoint Sports on Friday afternoon
and into the evening. The teams traded zeroes through eight innings
before the Volunteers erupted for six runs in the top of the ninth
and held on to win 6-0.
Yes,
it was cold, but the one overlying theme for all of the teams playing
here at LakePoint is just how happy they are to actually be playing
baseball. Just a few short days ago, being able to do so this weekend
didn't seem very realistic based on the amount of snow and freezing
temperatures that had settled over much of the nation, especially in
locations that usually spend more time worrying about rain.
Tennessee head coach Dave Serrano knew he had to move quickly earlier this
week. Coming off of their series with Florida International he
recognized that playing in Knoxville was no longer an option.
“We
started working the phones, we were going to possibly stay in Florida
and try to keep some teams from the East Coast to play us,” Serrano
said on Friday prior to his game against Lipscomb. “That was to no
avail. Then I got the idea to utilize this park, LakePoint. I know
(Perfect Game) has talked about having a college tournament which I
think would be a great idea.”
Similar
to several of the teams here at LakePoint, Tennessee had to cancel
their originally scheduled series against Rutgers, and worked with
their administratiors to get one game in this weekend, knowing how
difficult it would be to make up four suddenly lost games so early in
the year.
“Our
guys are excited about it,” Serrano continued. “A lot of them
that are in our program already have either played here or they've
heard about this new facility. Perfect Game should think about having
a college tournament here because it almost guarantees, most of the
time, good weather, and even if it is a little inclement weather I
think the games will still go on because of the all-turf fields.”
Obviously
Serrano's familiarity with LakePoint's new fields helped start the
conversation, as he and his staff travel to Georgia annually as part
of their recruiting efforts. Once it was determined that the idea
could become a reality, Serrano spearheaded the efforts to spread the
word quickly.
“I
watched a lot of games here last summer so I knew exactly where we
were going,” Serrrano said. “As we talk right now there's
snowflakes in the air, and I already warned the team that it's going
to be cold, but there's no excuses. We get an opportunity to play
baseball where if we were at home we wouldn't have.
“My
first instinct even after seeing it for the second time was 'first-class.' You see the beautiful sand lot volley courts, you
see all of the facilities, new fields being established, facilities
being built, hotels (etc.). This is a great idea, whoever is the
brains behind this was really ahead of the game. This is perfect for
youth baseball, travel baseball and eventually college baseball. You
look around the four fields and there's college games going on all
over the place. What a great venue for scouts and people to come
watch college baseball in a one-stop shop.”
Last
year marked the first time since 2007 that Tennessee made the SEC
Tournament held annually in Hoover, Ala. They gave eventual national
champions Vanderbilt a run for their money, but eventually fell short
in a 3-2 loss to the Commodores.
Serrano
isn't used to having his season end in May, with a very successful
coaching resume that includes trips to the College World Series with
UC Irvine in 2007 – the first time the Anteaters had made it to
Omaha – and again with Cal State Fullerton in 2009. Prior to taking the head coaching job at UC Irvine Serrano served as an assistant
under George Horton at Fullerton, and also spent a year as an
assistant at Tennessee.
Tennessee
opened the 2015 season ranked just outside of the top 25 at No. 27, as
PG's college team recognized the strides Serrano and his staff have
made in recent years. Although they opened the year losing two of
their first three games to Florida International Serrano knew it was
going to be a tough way to open the 2015 season.
“We
had a tough weekend in South Florida last weekend playing FIU, which
I feel is a very good team with a great pitching staff, and we knew
that going into it,” Serrano said. “But for us it's a matter of
just getting out on the field. We've had some (bad) weather all
winter, that's not an excuse, but we need to continue to play. This
program has been been down for many years, I knew that when I left a
great program like Cal State Fullerton to come here. This is a dream
job for me, and the dream is to take it back where it's supposed to
be.
Recruiting
is always one of, if not the biggest reasons for future success, and
Serrano made it his top priority upon arriving during the summer of
2011. In the process he has stripped the program down to the bones,
knowing future success, like that of a successful minor league
pipeline, had to be built from the bottom up.
Head Coach Dave Serrano intends to lead Tennessee back to postseason play (Photo: Tennessee Athletics).
"After
three good recruiting classes we feel like we finally like, we're not
to the top of the mountain, we're closer to climbing to the top,”
Serrano said. “It's been harder than I thought, that's because
we're in such a great conference and recruiting is such a battle, all
over the country. Obviously venues like this that we come to every
summer for Perfect Game, follow all of the tournaments, all of the
age groups all the way through. But everybody's there, and
everybody's going after the same players.
“But
I feel we have a good sell, our facilities are great, the environment
to go to school is wonderful. We're ready to knock the door down. We
have talented players. We have players that are going to go pretty
good in the draft this year, led by Christin Stewart. There's no
reason in the world, even in the tough SEC, why we can't make headway
this year.”
Stewart
is indeed the star attraction on the Volunteers squad, a 6-foot,
205-pound lefthanded hitting outfielder that opened the year as
Perfect Game's 25th overall draft-eligible prospect. He's
coming off of a strong sophomore campaign in which he hit .310-3-27,
and an even stronger summer, hitting .383-2-16 with 12 doubles for
Team USA's Collegiate National Team, leading the squad in hitting by
nearly 100 percentage points.
Like
everyone else in attendance, he's just happy to be able to play this
weekend, even if it is for only one game.
“We
were real pumped when the coaching staff told us that we would have
the opportunity to play,” Stewart said. “Just being here is
great, we didn't want to take a week off from playing.”
Stewart
is no stranger to Perfect Game, having played in nine PG tournaments
while in high school – six of which were based just North of
Atlanta – as well as the PG National Showcase in 2011. A primary
catcher at the time, Stewart showed solid overall tools, including a
strong arm and good foot speed, especially for a catcher.
And
his hometown of Lawrenceville, Ga. is located less than 100 miles
from the LakePoint complex in Emerson.
“This
is actually my first time being here, but I pass it a lot though on
the highway,” Stewart said of the new facility. “It's
unbelievable. Going from East Cobb to this, plus they're doing more.
They're building a hotel, more fast food restaurants; it's going to
be an amazing facility and it's pretty awesome how far Perfect Game
has come. Playing through all of these tournaments growing up really
helped with the recruiting aspect.”
Coach
Serrano and his staff had the pleasure of recruiting Stewart as a
small-town player from a town northeast of Atlanta.
“My
assistants recognized him in a Perfect Game tournament,” Serrano
recalled. “He put up ungodly numbers (in high school) power-wise,
but our only question mark was that he was in a lower division. We
didn't hold that against him because in all of these tournaments we
saw him in he was playing some of the best players in the country and
he was turning some fastballs around. That's what allowed us to
believe he could do it at the next level.
“He
walked in his freshman year – that's when we were pretty decimated
as a program – and from Day 1 we were excited about how the ball
came off the bat and the power he showed in his swing. And his
development has just continued, he's gotten stronger, his discipline
at the plate is tremendous, he's got tower-power and he's a better
athlete than what people give him credit for.”
It
doesn't take long in speaking with both gentlemen to recognize that
the respect between the two is mutual.
“Coach
Serrano is great,” Stewart said. “He knows so much about the
game. He knows what he looks for in players, it's not always about
the best player but how well the player fits in the program. We've
been through some hard times and we've gone through some good times
together.
“Coming
in as a freshman I didn't know what to expect and a lot got thrown at
you. But I came with 16 other freshmen and so we all had a good bond
together, became good friends and we kind of grew together. (Now) we
have great team camaraderie. Being able to play my freshman year, get
on the field and get that experience has really helped me. Getting
bigger, stronger, faster (as I) keep working on my swing every day
while focusing on school has been awesome.”
Tennessee's
starting outfield – Stewart, Vincent Jackson and Derek Lance from
left to right – were all members of that freshmen class during the
2012-13 school year. And that trio did most of the damage in the
middle of the Volunteers' order on Friday, going a combined 8-for-13, with
Jackson and Lance each recording three-hit games.
The
Volunteers six-run ninth was aided by mistakes by Lipscomb, as they
hit the leadoff batter, had a passed ball and a throwing error and
gave up three base hits and two runs before recording the first out
in the inning. Four more hits, and runs, later, and the Volunteers had a
6-0 lead they wouldn't let go.
Three
pitchers – starter Bret Marks, Drake Owenby and Andrew Lee –
combined to twirl the shutout, combining to strike out 12 Bison
batters while allowing only one base hit.
Lipscomb
starter, knuckleballer Ian Martinez-McGraw, was sharp for Lipscomb,
providing six shutout innings, scattering seven hits and a walk while
striking out four. He has yet to give up an earned run in 12 innings
of work so far this year.
The
win allowed Tennessee to even their early season record 2-2, and next
weekend will travel to UC Irvine for another tough early season test.
“It's
been a great experience at Tennessee,” Stewart said of the early
season competition and playing in the SEC. “I was just really
blessed to be able to go there. I'm just working on all aspects on my
game, trying to find out what works for me and trying to get in a
groove and help my team win. I go out there every day and try to get
better and try to help my teammates get better. We all have the same
goal to make it to Omaha.”
Tennessee
hasn't made the postseason since 2005 when they advanced to the
College World Series, led by current big leaguers Chase Headley, Luke
Hochevar and J.P. Arencibia. Serrano's goal, like Stewart's, is to
add his name to the list of those that have played in Omaha as
Volunteers.
“The
key is to get this program back into postseason play, Serrano added.
“I don't just mean the SEC Tournament, I mean the Regionals and
beyond. It's been done before in this program, and it will be done
again. We have the personnel, we have the makeup to do that now. Now
it's just a matter of going out and being consistent on a daily basis
and continue to get better as a team each and every day."
Around the Horn at LakePoint
• After taking the first game of the series on Friday, Arkansas State claimed their series against Louisville in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday. Arkansas State sophomore righthander Tyler Zuber kept the Cardinals bats in check by tossing eight scoreless innings in a 4-1 victory, allowing only two hits and two walks. Zuber touched 91 mph and needed only 92 pitches to work through his eight innings. Third baseman Tanner Ring jump-started the scoring for the Red Wolves with a solo home run in the second, while their three-run fourth inning was highlighted by right fielder Ty White's two-run double.
• In Game 2 of the doubleheader it looked as though Arkansas State was poised to pull off the series sweep, heading into the seventh inning with what seemed like a commanding 8-3 lead. Louisville chipped away at that lead to open the frame with a pair of runs before Corey Ray tied it with a huge three-run blast. That hit seemed to wake up the entire Louisville squad, as they then cruised to a 14-8 win to claim the last game of the series. Freshman lefthander Brendan McKay provided four huge scoreless innings of relief, allowing only two hits while fanning eight with a 88-91 mph fastball and a sharp curve.
Ray was the star of the day, going 3-for-5 in Game 3 of the series with a double, the aforementioned home run, four RBI and three runs scored. In the three-game series he went 6-for-13 with five RBI and four runs scored and overall on the young season he's hitting .423/.483/.769.
• Ohio made a big statement in their 13-2 win on Saturday morning over Longwood in Game 2 of their three game series, as the Bobcats are off to a 5-0 start, their best since 1996. Nine of their 13 runs crossed the plate in the fifth inning, a scoring barrage capped by Mitch Longo's three-run home run. Longo, Manny De Jesus and Jake Madsen each had three hits in the win.
• Western Michigan swept UT-Martin in their three-game series with a pair of wins on Saturday. In their first game on Saturday the Broncos scored five runs in both the bottom of the second and eighth innings, the second time to pull ahead of UT-Martin for good in an 11-7 win. Gabe Berman once again appeared on the mound for Western Michigan in relief, providing 2 2/3 scoreless innings while working in the 88-91 range with his fastball and spinning a hard 84 mph slider. Western Michigan middle infielder Kurt Hoekstra stayed hot at the plate, going 4-for-5 with four driven in. Two of his hits were triples, his fourth and fifth three-baggers of the year. Nick Vogelmeier and Tanner Allison chipped in with three hits for the Broncos, as did UT-Martin outfielder Taylor Douglas. In the second game on Saturday four Broncos pitchers combined for a 10-0 shutout over UT-Martin, led by Allison, the starter, who struck out four and allowed only two hits in 5 1/3 innings. Hoekstra kept on hitting, going 2-for-5 with three runs scored, and overall went 9-for-14 with five runs scored, four RBI, two triples, two stolen bases and a pair of walks on the weekend at LakePoint.
• Eastern Kentucky claimed both of their games on Saturday in their series with Southern Illinois after losing the first game on Friday. They won 5-4 in Game 2 and 4-3 in Game 3, with right fielder T.J. Alas and third baseman Mandy Alvarez standing out in both games for the Colonels. Alas went 2-for-2 with 2 RBI and a home run, his third of the year, in the first game and 2-for-3 in the second. Alvarez also hit a home run in the first game and went 3-for-3 with two driven in during the second. Eastern Kentucky's Game 1 starter on Saturday was Alex Hamilton, who struck out six in six innings of work using an 88-90 mph fastball. Salukis designated hitter Hunter Anderson clubbed a big two-run home run in the top of the sixth in the second game on Saturday.
• Nebraska-Omaha pitchers Zach Williamsen and Tyler Hamer combined to no-hit Chicago State early on Saturday in a 4-0 win. Williamsen worked the first five innings, striking out five and walking only one, while Hamer struck out four and allowed only one walk the rest of the way. Clayton Taylor was the leader on offense for the Mavericks going 3-for-3 with a two-run home run in the fourth inning.
• Two-way talent Anderson Miller broke a 3-3 tie in Western Kentucky's game against Evansville with a two-run home run in the seventh inning to propel the Hilltoppers to a 5-3 win. Anderson went 2-for-3 in the game with a walk, while teammate Philip Diedrick also hit a tie-breaking, two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth. Rain and falling temperatures caused the series' second game to be pushed back to Sunday, as the two teams will play a doubleheader to round out their three-game series.
• The steady rain on Saturday evening also suspended the contest between Morehead State and Dayton on Saturday evening. Dayton led Morehead State 2-1 in the bottom of the fifth, as they too will play two games on Sunday with their three-game series wrapping up on Monday.
• PG's Projected 2015 Ohio Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year Brock Downey was dominant in Murray State's 4-1 win over IPFW, a game called in the middle of the seventh due to the weather. Downey went six innings, allowing only three hits, two walks and one earned run while striking out eight. Murray State left fielder Derek Yoder reached base in all three trips to the plate with a double and two walks, setting the pace on offense by scoring two runs and swiping three bases. IPFW first baseman Kendall Whitman accounted for the Mastadon's only run with a solo home run in the sixth. The second game of the series, originally scheduled to be played Saturday night, was also pushed back to Sunday.
For more notes from Saturday's action, please visit the Scouting the Spring Swing at LakePoint blogs.