H.S. Baseball Playoffs: Trio of seniors leading Cayuga back into the postseason

Local Sports

Discussion

May 8, 2012

H.S. Baseball Playoffs: Trio of seniors leading Cayuga back into the postseason

By JUSTIN RAINS Palestine Herald-Press The Palestine Herald-Press Tue May 08, 2012, 06:02 PM CDT

BETHEL — The mood around the Cayuga baseball team is a little different this season.

Last year, the Wildcats entered the season in the state’s top-10 and remained there throughout, but found themselves out of the playoffs before the regional semifinals thanks to Overton.

This year, the Wildcats entered the season unranked and, despite now boasting a No. 4 ranking, the air around the squad has been different all season.

A lot of that, CHS coach Greg Branch says, can be attributed to who’s now leading the club: Seniors Jimmy Johnson, Jake Nash and Bo Sharp.

“This has been the biggest senior leadership I’ve had since I’ve been here, and it’s led by those three,” Branch said. “They just go the extra mile, whether it’s lifting weights, conditioning, taking extra practice or going out and working on the field. They go out the extra mile.”

The trio constitutes Cayuga’s “Big Three” of sorts.

All three hit in the top-four of the Wildcat lineup, and all three are hitting over .585 right now.

Combined, the trio have knocked in 118 runs, collected 107 hits and accounted for 15 home runs.

The Wildcats appear to be staring a rematch with Overton in the face come regional quarterfinal time, but first they must get past their first playoff opponent: Simms-Bowie.

Cayuga swept Simms-Bowie last year in the area round, and Game 1 is set for 7 p.m. Friday in Tatum.

“We flew under the radar at first (this season) and the team this year, we play a lot better together,” said Sharp, who leads the team with 45 RBI and eight home runs. “We don’t have any egos, we all get along, we hang out on the weekends together.”

Having a trio of big-hitting players has distinct advantages, especially for the players in the trio themselves.

All three said they feel a lot less pressure at the plate knowing that the others are there willing and able to pick up the slack.

“I’ve been playing with these guys since I was a little kid, they’re my best friends so I know they’ve got my back,” said Nash, who has a team-best .603 batting average. “They always push me to be better.”

Both Johnson and Nash — who’ll continue to be teammates next season at Vernon College — are adjusting to different roles this year, Nash defensively and Johnson offensively.

Early in the season, Branch asked Nash to move to catcher and the senior as shined at the position ever since.

Johnson moved from the middle of order to the lead-off spot, and has responded with a .592 average, six home runs and 38 RBI.

“I’m batting in the leadoff spot this year, so I know that if I go up and don’t get on base, I’ve got these guys behind me and they’re going to execute and do they’re thing,” Johnson said.

Johnson, Nash and Sharp all acknowledged there roles on the team, and said they’ve seen the difference since they became the squads leaders.

They said they know that the younger players look to them as the team’s elder-statesmen, and they relish the opportunity.

“Nobody really looked up to (last year’s seniors),” Sharp said. “Everybody this year kind of looks up to us more and we get things going. Last year, it was just go out and see how many home runs you can hit, (or) who has the highest batting average.”

Added Johnson, “They know that we’re serious about it but we also joke and have a good time. I feel like they can be relaxed around us.”

Branch said he’s seen it to, seen the team loosen up and get back to playing baseball.

And it all starts at the top, with those three.

“Those three guys are the ones that set the tone for the entire year,” he said. “All the young kids look up to them and as they go the team goes.

“They’re always up and they’re always spirited. They’re leaders of this entire team, and they’re also leaders at this school.”

———

Sports editor Justin Rains can be reached via email at jrains@palestineherald.com

Text Only

Local Sports

H.S. Softball Playoffs: Grapeland scores early and often in semifinal clincher
Just like in game one, the Grapeland Sandiettes jumped out to a big lead during Saturday's decisive Game 3 against the Joaquin.
The only difference is this time the Sandiettes never let off the gas on their way to a dominant 12-2 win over the Lady Rams in the do-or-die regional semifinal game.
With the win, Grapeland moves on to its third regional final in four years, where they will take on Beckville. It’s the third-straight year the teams will meet in the postseason.

May 20, 2013
H.S. Baseball Playoffs: Elkhart eases past Warren in Game 2
After needing three games to end its first two playoff series this postseason, the Elkhart baseball team made sure it didn’t happen a third time.
The Elks — who are seeking a second-straight trip to the state tournament — rolled past Warren Saturday, 6-0, at Lufkin’s Morris Franks Park. The win came a night after Elkhart topped the Warriors, 5-1, to open the series on Friday.

May 20, 2013
H.S. Softball Playoffs: Grapeland, Joaquin split games Friday
It was a tale of two games during Friday's Regional Semifinal between the Grapeland Sandiettes and Joaquin Lady Rams. The Sandiettes and Lady Rams combined for 22 runs in the Sandiettes 12-10 win in Game 1.

Game 2 was a much different as the teams wouldn't combine for 20 hits, or even 10 runs as the Lady Rams picked up a 4-2 win.

May 18, 2013
H.S. Football: Palestine's Owens leads strong class of area recruits
Palestine junior Jarrell Owens hasn’t ever played a significant down in a game for the Wildcats at linebacker in his football career.
Yet, the position is obviously where his future lies.
Owens is one of a handful of area juniors drawing significant college interest, and the Palestine running back/linebacker already holds an official offer from Texas Tech University.

May 17, 2013
H.S. Baseball Playoffs: Harleton shuts down Cayuga in regional quarterfinal
In an as-expected pitcher’s duel, it took only one off inning to cost Cayuga and ace Chantz Holland.
Holland gave up four hits and hit a batter in the top of the third inning, and Harleton turned that into four runs — the only runs of the game — as Harleton topped Cayuga, 4-0, here at the Lindale ISD Baseball and Softball Complex in regional quarterfinal action.

May 17, 2013
H.S. Baseball: Patchwork lineup still working for Cayuga
The Cayuga baseball team that will take the field tonight against Harleton in the regional quarterfinals doesn’t look a lot like the Cayuga team that rolled through district play earlier this season.
Injuries have hampered the look of the Wildcat lineup, but Cayuga still finds itself into the playoffs’ third round for yet another season.

May 15, 2013
H.S. Softball: Grapeland going strong into regional semifinals
It’s been relatively easy-going so far in the state softball playoffs for the Grapeland softball team.
The Sandiettes have lost only once so far in the playoffs, and that came thanks a forfeit in the area round against Avery, when Grapeland decided not to play rather than play without missing members at the state golf tournament.

May 15, 2013
Local Roundup: Cayuga's Hughes named 19-A MVP
After a stellar regular season that saw them capture a district title, then a solid playoff run that ended with a regional quarterfinal loss to Grapeland, the Cayuga softball team showed well on the District 19-A all-district teams.
Cayuga star freshman pitcher Kimberly Hughes capped her stellar year by earning the district’s Most Valuable Player award. Joining Hughes in earning superlative honors was her battery-mate Maci Poland, who was named the league’s Defensive MVP.

May 15, 2013
H.S. Golf State Tournament: Grapeland looks to cap impressive season with title
It’s the course on which legendary PGA player Ben Crenshaw — winner of two Master’s Green Jackets — learned the game as a young man.
It’s where legendary Austin-based golf coach Harvey Penick molded players like Crenshaw and Tom Kite into stalwarts on the professional tours.
A year ago, Lions Municipal Golf Course in Austin was the place where, despite improving by 20 strokes as a team on Day 2, the Grapeland girls’ golf team fell short of state title, instead finishing second — for the second-straight season.

April 30, 2013
H.S. Baseball: Palestine, Elkhart open playoffs Thursday
After a seven-year absence from postseason play that ended last year, the Palestine baseball team opens up its second-straight playoff campaign Tuesday.
The Wildcats, who captured District 19-3A’s second seed with a defeat of Fairfield Friday, will open the postseason again Diboll in a best-of-three series.

April 30, 2013
More Local Sports Headlines

Local Sports

Search Results

Discussion

H.S. Baseball Playoffs: Trio of seniors leading Cayuga back into the postseason

Site Map

Contact Us