Results tagged ‘ North Carolina ’
Local Sportswriter Honored
Photo courtesy of the Winston-Salem Journal.
The Winston-Salem Journal has always been very loyal to the Dash. The Journal brings a writer to every Dash home game, and it is a pleasure working with all of their staff writers. The publication produces fair, unbiased coverage of the Dash and distributes it to the masses in our area.
Before his recent retirement, Lenox Rawlings was one of the Journal’s sports stars. While Lenox did not cover many Dash games this season, he visited BB&T Ballpark for a few special features. His All-Star Game column remains my favorite written piece from this year’s Midsummer Classic in Winston-Salem. Lenox’s simple-yet-effective lede from this playoff story gives any baseball fan goosebumps.
Yesterday, the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association announced that Lenox earned the “Sportswriter of the Year” award for North Carolina. Not a bad retirement present.
I have had the chance to speak with Lenox briefly, and he has been nothing but kind to me. I wish him a happy retirement. It’s great to have such a great writer here in the Winston-Salem area.
Congratulations, Lenox!
By the way, the NSSA also announces a “Sportscaster of the Year” for each state, and David Jackson, the Voice of Appalachian State athletics, earned the award. He is a former intern with us from 1999. Congrats to David, too!
- Brian
Game 3 Preview – Myrtle Beach at Winston-Salem
Southern Division Championship Series
Myrtle Beach Pelicans at Winston-Salem Dash
Friday, September 7 — 7:00 p.m.
Game 3 — Series tied 1-1
GAME 3 BACKGROUND:
Winston-Salem stayed alive in the best-of-three SDCS with a 5-3 victory over Myrtle Beach in Game 2 Thursday night at BB&T Ballpark. Winston rallied with three in the home half of the seventh to take the lead for good. Courtney Hawkins’ leadoff long ball evened the score, and Marcus Semien’s two-run double four batters later proved to be the game-winning knock. As a result, the Dash and Pelicans will play for a Mills Cup Championship Series ticket tonight.
STARTING PITCHERS:
Winston-Salem — RHP Chris Bassitt (5-4, 3.66 ERA): Bassitt, a converted reliever, takes to the hill tonight with the Dash’s season on the line. Bassitt had not been a regular member of a rotation since high school before his 10 starts in 2012. As a starter, Bassitt finished the regular season with a 4-2 record and a 4.25 ERA. The former Akron Zip had success against the Pelicans, amassing nine and a third scoreless frames over four efforts, only one of which was a start.
Myrtle Beach — RHP Nick McBride (2-3, 3.76 ERA): Myrtle Beach counters with McBride, a Lewisville, N.C., native and a Ragsdale High School product. The Dash beat McBride August 25 in Winston-Salem, his only appearance back in the Triad. McBride surrendered five runs on eight hits in six and a third innings in what was a Dash victory.
DASH DOTS:
- Winston-Salem has had success when playing for a series victory in 2012. Winston went 9-3 in rubber matches this season, which includes a 5-1 mark at home in such situations.
- Since Winston-Salem won the 2003 Carolina League crown, the franchise was 0-4 in playoff elimination games until Thursday. As a result, the Dash will play in Winston’s seventh winner-take-all in franchise history. Winston-Salem is 3-3 in its previous six affairs. This is the first deciding playoff game for the franchise since 2004, when Kinston defeated Winston in the SDCS.
- The Dash had not scored more than one run in an inning during the postseason until the seventh inning of Game 2. Winston-Salem has not played consecutive games without a multi-run inning since July 2-3 during a series in Frederick, a span of 58 games which is still in progress thanks to the Dash’s three-run seventh.
- Dash outfielder Courtney Hawkins went yard for the second straight playoff game Thursday. His homer in the fifth inning of Game 1 broke a scoreless tie, while his bomb less than 24 hours ago knotted the score. Including his regular season work, Chicago’s top pick in June is 8-for-25 (.320) with three home runs and four RBI at the High-A level.
- Winston-Salem slugger Dan Black took home the Carolina League’s MVP award, but he is 0-for-8 in the playoffs and just 1-for-20 in his last five games since August 31. During the regular season, Black only posted back-to-back hitless games four different times. He placed second in the CL with a .315 average. It is safe to say the Big Black Bear is due.
- Dash reliever Taylor Thompson needed 34 pitches to get five outs last night, so his availability for tonight’s winner-take-all clash is certainly up in the air. Thompson had a 0.55 ERA during the second half of the season, and he earned the save last night after escaping jams in the eighth and ninth. He is this team’s best reliever, but can he pitch in the biggest game of the season?
- The Dash posted the best overall record (87-51-1) and home mark (48-23) during the regular season among the 120 full-season minor league teams. Don’t underestimate the fight of a highly-successful squad. The Dash certainly proved their battle-back mentality last night.
AN EYE ON THE NDCS:
The Northern Division Championship Series will also come down to a Game 3 tonight in Lynchburg. The road team has posted a blowout victory in each of the series’ first two contests. After the Hillcats blew out the Blue Rocks in Delaware in Game 1, Wilmington got revenge in Lynchburg with a 12-3 win, which included three innings of three or more runs, to keep its season alive. Tonight, the Blue Crew sends Leondy Perez (5-4, 3.74 ERA) to the mound against fellow right-hander Aaron Northcraft (10-11, 3.98 ERA).
BROADCAST INFORMATION:
Dash fans can catch the club’s quest for a 12th Mills Cup by tuning in here. Fans are encouraged to tweet @WSDashBaseball and use the Dash’s official playoff hashtag: #Dash12. The Pre-Game Dash begins at 6:40 p.m. and features a chat with Marcus Semien and a look back at the Dash’s huge seventh inning last night.
- Brian
Local Product Earns Promotion to Winston
(Photo courtesy of Rob Moore and Appalachian State athletics).
Thousands of minor league baseball players jump from one affiliate to another during the course of the season. It is rare for a player to join a team so close to not only his hometown, but his college as well.
One of those rare instances happened today with the promotion of catcher Jeremy Dowdy, a Raleigh native and an Appalachian League State product, to the Dash.
Dowdy signed with the White Sox as an undrafted free agent June 12 and began his professional career with rookie-level Bristol in the Appalachian League. He hit .412 (7-for-17) with three RBI and two runs scored in five games.
Although Dowdy has only played in five of the B-Sox’s first 14 games, this is a common practice at that level. Most Appalachian League squads carry at least three catchers, and Bristol had four when Dowdy was on board.
According to the Mountaineers’ website, Dowdy is one of only three players in school history to play in at least 200 games. He is among the university’s all-time top 10 with 732 at-bats, 43 doubles, 127 RBI and 86 walks.
For the first time this season, the Dash have three catchers on the roster. Mike Blanke and Miguel Gonzalez have been with the Dash since the start of the season, and they will gladly take on the third catcher. In the minor leagues, catchers are responsible for any bullpen catching or pre-game sides. With the heat on full blast within the league, a respite here and there will help immensely.
The Dash wrap up their quick three-game road trip tonight at 7:05 against Lynchburg. Pre-game starts at 6:50 here. Talk to you then.
- Brian
Dash In The NBA Draft
Trayce Thompson does not have the same eyebrow style as Anthony Davis, but the two compare nicely (SAB).
Many sports fans will be focused on this year’s NBA Draft, which takes place tonight in Newark, N.J. How would the Dash fit into this year’s draft class? Let’s find out:
Trayce Thompson = Kentucky F Anthony Davis
The top prospect on the Dash’s roster, Thompson comes from a basketball background. His father Mychal was the first overall pick in the 1978 NBA Draft by Portland, and his brothers Klay and Mychel both have NBA experience. Davis will almost certainly join the list of top overall picks tonight when New Orleans makes the first selection.
Carlos Sanchez = Florida SG Bradley Beal
Sanchez is thriving as a 19-year-old in the Carolina League, while Beal is the target of many teams in the top 5 of the NBA Draft despite the fact that he turned 19 today. Both of these men have certainly piqued scouts’ interests.
Brady Shoemaker = Kentucky SF Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
One word describes both of these men: motor. Both Shoemaker and Kidd-Gilchrist work extremely hard and never stop hustling when in the heat of battle. Plus, they are very productive in their respective sports. After all, Shoemaker is a Triple Crown candidate, while MKG is likely a top 5 pick.
Dion Waiters even looks like Juan Silverio (USA Today).
Juan Silverio = Syracuse SG Dion Waiters
Both of these guys have plenty of potential while still having some untapped potential. Waiters plays the game with a smooth confidence, which is how Silverio mans third base. Plus, these two look very similar.
Jake Petricka = North Carolina F Harrison Barnes
Both of these young men have been highly touted, yet they have also had to go through some scrutiny based on their play lately. The reality is that both Petricka and Barnes will be solid talents at the next level. They just need to properly develop their abilities.
Michael Earley = Weber State PG Damian Lillard
Earley and Lillard were unknowns to Dash fans and NBA fans, respectively, a year ago. Today, both are extremely important to the fans involved. Earley earned a starting spot on the Carolina League All-Star squad after skipping Low-A, while Lillard was a late bloomer for a mid-major program. Earley is now on the radar of folks in the CL, while Lillard is projected as a top 10 pick in tonight’s draft.
Dan Black = Connecticut C Andre Drummond
This one is pretty simple. Black is big for baseball standards (6’5″, 240 lbs.), and Drummond is a banger inside the paint (6’10″, 270 lbs.).
- Brian and Mike
