2005 Baseball Updates

Eagles Season Ends In State Quarterfinals

The Rabun Gap baseball team’s dream season ended in Kinston, NC, Tuesday with a 10-0 loss to #2 ranked Arrendell Parrott Academy. The Eagles were coming off a 4-3 come from behind win over #10 Westchester Academy on Saturday at Robert D. Johnston Field.

Here is the article from the local paper in Kinston:

Patriots roll past Eagles 10-0
May 11,2005
Bryan C. Hanks
Sports Editor
The Arendell Parrott Academy baseball team might have a lot less hair on their heads, but following Tuesday's North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association 2A quarterfinal win against Rabun Gap (Ga.) School, they've got huge smiles on their faces.

The Patriots scored four runs in the first inning, one in the second, two in the fourth and closed out the game via the mercy rule with three in the fifth to down the Eagles, 10-0, at Parrott's Maddux Field.

Parrott (14-7) - the NCISAA host this weekend - will face either Harrells Christian Academy or Calvary on Friday at Maddux Field in the association's semifinals.

"I think we're peaking right now," APA coach Mike Kearney said. "We're coming around and we're playing our best ball. Our seniors have gotten hungry and they're not ready to quit playing baseball yet."

Senior shortstop Jon Holtvedt, who was sporting a Mohawk haircut until less than a week before, talked his Patriots teammates into cutting their hair as a sign of team unity.

"The Mohawk didn't look real good, so I shaved it off," Holtvedt said with a laugh. "I talked everybody else into it after we found out we were the No. 2 seed. That night, we all shaved our heads. It's made everybody excited about playing."

Starting pitcher Brick Crowder said, "We did it to get crazy for the playoffs. It's working."

Crowder struggled early, walking the first Rabun Gap batter and three in two innings. But some advice from his catcher, senior Reid Maddux, settled the junior hurler down.

"Reid told me I wasn't bending my back, so around the fourth inning, I started doing it and I started getting the ball in the strike zone," Crowder said. "The key to pitching today was getting ahead."

Crowder struck out four and walked three in his complete-game effort. He only gave up one hit, an infield single in the second inning.

Getting the lead early helped the Patriots to the win, Kearney said.

"We stressed before the game that we needed to play ahead instead of from behind," Kearney said. "They came out and were excited about playing, more than at any other time this year."

Rabun Gap coach Jason Grove said, "We were exposed mentally early. We just weren't sharp enough at the beginning of the game to keep it close. After the big lead, I think we put a lot of pressure on ourselves."

Rabun Gap (9-9) traveled nine hours from North Georgia to play Tuesday's game. The Eagles stayed in Kinston Monday night, but drove back home following their loss.

"I'm not going to use the travel as an excuse," Styron said. "I thought we were ready to play but we ran into a good team."

APA was led by Holtvedt's two hits. Holtvedt and Nick Singleton had two RBIs each.

Rabun Gap Edges Asheville School to go to 7-1 in the CAA

Brian Vollmer continued his dominant season on the mound Monday afternoon as Rabun Gap picked up its seventh conference victory and fourth road win in two weeks with a 3-2 win at the Asheville School.

In a game with both conference and state playoff implications, Vollmer limited the Blues to just three hits and one earned run in seven innings of work. The sophomore’s seven strikeouts brought his season total to sixty, breaking the single season mark set in 2003 by current assistant coach David Sierra.

The Eagles tallied seven hits and scored three runs off of Kevin Finder, the Asheville School ace who had not given up an earned run on the season. Vollmer helped himself with two hits, including a two-run double in the third inning. Jorge Cejudo broke a 2-2 score in the sixth inning with a two out single to score Lindy Gilbert from second base.

Asheville threatened in the bottom of the seventh as the first batter reached on an error. After a stolen base and groundout moved the runner to third, the Eagles fortunes improved as a squeeze bunt was popped up and the final batter grounded out to second.

The win puts the Eagles in sole possession of second place with a 7-1 conference record. Friday’s doubleheader against Asheville Christian will decide first place in the conference.

Rabun Gap picks up two wins to go to 6-1 in the CAA

The Eagles continued their winning ways with two big road victories last week at Shannon Forest and Carolina Day.

The week began with a trip to Greenville on Tuesday as the Eagles looked for the season sweep of the Crusaders. Things began well as Rabun Gap opened up with a run in the top of the first when Brian Vollmer scored on a two-out single by Lindy Gilbert. After Shannon Forest scored twice in the bottom of the frame, the Eagles scored four in the top half of the second inning. Consecutive doubles by Micah Seehorn and Brian Vollmer plated three runners and gave the Eagles a 5-2 lead. The lead would not last long as the Crusaders battled back to tie the game in the third inning. The game would remain deadlocked as Brian Vollmer replaced Corey Matthews on the mound with the bases loaded and nobody out in the seventh inning. Vollmer coaxed a comebacker for the force at home and got the next hitter to line into a double play. The Eagles broke the game open in the ninth inning. The offense finally exploded for nine hits, three for extra bases, as Rabun Gap built a 12-5 lead that they would not relinquish. Vollmer got the win, his third of the season, with three innings of scoreless relief. Michael Foster led the offense with five hits in six at bats. Seehorn and Vollmer added three hits apiece.

Rabun Gap hit the road again on Thursday as they traveled to Asheville looking for a season sweep of the Carolina Day Wildcats. Brian Vollmer was pressed into action again and responded with another dominating performance. The sophomore lefthander picked up his fourth win of the season with a ten strikeout performance. Vollmer did not allow a hit until the fourth inning and the only big blow was a two-run homerun in the fifth. The Eagles scored at least one run in five of the seven innings in cruising to the 8-2 win. Micah Seehorn and Jorge Cejudo led the offense with two hits each. Andrew Wylie and Michael Foster made good use of their at bats as each plated two runners.

The win puts the Eagles record at 7-6 (6-1 in the CAA). Rabun Gap can clinch at least a second place finish with a win on Tuesday at the Asheville School. The Eagles also host Asheville Christian, currently ranked fourth in the state, in a doubleheader on Friday.

Rabun Gap goes to 4-1 in the CAA with three conference wins

The Rabun Gap Eagles got wins over Carolina Day School, Shannon Forest Academy and Spartanburg Day School last week to go to 4-1 in the Carolinas Athletic Association. The victories put the Eagles in a tie for second place with the second half of play remaining.

The Eagles began the week with a 5-2 victory over the Wildcats from Carolina Day. Brian Vollmer picked up his first win of the season, going seven strong innings, striking out eleven and walking two.

Rabun Gap was led offensively by Micah Seehorn, who went 2 for 3 with two stolen bases. Sophomore Lindy Gilbert added a hit and a stolen base.

The Eagles were back at it Tuesday with a 5-3 win over Shannon Forest. Corey Matthews picked up his third win of the season in beating the previously unbeaten Crusaders. Matthews pitched all seven innings, striking out nine and walking four. He began the game in fine fashion by striking out the first five batters he faced.

Andrew Wylie, Micah Seehorn, and Lindy Gilbert led the offensive attack with two hits apiece. Seehorn delivered the only extra base hit with a first-inning triple. The Eagles tallied a season-high eleven hits.

The week ended with a big road victory over the Griffins of Spartanburg Day. Sophomore Brian Vollmer set a new school record by striking out 18 batters. Vollmer was dominant from the start, striking out eight in a row to start the game.

The Eagles blew the game open with a four-run fourth inning. Andrew Wylie went opposite field with a two out base hit to plate two runners with two outs. Micah Seehorn followed with a triple down the leftfield line to plate Wylie and hand Vollmer a 5-1 lead. Jorge Cejudo added a two-run double to deep center in the seventh inning to give the Eagles a comfortable 9-2 victory.

Rabun Gap continues play this week with road games Tuesday against Shannon Forest, Thursday against Carolina Day, and Friday at Asheville Christian.