@FtBendSports
Posted: Wednesday, April 6, 2011 2:00 pm | Updated: 12:35 am, Wed Apr 6, 2011.
By COREY ROEPKEN
Matt Johnson saw his coach walking to the mound and knew if he did not convince him otherwise his day was done before he got out of the second inning.
The Elkins High School senior had given up five singles and walked three during the game's first 12 at-bats. Elkins trailed Austin by three runs, and Austin had more runners on base with only one out. Johnson's effectiveness seemed to be long gone. Willing to dig deeper, however, Johnson pleaded with his coach and stayed in the game.
"At that point I didn't have much reason to keep him in," Elkins coach Richard Thistlewaite said. "But when a kid is that emphatic about it I'll leave him in."
Johnson responded with two strikeouts to get out of the second inning then pitched three scoreless innings as Elkins won the game, 10-4. It may not have looked like much against an Austin team that has struggled this year, but every win is significant for the Knights.
Eleven months removed from Tommy John surgery, the left-hander still is a key variable in Elkins' quest to end a two-year postseason drought. For most teams a two-year playoff absence wouldn't mean much. At Elkins, however, baseball is special. The Knights have won 10 district titles, six regional titles and three state titles. Before the current non-playoff streak, they had made the playoffs 13 of 14 seasons....READ MORE
Posted: Wednesday, April 6, 2011 2:00 pm | Updated: 12:35 am, Wed Apr 6, 2011.
By COREY ROEPKEN
Matt Johnson saw his coach walking to the mound and knew if he did not convince him otherwise his day was done before he got out of the second inning.
The Elkins High School senior had given up five singles and walked three during the game's first 12 at-bats. Elkins trailed Austin by three runs, and Austin had more runners on base with only one out. Johnson's effectiveness seemed to be long gone. Willing to dig deeper, however, Johnson pleaded with his coach and stayed in the game.
"At that point I didn't have much reason to keep him in," Elkins coach Richard Thistlewaite said. "But when a kid is that emphatic about it I'll leave him in."
Johnson responded with two strikeouts to get out of the second inning then pitched three scoreless innings as Elkins won the game, 10-4. It may not have looked like much against an Austin team that has struggled this year, but every win is significant for the Knights.
Eleven months removed from Tommy John surgery, the left-hander still is a key variable in Elkins' quest to end a two-year postseason drought. For most teams a two-year playoff absence wouldn't mean much. At Elkins, however, baseball is special. The Knights have won 10 district titles, six regional titles and three state titles. Before the current non-playoff streak, they had made the playoffs 13 of 14 seasons....READ MORE