Rabbit'93
05-27-2004, 11:35 AM
I added a few comments of my own.
Leopards fall to Forney
Thursday, May 27, 2004 8:55 AM CDT
By LOUIE AVERY
Texarkana Gazette
FORNEY, Texas-Maybe it's the nickname.
Liberty-Eylau simply hasn't played well against anyone called Rabbits the past few years, and nothing changed Wednesday night as the fourth-ranked Forney Jackrabbits rallied from an early 2-0 deficit to beat the Leopards in the first game of their best-of-three Region II-3A semifinal series, 10-6.
"We talked to the kids before the game, telling them we'd have to play near-perfect ball to win here," said L-E coach Rick Fowler. "We didn't play anywhere close to perfect. I just wish Kenny Price's play was contagious. He's really playing well."
Price, the leading hitter in the Texarkana Gazette's circulation area, was 3-for-3 against Forney, including a monster 425-foot home run over the scoreboard in left field.
But Price alone could not beat the opportunistic Jackrabbits.
Forney hit L-E starter Kevin Guy hard in the first inning, scoring five runs to erase the Leopards' 2-0 lead.
Guy allowed nine runs, with four walks, a hit batsman and four L-E errors playing a big role. He was finally relieved in the fifth by senior Zach Dozier, who retired the only two batters he faced in the game. Senior Josh Guy pitched the sixth, yielding an unearned run on a walk and two-base throwing error.
These two teams now meet at 1 p.m. Saturday on L-E's diamond at H.E. Markham Park. The Leopards will have to post two victories to advance, and one of those wins will have to come against Forney all-stater Chance Corgan, an early Texas A&M signee who has been clocked at 93 miles per hour.
L-E will likely be missing its own all-state candidate Nick Robinson, who left Wednesday's game in the second inning after a collision at home plate.
"I really don't know what Nick's status will be," said Fowler. "We were due a bad game, and we certainly had one. Maybe Forney had a lot to do with our errors, I just don't know. I told the kids the same thing after the game. We've got to come out Saturday and play perfect ball. It's not unimaginable."
The first inning took 35 minutes and featured 66 pitches.
Forney starter Chace Lankford hadn't pitched in three weeks, and he was obviously rusty, walking four in the first inning.
Cory Venable walked with one out, stole second, and held at second base when Price legged out an infield hit between third and shortstop. Joe Levingston walked to load the bases. One out later Matt Combs and Cory Wells both walked on 3-1 pitches to force home two runs.
It didn't take the Jackrabbits long to silence L-E's big crowd . "I must have missed the big crowd"
Kelly Flanery walked to start the bottom of the first and Jason Beene was safe with a bunt single trying to sacrifice. Corgan then hit a long fly to center that was aided by a strong wind and resulted in a two-run triple. An infield hit by Tyler Johnson, hit batsman and triple by Preston King made it 5-2. "Did the wind not aid the "Towering 425 ft. Monster HR also"?"
L-E answered with a single unearned run in the second after singles by Robinson and Price. Price's hit got past the left fielder and Robinson circled the bases, leaping over the Forney catcher who had the plate blocked.
The Leopards' defense collapsed in the bottom of the second, three L-E errors leading to three unearned runs. Beene had the only hit in the inning.
Corgan was credited with a one-out infield hit in the fourth and stole second. He moved up on Lankford's long fly to center and scored on a wild pitch.
Fans on both sides of the field stood in awe when Price hit Lankford's first pitch in the fifth inning over the scoreboard for his third roundtripper of the season. Two outs later Combs just missed a home run with a double off the left field fence.
Right-hander Drew Kendrick went to the mound for Forney in the sixth and quickly got in trouble by walking Matt Orr and Kerry Boyce. Pinch-hitter Alex Crow followed with a towering fly to center that was lost in the twilight and fell for a double, scoring Orr to make it 9-5. Price was walked intentionally, the rally ending just as quickly when Joe Levingston grounded into a 4-6-3 doubleplay.
The Leopards also threatened in the seventh after Josh Guy reached safely on a passed ball after striking out. Well lined a double off the left field fence to score Guy, and Orr followed with an infield hit. Kendrick got the next two Leopards to end the game.
King led the Jackrabbits at the plate with a triple, double and single. Corgan was the only other Forney player with two hits.
Forney is now 27-5 on the season, while the Leopards slipped to 27-7.
Liberty-Eylau 210 011 1 - 6 8 5
Forney 530 101 x - 10 8 2
Kevin Guy, Zach Dozier (5), Josh Guy (6) and Matt Combs; Chace Lankford, Drew Kendrick (6) and Tyler Johnson. WP-Lankford (8-0); LP-K. Guy (8-3). HR: L-E-Kenny Price, 5th, none on.
Leopards fall to Forney
Thursday, May 27, 2004 8:55 AM CDT
By LOUIE AVERY
Texarkana Gazette
FORNEY, Texas-Maybe it's the nickname.
Liberty-Eylau simply hasn't played well against anyone called Rabbits the past few years, and nothing changed Wednesday night as the fourth-ranked Forney Jackrabbits rallied from an early 2-0 deficit to beat the Leopards in the first game of their best-of-three Region II-3A semifinal series, 10-6.
"We talked to the kids before the game, telling them we'd have to play near-perfect ball to win here," said L-E coach Rick Fowler. "We didn't play anywhere close to perfect. I just wish Kenny Price's play was contagious. He's really playing well."
Price, the leading hitter in the Texarkana Gazette's circulation area, was 3-for-3 against Forney, including a monster 425-foot home run over the scoreboard in left field.
But Price alone could not beat the opportunistic Jackrabbits.
Forney hit L-E starter Kevin Guy hard in the first inning, scoring five runs to erase the Leopards' 2-0 lead.
Guy allowed nine runs, with four walks, a hit batsman and four L-E errors playing a big role. He was finally relieved in the fifth by senior Zach Dozier, who retired the only two batters he faced in the game. Senior Josh Guy pitched the sixth, yielding an unearned run on a walk and two-base throwing error.
These two teams now meet at 1 p.m. Saturday on L-E's diamond at H.E. Markham Park. The Leopards will have to post two victories to advance, and one of those wins will have to come against Forney all-stater Chance Corgan, an early Texas A&M signee who has been clocked at 93 miles per hour.
L-E will likely be missing its own all-state candidate Nick Robinson, who left Wednesday's game in the second inning after a collision at home plate.
"I really don't know what Nick's status will be," said Fowler. "We were due a bad game, and we certainly had one. Maybe Forney had a lot to do with our errors, I just don't know. I told the kids the same thing after the game. We've got to come out Saturday and play perfect ball. It's not unimaginable."
The first inning took 35 minutes and featured 66 pitches.
Forney starter Chace Lankford hadn't pitched in three weeks, and he was obviously rusty, walking four in the first inning.
Cory Venable walked with one out, stole second, and held at second base when Price legged out an infield hit between third and shortstop. Joe Levingston walked to load the bases. One out later Matt Combs and Cory Wells both walked on 3-1 pitches to force home two runs.
It didn't take the Jackrabbits long to silence L-E's big crowd . "I must have missed the big crowd"
Kelly Flanery walked to start the bottom of the first and Jason Beene was safe with a bunt single trying to sacrifice. Corgan then hit a long fly to center that was aided by a strong wind and resulted in a two-run triple. An infield hit by Tyler Johnson, hit batsman and triple by Preston King made it 5-2. "Did the wind not aid the "Towering 425 ft. Monster HR also"?"
L-E answered with a single unearned run in the second after singles by Robinson and Price. Price's hit got past the left fielder and Robinson circled the bases, leaping over the Forney catcher who had the plate blocked.
The Leopards' defense collapsed in the bottom of the second, three L-E errors leading to three unearned runs. Beene had the only hit in the inning.
Corgan was credited with a one-out infield hit in the fourth and stole second. He moved up on Lankford's long fly to center and scored on a wild pitch.
Fans on both sides of the field stood in awe when Price hit Lankford's first pitch in the fifth inning over the scoreboard for his third roundtripper of the season. Two outs later Combs just missed a home run with a double off the left field fence.
Right-hander Drew Kendrick went to the mound for Forney in the sixth and quickly got in trouble by walking Matt Orr and Kerry Boyce. Pinch-hitter Alex Crow followed with a towering fly to center that was lost in the twilight and fell for a double, scoring Orr to make it 9-5. Price was walked intentionally, the rally ending just as quickly when Joe Levingston grounded into a 4-6-3 doubleplay.
The Leopards also threatened in the seventh after Josh Guy reached safely on a passed ball after striking out. Well lined a double off the left field fence to score Guy, and Orr followed with an infield hit. Kendrick got the next two Leopards to end the game.
King led the Jackrabbits at the plate with a triple, double and single. Corgan was the only other Forney player with two hits.
Forney is now 27-5 on the season, while the Leopards slipped to 27-7.
Liberty-Eylau 210 011 1 - 6 8 5
Forney 530 101 x - 10 8 2
Kevin Guy, Zach Dozier (5), Josh Guy (6) and Matt Combs; Chace Lankford, Drew Kendrick (6) and Tyler Johnson. WP-Lankford (8-0); LP-K. Guy (8-3). HR: L-E-Kenny Price, 5th, none on.