Baseball

It was an incredible run for the baseball Spartans. A special group of young men came together and played outstanding baseball for the entire season. They overcame obstacles and played every game to the best of their abilities. They received extraordinary support from their families. For the state play-off games, every player had a parent at the game; some had siblings and grandparents. The coach’s father, brother and nephews came to cheer on the Spartans. At the conclusion of the double header, the parents gave the players a standing ovation to show their appreciation for the heart and determination they played with all year. All who are associated with this fantastic group of young men are very proud of them and all they accomplished.

Athens Academy @ Bremen
May 9, 2008
State Play-offs, Game 1

Offense:
• Matt Woodruff was 1 for 3 with 2 RBI’s and a walk
• Patrick Jansen was 2 for 4 with one run scored
• Evans Wellborn was 1 for 2 with a walk and two runs scored
• Hunter Stiles was 3 for 3 with 1 RBI
• Akash Agrawal ran for Hunter and scored in the fifth inning
• Thomas Sanders was 2 for 3 with an RBI
• James Colquitt reached base all three times at bat with 2 walks and being hit by the pitcher
• Everett Young had an RBI in the 5th inning
• James Waugh was 1 for 3

Scoring:
• First inning:
o Matt walked, reached third on an single by Patrick and stole home
o Evans walked, reached second on a single by Hunter and scored on a single by Thomas
• Two runs scored

• Third inning:
o Patrick singled, went to second on a single by Evans and scored on a single by Hunter
• One run scored

• Fifth inning:
o Patrick reached on an error and was caught stealing second
o Evans reached on a fielder’s choice, reached second on a single by Hunter, went to third on a single by Thomas and scored on a bbases loaded walk by James Colquitt
o Akash, running for Hunter, scored on a fielder’s choice, hit by Everett
o James Waugh reached on a fielder’s choice, scoring James C.
o McKay was hit by a pitch, loading the bases
o Matt singled up the middle, scoring Everett and Will Daniel, running for James W.
• Five runs scored

Final Score: Athens Academy 8, Bremen 19 in five innings

Athens Academy @ Bremen
May 9, 2008
State Play-offs, Game 2

Offense:
• McKay Matthews was 1 for 2 with a walk
• Patrick Jansen for 1 for 2 with a double, a walk, and a run scored
• Evans Wellborn was 1 for 3 with an RBI
• Thomas Sanders was 1 for 3
• James Colquitt was 1 for 2 with an RBI

Scoring:
• Second inning:
o Hunter Stiles and Mark Sanders walked
o Everett Young (running for Hunter) and Mark went to third and second, respectively on a wild pitch
o Everett scored on a single to right by James C.
 One run scored

• Third inning:
o Patrick led off with a single and scored on a single to left by Evans
 One run scored

Final Score: Athens Academy 2, Bremen 14 in 5 innings

Posted by Mrs. Reigle at 10:21 PM | Permalink

Athens Academy verses Jefferson
May 2, 2008

Two incredible seniors were honored tonight at Spartan Field. Matt Woodruff, son of Nita and Brooks Woodruff, and Evans Wellborn, son of Margaret and Walter Wellborn. Their leadership and love of baseball will always be remembered and appreciated.

Henry Terrell is home from the hospital and on the road to recovery.

The Spartans put an outstanding team on the field and experienced another excellent pitching performance from Russ DeVore. Jefferson was able to take advantage of key hits and errors to beat the Spartans in the final region game of the season.

Highlights:
• The fans in the stands… the support the baseball Spartans receive by their fans is unparalled by any other school… once again the bleachers were full
• The coaches are extraordinary ... Coaches Kane, Chuboff and Nonni go the extra mile to help each player achieve his personal best
• Russ went all seven innings, striking out 4 and allowing only six hits
• McKay Matthews was 1 for 4
• Matt Woodruff was 1 for 3
• Patrick Jansen was 1 for 2 with an RBI
• Hunter Stiles was 1 for 2 with a double
• Thomas Sanders was 1 for 3
• The defense once again sparkled
o In the 4th inning, McKay made a superb play at shortstop
o In the 5th inning, Matt make another one of his great signature catches in center field

Scoring:
• The lone Spartan run came in the 3rd inning when McKay reached on an error, stole second, and came home on a base hit by Patrick

The Spartans continue to play with heart. They have clinched a play-off position for the ninth consecutive year. They overcome adversity and have a great deal of pride. The parents and fans are extremely proud of these young men.

The Spartans will play next Friday in the first round of the state play-offs. Depending on results tonight, they will either be a three or four seed and play against Bremen or Bowden. Hope to see you there!

Final Score: Athens Academy 1, Jefferson 7

Posted by Mrs. Reigle at 10:14 PM | Permalink

Athens Academy verses Athens Christian
April 28, 2008

Our thoughts and prayers are with our phenomenal freshman Henry Terrell and his family as Henry recovers from emergency surgery today. We all wish him a quick and complete recovery.

Congratulations to Coach Kane on reaching the state baseball play-offs for his ninth consecutive year as head coach.

The Spartan baseball team plays with heart. They overcome all obstacles and find a way to achieve their best. Tonight was no exception as they came from behind for an exciting, extra inning victory against two outstanding pitchers and a talented team.

Highlights:
• Pitching:
o Patrick Jansen once again gave his all on the mound, pitching 7 2/3 innings, giving up one run on four hits, while striking out six
o Patrick struck out the side in the eighth inning
• Offense:
o The Spartans amassed 7 runs on 12 hits in nine innings
o McKay Matthews was 3 for 5 with 3 runs scored and 3 stolen bases
o Matt Woodruff was 2/5 with a key double to tie the game at 5-5
o Patrick Jansen was 2/3 with a soaring 3 run homerun and was intentionally walked twice
o Evans Wellborn had the winning hit in the ninth inning
o Hunter Stiles was 1 for 4 with an RBI
o Thomas Sanders was 1 for 4
o Everett Young was 2 for 4
• Defense:
o Mark Sanders turned an unassisted double play in the first inning
o Thomas continues to play first base exceptionally well, showing an outstanding vertical reach
o The Spartans turned a second double play in the seventh inning going from Matthews to M. Sanders to T. Sanders
o James Waugh came in defensively and fielded the last out of the ninth inning perfectly

Scoring:
• First inning:
o Matt singled up the middle (the Eagles pitcher then threw to 1st base four times, showing well deserved respect for Matt’s speed)
o Patrick singled, putting men on first and second
o Hunter singled to left field sending Matt to the plate
 One run scored
• Fifth inning:
o McKay singled and stole second
o Matt reached on a error
o Patrick took the second pitch and planted it deep in the pine trees beyond the right center field fence for a towering home run
 Three runs scored
• Seventh inning:
o McKay singled down the left field line and stole second
o Matt tied the score with a double to right center, sending McKay home
 One run scored
• Ninth inning:
o Once again, McKay led off the inning with a single and stole second (what a great pattern to be in!)
o After Patrick was walked intentionally, McKay attempted to steal third and came home on a throwing error by the catcher as Patrick advanced to third
o With the count one and one, Evans slammed a single up the middle for the game winning hit
 Two runs scored

It was an electrifying game with the Spartans coming out victorious and claiming their ninth consecutive state play-off spot. The Spartans had to overcome adversity in losing a key member of their team (Henry Terrell) and a questionable call in the 8th inning when Mark Sanders attempted to score.

The Spartans have the best fan support. Once again the stands were full and the enthusiasm contagious throughout the game.

The Spartans will take on Jefferson for their last game of the regular season on Friday at 5:00 p.m. As Coach Chuboff said, “we are going to have to wrap the players in bubble wrap to keep everyone else healthy for Friday!”

Hope to see you there!

Final Score: Athens Academy 7, Athens Christian 6 (in 9 innings)

Athens Academy: (14-8 overall) (11-6 region)

Posted by Mrs. Reigle at 11:44 PM | Permalink

Athens Academy verses Lakeview
April 25, 2008

Twelve incredible young men and three amazing coaches put their hearts and souls into playing Spartan baseball. They win as a team and lose as a team. Tonight they lost as a team, but continue to make their supporters proud of their dedication, team spirit and love of baseball.

• Highlights:
o McKay Matthews went 1 for 2 with one run scored
o Matt Woodruff was 1 for 1 with one run scored and a walk
o Evans Wellborn reached base both times he went to the plate with walks
o Everett Young hit an exciting single up the middle producing an RBI

• Scoring:
o First inning:
 McKay led of with a single and went to second on Matt’s single
 Evans walked and Henry Terrell reached on an error
 With bases loaded, Hunter Stiles walked scoring McKay
• One run scored

Third inning:
• Matt, Patrick Jansen and Evans had consecutive walks
• James Waugh came in to run for Patrick
• Everett singled, sending Matt home
• James scored on a double play
o Two runs scored

The Spartans will regroup and be ready to take on Athens Christian at home on Monday at 5:00. Hope to see you there!

Final score: Athens Academy 3, Lakeview 20

Posted by Mrs. Reigle at 11:06 PM | Permalink

Athens Academy @ Towns County
April 24, 2008

Evans Wellborn “hit a major bomb” two run homer and Patrick Jansen pitched a complete game shutout as the Spartans were victorious against Towns County.

Highlights:

• Pitching:
o Once again Patrick was incredible on the mound, pitching seven shut-out innings, facing only 23 batters, giving up two hits, and striking out five

• Offensive:
o Matt Woodruff was 2 for 2 with 2 stolen bases and 2 walks
o Henry Terrell was 1 for 2 with 2 runs scored and a walk
o Thomas Sanders once again swung a hot bat with two hits and an RBI
o Evans homered , James Colquitt doubled and Patrick singled to round out the 8 hits

• Defense:
o Hunter Stiles picked a runner off first in the sixth inning

• Scoring:
o Second inning:
 Henry led off with a single, Hunter Stiles bunted him to second, Mark Sanders walked and Thomas singled, loading the bases
 James Colquitt hit a long sacrifice fly to left field scoring Henry
• One run scored

o Third inning:
 Matt led off the inning with a single and was thrown out trying to reach second
 Patrick singled and stole second
 Evans perfected his swing with a towering homerun over the left field fence
 Henry walked, went to second on a fielder’s choice and came in on a single by Thomas
• Three runs scored

Towns County is a tough team to beat at home, but the Spartans put an outstanding pitcher on the mound and were able to get men on base and score the key runs. The Spartans will take on Lakeview tomorrow (Friday) at Spartan Field. Hope to see you there!

Special thanks to Everett Young for keeping the scorebook.

Final Score: Athens Academy 4, Towns County 0

Athens Academy: (13-7 overall) (10-6 region)

Posted by Mrs. Reigle at 4:05 PM | Permalink

Athens Academy @ Social Circle
April 22, 2008

Behind a brilliant pitching performance by Russ DeVore, the Spartans played dazzling defense in a hard fought victory against the Redskins.

Highlights:

• Pitching:
o Russ DeVore pitched all seven innings, allowing only three hits and one run, while striking out 8… his slider was working to perfection

• Defense:
o Hunter Stiles once again fired a strike to McKay Matthews keeping a base runner from stealing second in the first inning
o McKay fielded a nasty, hard hit ball to short in the third and threw the runner out at first
o James Colquitt made a sensational catch in the fourth inning robbing the Social Circle player of a homerun… James’ hat went over the fence, but not the ball!
o Mark Sanders went to the right of second base to snare a hard line drive for the third out of the fifth inning

• Offense:
o Matt Woodruff was 1 for 2 with an RBI
o Patrick Jansen went 2 for 3 including a double and was walked intentionally, due to his hot bat
o Thomas Sanders was 2 for 4 with two stolen bases

Scoring:
• Third inning:
o Matt was hit by a pitch
o Evans Wellborn walked
o Henry Terrell hit a blistering ball to short, which was too hot to handle, sending Matt home
o Evans scored on a fielder’s choice by Hunter
 Two runs scored

• Fourth inning:
o Thomas singled to left and proceeded to steal second and third base
o McKay walked and stole second
o Matt hit a hard ground ball to third base with Thomas scoring
o McKay came home on an error by the third baseman
 Two runs scored

• Sixth inning:
o Thomas singled and went to second and third on errant throws by the pitcher and first baseman
o Tag Galvin hit a grounder to third
o Thomas broke for the plate and scored on a wild throw by the third baseman
 One run scored

The Spartans come to every game ready to play and try to make the most of each opportunity. The fans continue to show 100% support and the players appreciate their encouragement. With only four games left in the season, each one is extremely important. The Spartans will travel to Towns County for a 5:00 pm game on Thursday. Hope to see you there!

Final Score: Athens Academy 5, Social Circle 1

Posted by Mrs. Reigle at 11:17 PM | Permalink

Athens Academy verses Prince Avenue
April 18, 2008

The Spartans and Wolverines simply played a great baseball game on a beautiful night at Spartan Field. Patrick Jansen was stellar on the mound, as was the Prince Avenue pitcher, Buck Harris. Both teams came ready to play and the game was hotly contested until James Colquitt snagged a fly ball to left field for the final out.

Highlights:
• Pitching:
o Patrick Jansen showed savvy on the mound with all his pitches working to perfection… he only faced 23 batters in 7 innings, striking out 6 (all 3 he faced in the 3rd inning), walking none, and allowing only one earned run.

• Defense:
o After a lead-off single in the first, Hunter threw a strike to second, gunning down a runner trying to steal.
o The Spartans did not commit any errors
o Matt Woodruff once again would not allow a ball hit anywhere near his territory in center field to drop… one catch was extremely impressive as Matt scampered toward second base, dove for the catch and came up with another spectacular grab
o All nine defensive Spartans played their positions to perfection
o Hunter Stiles jumped out the catcher’s box in the sixth inning to snag a bunt and throw the runner out at first for the 3rd out of the sixth inning

• Offensive:
o McKay Matthews was 2 for 3 with a double and stolen base
o Hunter and Mark Sanders were 1 for 2 with one run scored (Everett running for Hunter)
o Thomas Sanders was 1 for 2 (a double) with 1 run scored and 1 RBI

• Scoring: (all three Spartan runs came in the fifth inning)
o Hunter singled with Everett Young coming in to run for him
o Mark came to the plate and pulled back on his first bunt attempt
o On the second pitch to Mark, executed the perfect slash… showing bunt and then promptly smacking the next pitch sharply down the left field line with the infielders coming in to cover the bunt… Coach Nonni said it was the best slash he had ever seen!
o With 2 strikes, Thomas slapped a double to deep center, scoring Everett, who was running at full speed at the crack of the bat
o As if the slash wasn’t exciting enough, McKay came to the plate knowing the suicide squeeze was on… he laid down the perfect bunt, which stunned the defense allowing Mark to score and McKay to reach second on pure hustle
o Matt sent Thomas home with the final run of the game with a hard hit ball to second
 Three runs scored

The stands were full of Spartan fans and no one wanted to leave, savoring every moment of this exciting victory. The coaches and players on both teams gave it their all and the result was a memorable baseball game. The Spartans will travel to Social Circle on Tuesday to face the Redskins at 5:00. Hope to see you there!

Final Score: Athens Academy 3, Prince Avenue 1

Posted by Mrs. Reigle at 11:29 PM | Permalink

Athens Academy @ Commerce
April 15, 2008

The bleachers were filled with enthusiastic fans and the team did not let them down, coming back from a 5 run deficit, with spectacular pitching, superior defense, sensational hitting and superb coaching to post another victory.

Highlights: (and there are many)
• McKay Matthews was spectacular on the mound going 5 2/3 innings, scattering 6 hits, while striking out three
• The four infielders played errorless ball making difficult plays look easy
• Matt Woodruff again displayed great wheels and impressive confidence in center field, making several incredible catches
• James Colquitt displayed an exceptional vertical leap in the seventh inning to turn what looked like a sure double into an out
• The Spartans had fourteen hits
• Thomas Sanders went 3 for 4 with 3 runs scored and 1 RBI
• Hunter Stiles hit a soaring drive over the pines in deep center field for a lead-off homerun in the sixth
• Hunter also had singles in the second and fourth
• Evans Wellborn was 1 for 2 with 2 RBI’s and three walks
• Matt slammed two singles to left field, stole a base, had 2 RBI’s and reached on an error, scoring three times
• Henry Terrell walked four times which resulted in 3 RBI’s
• Tag Galvin was 2 for 5 with 1 RBI
• McKay and Mark Sanders also singled
• Thomas displayed outstanding hustle in the fourth, scoring on a error by the right fielder

Scoring:
• Fourth inning:
o Tag led off with a single and went to second on a balk
o Hunter singled and Everett Young came in to run for him
o Thomas singled, sending Tag home
o Matt reached on an error to right field, with Everett and Thomas scoring
o Patrick and Evans walked, loading the bases
o Henry walked, sending Patrick home
 Four runs scored

• Fifth inning:
o Mark Sanders walked and stole second
o Thomas singled and went to second on a passed ball
o Matt singled, scoring Mark and Thomas
o Matt stole second
o Patrick and Evans walked, loading the bases
o Henry walked sending Matt home
o Tag singled, sending Patrick home
 Four runs scored

• Sixth inning:
o Hunter led off the inning with a towering homerun to deep center field
o Thomas Sanders hit a solid single to right center
o McKay and Matt singled, loading the bases
o Thomas came home on an error by the second baseman, allowing Patrick to reach first
o Evans singled driving in McKay
o With the bases loaded again, Henry walked scoring Matt
 Four runs scored

It was an exciting game and a huge win for the Spartans in a highly contested fight for a play-off position in the region. It was fun to see and hear Traci Satterfield in the bleachers supporting Spartan baseball. The Spartans play their rival Prince Avenue in a home game on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. Hope to see you there.

Final Score: Athens Academy 12, Commerce 6

Posted by Mrs. Reigle at 11:33 PM | Permalink

Athens Academy verses Hebron Christian
April 14, 2008

Russ DeVore was outstanding on the mound, pitching all seven innings and striking out six as the Spartans won an important region game at home.

Highlights:
• Matt Woodruff made four sensational catches in center field showing ‘great range’ and ‘nice wheels’
• Russ struck out a Lion in the first inning and Hunter Stiles fired a strike to second, throwing out a runner trying to steal
• The Spartans turned a double play in the third, going from Russ to McKay Matthews to Patrick Jansen
• McKay was 2 for 3 at the plate with a double, 2 runs scored and 2 RBI’s
• Thomas Sanders came in as a pinch hitter in the sixth inning and took the first pitch to center for a solid RBI single
• Tag Galvin, Patrick and Evans singled

Scoring:
• First inning:
o McKay led off the inning with a walk, stole second, went to third on consecutive walks by Matt and Patrick, and came home on a wild pitch
o Evans Wellborn walked, loading the bases
o Henry Terrell hit a long sacrifice fly, scoring Matt
o Tag singled, loading the bases
o Hunter was hit by a pitch, sending Patrick home
o Thomas Sanders came in to courtesy run for Hunter
o Mark Sanders walked, scoring Evans
o McKay doubled to right field with Tag and Thomas scoring
 Six runs scored

• Sixth inning:
o Mark Sanders reached second on a two base error
o Thomas singled Mark home
o McKay singled, sending Thomas to second
o Matt reached on an error
o Patrick also reached on an error, allowing Thomas and McKay to cross the plate
o Henry executed the perfect suicide squeeze, with Matt hustling home
 Four runs scored

The Spartans played exciting team ball and were fired up in the dugout to put another notch in the victory column. Strong pitching, timely hitting, and great defense led the Spartans to their sixth region win of the season. They will travel to Commerce tomorrow for another region game at 5:00. Hope to see you there!

Final score: Athens Academy 10, Hebron Christian 2

Posted by Mrs. Reigle at 9:11 PM | Permalink

Athens Academy @ Hebron Christian
April 11, 2008

The Lions stole a one run victory from the Spartans with six stolen bases to hand the Spartans their third one-run loss of the week.

Highlights:
• McKay Matthews went 2 for 4 (3 for 4 if not for a close call at first), including a double, a stolen base and one run scored
• Patrick Jansen was 2 for 3 with a walk and an RBI
• Evans Wellborn was 1 for 2 with 2 runs scored, a stolen base, and a walk
• James Colquitt was 1 for 2 with one run scored, a stolen base and a walk
• Henry Terrell was 1 for 3 with an RBI and a walk
• Henry fired a strike back to the infield after catching a ball in right field, keeping the runner on third from scoring
• Hunter Stiles and Tag Galvin each had RBI singles
• Patrick pitched the full six innings, scattering 8 hits, walking 5 and striking out 7

Scoring:
• First inning:
o McKay singled and stole second
o Patrick singled down the right field line, scoring McKay
 One run scored

• Third inning:
o Patrick walked
o Everett Young came in to courtesy run for Patrick and stole second
o Evans Wellborn walked
o Hunter singled, scoring Everett
o Tag singled, scoring Evans
 Two runs scored

• Fourth inning:
o James Colquitt singled and stole second, despite Hebron trying to keep him on first
o With a full count and after fouling off four pitches, McKay doubled down the left field line
o Matt Woodruff hit a long sacrifice fly to right, driving in James
 One run scored

• Fifth inning:
o Evans led off the inning with a solid single on a 3-0 count
o After Hebron threw over to first four times to keep Evans at first, Evans stole second
o Henry singled to left center sending Evans to the plate with the Spartans 5th run
 One run scored

It’s hard to lose, especially by one run. The Spartans will keep battling, regroup and learn from their mistakes. They will have a chance to come back fighting against the Lions at home on Monday at 5:00 pm. Hope to see you there!

Final Score: Athens Academy 5, Hebron Christian 6

Posted by Mrs. Reigle at 10:26 PM | Permalink

Athens Academy @ Tallulah Falls
April 10, 2008

Tag Galvin had control of all his pitches as he gave up only one hit as the Spartans got back on the road to victory at Tallulah Falls.

Highlights:
• Tag pitched the full four innings, giving up one hit with two outs in the fourth inning, striking out 9 while walking only two
• McKay Matthews went 1 for 2, including a double, with four runs scored , 3 walks and 3 RBI’s
• Matt Woodruff was 2 for 2, including a double, with 2 runs scored, 2 walks and 3 RBI’s
• Patrick Jansen was 1 for 2 with a double and an RBI
• James Colquitt was 1 for 2 with 1 RBI
• Henry Terrell was 1 for 2 with two runs scored, 1 double and 1 RBI
• Thomas Sanders was 2 for 4 with 3 runs scored

Scoring:
• Second inning:
o Mark Sanders walked and stole second
o Thomas struck out, but reached first base on excellent hustle, sending Mark to third
o Thomas stole second
o McKay doubled, scoring Mark and Thomas
o Matt walked
o Patrick doubled, sending McKay home
 Three runs scored

• Third inning:
o Henry Terrell led off the inning with a solid double to left field, went to third on a passed ball and came home on a balk
o Mark Sanders walked
o Thomas doubled moving Mark to third
o Mark and Thomas scored on an error by the shortstop, with McKay ending up on second base
o Matt and Evans Wellborn walked, loading the bases
o Hunter Stiles singled, sending McKay and Matt home
o Evans scored on a passed ball
 Six runs scored

• Fourth inning:
o Thomas led off with a single
o McKay walked
o Matt singled up the middle, scoring Thomas
o James singled, scoring McKay
o Evans walked loading the bases
o Hunter reached on a fielder’s choice, scoring Matt as Evans was put out at second
o Russ DeVore came in to run for Hunter
o Tag and Henry walked scoring James
o Gaines Hill, pinch hitting for Mark, singled scoring Russ
o McKay walked sending Tag across the plate with the sixth run of the inning
o Matt doubled to left field scoring Henry and Gaines
o James reached on an error by the third baseman scoring McKay with the final run of the inning
 Nine runs scored

The team played well and displayed great spirit and support of each other in the dugout.

They will play again tomorrow at Hebron Christian at 4:00. Hope to see you there!

Special appreciation to Nancy Sanders, Lynn Stiles, Margaret Wellborn, Tom Sanders, Sr., and Tom Reigle for making the trip to Tallulah Falls to support the team.

Final Score: Athens Academy 18, Tallulah Falls 0

Posted by Mrs. Reigle at 10:31 PM | Permalink

Athens Academy @ Lakeview
April 9, 2008

The Spartans played hard and they played well against an outstanding Lakeview baseball team, but came up one run short.

Highlights:
• Matt Woodruff played incredible center field… he made the catches and held the base runners to one base when it looked certain they would score or get two bases on a single
• McKay Matthews was rock solid at shortstop
• McKay had three solid singles
• Patrick Jansen was 1 for 3 with 2 RBI’s
• Evans Wellborn was 2 for 4 with 3 RBI’s
• Henry Terrell was 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI
• Russ DeVore pitched all six innings, mixing up his pitches, keeping the game close and giving the Spartans a great chance to win the game

Scoring:
• Third inning:
o Mark Sanders and McKay each singled
o They both advanced to second and third respectively on an error
o Matt walked, loading the bases
o Evans singled up the middle scoring Mark and McKay
o Matt was thrown out attempting to steal home
 Two runs scored

• Fifth inning:
o McKay led off with a single
o Matt walked
o McKay and Matt advanced on a passed ball
o Patrick singled, scoring McKay and Matt
o Evans singled, Patrick went to second
o Tag Galvin reached on a fielder’s choice and Patrick scored on a throwing error by the second baseman
o Henry reached on a fielder’s choice, scoring Evans
 Four runs scored

• Sixth inning:
o McKay led off with a single
o Matt walked
o Patrick was hit by a pitch, loading the bases
o Evans grounded out to second, scoring McKay
o Hunter Stiles grounded out to first, scoring Matt
 Two runs scored

The Spartans looked impressive against the Lakeview Lions. Henry led off the seventh inning with a double and went to third on a wild pitch but the Spartans could not get the run home to tie the game. They once again played with heart and gave it their all, but came up just a little bit short.

The Spartans will travel to Tallulah Falls tomorrow for a 5:00 pm game. Hope to see you there!

Final Score: Athens Academy 8, Lakeview 9

Posted by Mrs. Reigle at 9:49 PM | Permalink

Athens Academy verses Social Circle
April 7, 2008

The Spartans gave up five unearned runs with two outs in the seventh inning in a heartbreaking loss to the Redskins at home.

The Spartans started off the game with five runs in each of the first two innings, but could only muster one more run in the remaining five innings.

Offensive highlights:
• The Spartans hit six doubles, McKay Matthews, Matt Woodruff, Patrick Jansen, Tag Galvin (2) and James Colquitt
• Matt was 1 for 2 with a double, 2 walks, a sacrifice bunt and 1 RBI
• Patrick was 2 for 4 with a double and 2 RBI’s
• Tag was 2 for 4 with 2 doubles and 3 RBI’s
• Henry was 2 for 4 with 2 RBI’s
• The Spartans stole 6 bases, and earned 7 walks while only striking out twice

Defensive highlights:
• Evans Wellborn had 6 assists and 1 put-out making several outstanding plays at the hot corner.
• Hunter Stiles blocked extremely well at the catcher’s position and threw an incredible strike to first base, apparently picking the runner off.
• Thomas Sanders continues to make solid plays at first base
• Matt came in for an excellent catch in center field and kept the runner from scoring from second on a single.

Scoring:
• First inning:
o McKay led off with a double and scored on Matt’s double
o Patrick bunted Matt to third and reached first on a fielder’s choice
o Russ came to run for Patrick as a courtesy runner
o Matt came in to score on Hunter’s hard hit ball to first
o Tag doubled, scoring Russ
o Henry singled, scoring Tag, and stole second base
o Mark Sanders singled scoring Henry
 Five runs scored

• Second inning:
o Matt walked and stole second
o Patrick singled to score Matt
o Russ came in to run for Patrick and went to second on a wild pitch
o Russ was thrown out trying to steal third
o Evans walked and stole second
o Hunter walked. Evans went to third and James Waugh (running for Hunter) went to second on a wild pitch
o Evans and James scored on a double to the wall by Tag
o Henry singled, scoring Tag
o James Colquitt hit a double to deep center scoring Henry
 Five runs scored

• Fifth inning
o McKay led off the inning with a walk and went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Matt
o Patrick doubled, scoring McKay
 One run scored

The Spartans put forth a good offensive attack in the first two innings but four uncharacteristic errors were more than their offensive attack could overcome. They will regroup and head up to Lakeview for a 4:30 game on Wednesday. They will then travel to Tallulah Falls and Hebron on Thursday and Friday for two more region games this week. Hope to see you there!

Final Score: Athens Academy 11, Social Circle 12

Posted by Mrs. Reigle at 11:14 PM | Permalink

Athens Academy verses Social Circle (rain-out)
April 4, 2008

The Spartans and Redskins played over 3 innings before the clouds opened up and caused the game to be declared a rain-out. Although the game will be started from the beginning and stats do not count, there were highlights to share!

Scoring:
• In the third inning, James Colquitt led off the game (on his 17th birthday) with a walk.
• Matt Woodruff walked
• Patrick Jansen took the first pitch thrown to him and hit an explosive triple to the fence scoring James and Matt

Defense:
• In the first inning, Thomas Sanders went to his right at first base, snagged a hard hit ball, and then hustled back to the base for an unassisted out
• Thomas earned 7 put-outs in the first 3 2/3 innings, making his mark as an excellent first baseman
• In the third inning, McKay Matthews made a sensational play on what looked like a sure single up the middle and threw the runner out at first
• Evans Wellborn made three excellent plays, one in each inning, robbing the Redskins of base runners
• The Spartans had no errors

There will be four games played this week, starting off with the Redskins on Monday, April 7th, at 5:00 pm. Hope to see you there!

Posted by Mrs. Reigle at 5:17 PM | Permalink

Athens Academy @ Athens Christian
April 1, 2008

The Spartans were unable to produce sufficient fire power to overcome the Eagle’s six hit offensive attack.

Highlights:
• James Colquitt was one for two with a triple
• Mark Sanders hit a powerful double in the sixth, scoring Gaines Hill from first
• Tag Galvin came in to pitch in the fifth inning to relieve Patrick Jansen and struck out the side
• Evans Wellborn made two outstanding defensive plays in the sixth inning, throwing one player out at the plate and stepping on third base after playing the hot corner perfectly for the third out of the inning
• McKay Matthews, Hunter Stiles, and Thomas Sanders singled
• Thomas displayed confidence and maturity playing first base

Scoring:
• James led off the third inning with a triple and came home on an error by the Eagle’s third baseman
• Hunter Stiles singled in the sixth. Gaines Hill came in to run for him and scored on a double by Mark Sanders

The Eagles put an outstanding pitcher on the mound. A couple of close call went in favor of the Eagles, but that is baseball. Once again, the Spartans filled the stands with avid fans and consistently cheered on the team.

The Spartans will take on an excellent Social Circle team at home on Friday at 6:30. Hope to see you there!

Final Score: Athens Academy 2, Athens Christian 8

Posted by Mrs. Reigle at 10:14 PM | Permalink

Athens Academy @ Monroe Area
March 27, 2008

The Spartans played a close, hard fought game against the Purple Hurricanes with lots of hits and runs.

Highlights:
• Tag Galvin was 3 for 4 with 2 RBI’s
• Henry Terrell was 2 for 4 with 1 RBI
• Evans Wellborn went 1 for 3 with a monster homerun to left center, scored three times and had 3 RBI’s
• James Colquitt and McKay Matthews hit the ball hard with each having 1 hit
• James made a couple outstanding catches in left field
• Matt Woodruff went 1 for 3 with a triple to the right field fence

Pitching:
• Tag Galvin pitched the first 4 innings
• Henry Terrell pitched the 5th-7th innings

Scoring:
• Third inning:
o McKay walked and stole second. Matt walked and Patrick Jansen was hit by a pitch loading the bases.
o Evans Wellborn walked with the bases loaded, sending McKay home
o Hunter Stiles singled to right scoring Matt.
o Tag Galvin singled scoring Patrick (Everett Young ran for Tag)
o With the bases loaded, Mark Sanders walked scoring Evans with the 4th run of the inning.

• Fourth inning:
o Matt reached on an error by the third baseman and stole second
o Patrick doubled, sending Matt home
o Evans reached on a error by the first baseman scoring Patrick
o Evans went to second on a hard hit ball by Hunter
o Tag singled up the middle, scoring Evans
o Everett came in to run for Tag and stole second base
o Henry singled, sending Everett home for the 4th run of the inning

• Fifth inning:
o James led off the inning with a single to short, showcasing his outstanding speed (he was then thrown out attempting to steal second on a very close call)
o McKay singled and stole second
o McKay came home when the first baseman couldn’t handle a hard hit ball by Patrick who was safe at first
o Evans Wellborn took the next pitch over the fence in left center for a powerful two run homer (the 10th and 11th runs of the game)

The Spartans had 11 hits and several hard hit balls were caught by the defense. Both teams made some excellent defensive plays. Neither team would give up. Matt tripled in the seventh, but the Hurricanes had the last at bat and took advantage by scoring the winning run. The Spartans will travel to Athens Christian on Tuesday, April 1st, for a 4:30 game. Hope to see you there.

Final score: Athens Academy 11, Monroe Area 12

Athens Academy: 7-3 overall, 4-1 region

Posted by Mrs. Reigle at 11:04 PM | Permalink

Athens Academy verses Commerce
March 25, 2008

The Spartans picked up a big region win as they defeated Commerce at home.

Highlights:
• Patrick Jansen was 2 for 3 with a homerun and 5 RBI’s
• Tag Galvin was 2 for 4 with a double
• Hunter Stiles was 1 for 3 with a double
• Russ DeVore picked up the win going 5 innings and scattering 7 hits, while striking out 5

Scoring:
• Third inning:
o Matt Woodruff reached on a fielder’s choice and went to second on a balk
o Patrick Jansen came up to bat with Matt on second and blasted the second pitch deep into the pines in right field for a two run homerun

• Fourth inning:
o Mark Sanders walked and went to second on a wild pitch
o McKay Matthews, Matt and Patrick had consecutive walks, with Patrick earning an RBI as Mark came home

• Fifth inning:
o Tag Galvin doubled, went to third on consecutive walks by Mark and James Colquitt and scored on a wild pitch
o McKay and Matt also walked with Mark scoring on Matt’s walk
o Patrick singled sending James and McKay home
o Matt stole home as Patrick stole second

• Sixth inning:
o Tag reached on an error, went to second on a wild pitch, third on a 6-3 putout and came home on another wild pitch

Defensively:
• With bases loaded in the fourth inning, Evans Wellborn stopped a hard ground ball and stepped on the base for the third out of the inning

Pitching:
• Russ, McKay and Henry struck out nine Tigers

The Spartans made the most of their five hits and 11 walks to beat a Commerce team that hit the ball well. Special thanks to Tom Reigle for keeping the scorebook for the game. The Spartans will travel to Monroe Area for a 5:30 game on Thursday, March 27th. Hope to see you there!

Final Score: Athens Academy 9, Commerce 5

Posted by Mrs. Reigle at 11:00 PM | Permalink

Athens Academy @ Prince Avenue
March 24, 2008

Patrick Jansen was impressive on the mound as he went 3 1/3 innings before allowing a hit against Prince Avenue in a well played game.

Highlights:

• McKay Matthews: 3 for 4 with 3 runs scored, 2 doubles, a stolen base and 1 RBI… he showed outstanding hustle in the fourth inning making the most of a well hit ball down the third base line
• Patrick Jansen: 1 for 3 with a double and1 RBI
• Hunter Stiles: 2 for 3 with 1 RBI
• Tag Galvin: 2/2 with 1 RBI
• Mark Sanders: 2/3 with 1 RBI
• Patrick Jansen pitched 5 1/3 innings, giving up 3 hits and no earned runs… he went 3 1/3 innings before giving up his first hit
• McKay Matthews came in relief, finishing the game and giving up only one hit
• Defensively, Mark Sanders was involved in seven defensive plays (5 assists and 2 put-outs)

Scoring:
• First inning:
o McKay led off the game with a strong double to left field and went to third on a wild pitch.
o Patrick Jansen was hit by a pitch. Thomas Sanders came in to run for him and advanced to second on a wild pitch. A walk to Evans Wellborn loaded the bases. McKay scored on a single by Hunter Stiles and Thomas scored when Tag Galvin also was hit by a pitch.
o Evans scored on an error by the shortstop.

• Second inning:
o McKay walked, stole second, went to third on a fly to center and came home on an error

• Third inning:
o Hunter led off the inning with a single. Everett Young came in to run for him, went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Tag, and scored on a Mark Sanders single

• Fourth inning:
o McKay led off with a double, went to third on a sacrifice bunt by Matt Woodruff and came home on a double by Patrick Jansen
o Thomas Sanders came in to run for Patrick and scored on a single by Tag Galvin

The Spartans picked up a huge win in the region with their victory over the Wolverines. It was great to see Brett Satterfield, who was home for spring break from the Air Force Academy, at the game. The Spartans once again put a well coached, fundamentally solid team on the field and reaped the benefits with an impressive win.

Final Score: Athens Academy 7, Prince Avenue 1

Posted by Mrs. Reigle at 11:29 PM | Permalink

Athens Academy verses Towns County
March 20, 2008

Highlights:
• Mark Sanders: 3/3 with 3 runs scored, 2 RBI’s
• Matt Woodruff: 3/4 with 2 runs scored, a triple, 2 stolen bases and 3 RBI’s
• Patrick Jansen: 1/1 with 2 RBI’s
• James Colquitt: 1/ 2 with two runs scored and 2 RBI’s
• Tag Galvin: 1/3 with a double and 2 RBI’s

Pitching:
• Russ DeVore went the first two innings
• Henry Terrell went the next two innings, picking up the win
• Tag Galvin pitched the fifth inning, facing only three batters

Scoring:
• First Inning:
o Patrick Jansen was hit by a pitch in the first and scored on a throwing error

• Second Inning:
o Mark Sanders singled, stole second and came home on Matt’s triple
o McKay Matthews singled, stole second and also came home on Matt’s triple
o Matt tripled and scored after three consecutive walks by Patrick, Evans Wellborn and Hunter Stiles (who got the RBI)
o Tag Galvin doubled sending Patrick and Evans home
o Mark Sanders doubled sending Thomas Sanders (running for Hunter) and Tag across home plate
o James walked
o McKay reached on an error and Mark hustled home for the 8th run of the inning
o Matt singled sending James home for the 9th and final run of the inning

• Third inning:
o Hunter led off the inning with a walk (Thomas came in as a courtesy runner)
o Henry Terrell was hit by a pitch. Everett Young came in as a courtesy runner for the pitcher
o Mark slugged his third consecutive hit, loading the bases
o Thomas came home while Everett Mark moved up a base on a wild pitch
o James fired a line drive to center field for a single, scoring Everett and Mark
o James stole second base, went to third on an error and came home on another error.
o Patrick singled sending McKay and Matt home (who had both reached base on errors) for the 5th and 6th runs of the inning

• Fourth inning:
o Gaines Hill (in for Hunter), Tag Galvin and Henry reached first on consecutive walks
o Russ DeVore came in to run for Tag and James Waugh came in to run for Henry
o Everett Young hit a long sacrifice fly to right field sending Gaines home for the final run of the game

The Spartans picked up their fifth win of the season and the second in the Region. It was fun to see Bucky Woodruff at the game. The Spartans will play at Prince Avenue next Monday, March 24th. Hope to see you there!

Final Score: Athens Academy 17, Towns County 5 (in 4 ½ innings)
Russ DeVore pitching against Towns County

Posted by Mrs. Reigle at 11:46 PM | Permalink

Athens Academy @ Jefferson
March 18, 2008

The Spartans may be young but they play with heart and produced a solid, spirited effort against a strong Jefferson team.

Offensively:
• The Spartans scored two runs on 6 hits
o Matt Woodruff:1 for 4
o Henry Terrell: 1 for 3, 1 RBI
o Mark Sanders: 2 for 3, 1 RBI
o Tag Galvin: 1 for 3
o James Colquitt: 1 for 3

Scoring:
• Fourth inning:
o Patrick Jansen walked, stole second and came home on a Henry Terrell single
• Seventh inning:
o Tag led off the inning with a strong single to center and scored on Mark Sanders’ double (both hits were off Jefferson’s ace, who came in relief in the seventh inning)

Defensively:
• Matt threw a perfect strike to home plate in the sixth inning nailing a Jefferson player trying to score on a single to left center.

Pitching:
• Patrick pitched the first five innings, giving up five hits and striking out eight, while only walking two
• McKay Matthews pitched the last inning allowing three hits and not walking a batter

It was a close, hard fought game. The Spartans come to play and were a joy to watch.

Final score: Jefferson 6, Athens Academy 2

Posted by Mrs. Reigle at 11:14 PM | Permalink

Athens Academy verses Greene County
March 6, 2008

Highlights:

• Evans Wellborn went 2 for 4 with a towering homerun to left; had 3 RBI’s and stole home
• Hunter Stiles went 3 for 5 with a double and threw three runners out trying to steal second (against a team known for their speed)
• Henry Terrell went two for five with a three run blast to left field along with a double. He came in for relief in the sixth and on the first pitch got the batter to hit into a double play.
• McKay Matthews went 2 for five with 2 RBI’s and had a sensational catch in the third going deep into left field for the out.
• Russ DeVore threw all strikes in the first inning and picked up his second win of the season scattering seven hits

Final Score: Athens Academy 15, Greene County 10

Posted by Mrs. Reigle at 10:36 PM | Permalink

Athens Academy verses Tallulah Falls
March 3, 2008

The Spartans were victorious in their first region game of the 2008 season defeating Tallulah Falls with many fans in the stands.

Pitching:
• Patrick Jansen pitched all four innings only allowing one unearned run, striking out six while walking three.

Offensively:
First inning: 15 Spartans came to the plate! 9 Scored!!
• McKay Matthews led off the game with a smashing triple to right center and scored on a sacrifice bunt by Matt Woodruff
• Matt stole second base and went to third on a passed ball
• Patrick Jansen walked and advanced to second on a passed ball
• Matt and Patrick scored on a single by Evans Wellborn
• Evans stole second and went to third on a passed ball
• Hunter Stiles walked and advanced to second on a passed ball
• Tag Galvin reached first on an error, sending Evans home and Hunter to third
• Hunter scored on a passed ball
• Mark Sanders walked
• James Colquitt came to the plate with men on second and third and took the first pitch to deep left field for his first home run of the season (a three run shot!)
• McKay came to bat for the second time the inning and reached first on an error
• Matt, Evans and Hunter walked, with Hunter earning an RBI as McKay crossed home plate
Third Inning:
• Patrick, Evans and Hunter had back to back to back singles with Patrick scoring on Hunter’s single
• Henry Terrell singled sending Evans across the plate for the 11th run of the game
Fourth inning:
• McKay led off with a single
• Matt reached first on an error
• Gaines Hill walked loading the bases
• Evans walked sending McKay home
• James Waugh reached on an error scoring Matt
• Zack Kittle reached on a fielder’s choice scoring Gaines
• Everett Young walked, again loading the bases
• Mark Sanders walked scoring Thomas Sanders who was running for Evans
• Russ DeVore walked sending Zack home with the winning run

Defensively:
• Hunter threw out runners attempting to steal second in the second and fourth innings

Highlights Included:
• McKay: 3 for 4 with a triple
• Patrick: 1 for 2
• Evans Wellborn: 2/2 with 3 RBI’s
• Hunter Stiles: 1/1 with 2 RBI’s
• James Colquitt: 2/2 with a homerun and 3 RBI’s

The mercy rule was applied as the Spartans picked up their third victory of the season.

Final Score: Athens Academy 16, Tallulah Falls 1

Posted by Mrs. Reigle at 10:38 PM | Permalink

Athens Academy @ Greene County
February 29, 2008

The Spartans could not manage a sustained offensive attack and suffered their first loss of the season to Green County.

Pitching:
• Henry Terrell started and pitched 3 1/3 innings, giving up four runs on five hits.
• McKay Matthews pitched the final 2 2/3 innings, striking out four while walking only one. Coach Chuboff was thrilled to see McKay throw the curve ball with two strikes on two batters, and catch both of them looking for a called strike three.

Offensively:

Third inning:
• With two outs, James Colquitt reached first base on an error
• McKay singled up the middle
• Matt Woodruff walked
• Patrick Jansen singled, sending James and McKay home

Fourth inning:
• Hunter Stiles was hit by a pitch
• Tag Galvin reached first on a fielder’s choice
• Everett Young came in to run for Tag
• Thomas Sanders singled
• James walked, loading the bases
• McKay walked with bases loaded, sending Everett home

Fifth inning:
• Evans Wellborn walked
• Russ DeVore came in as a courtesy runner for Evans
• Hunter singled
• Tag singled Russ home

Both Hunter and Thomas were 2 for 3 at the plate.

The Spartans will play at home against Tallulah Falls in their first region game on Monday, March 3rd.

Final Score: Athens Academy 4, Greene County 5

Posted by Mrs. Reigle at 9:56 PM | Permalink

Athens Academy verses East Jackson
February 28, 2008

The Spartans once again sparkled offensively, defensively and on the mount in their five inning win against East Jackson.

Pitching:
• Russ DeVore pitched the first four innings looking spectacular on the mound… he gave up one hit, one run (unearned), struck out seven and only walked one
• Tag Galvin came in relief in the fifth inning and closed out the game striking out one and getting the other three players to make infield outs

Offensively:
First inning:
• McKay Matthews walked, stole second, and game home on a fielder’s choice
Second inning: HOT SIZZLING BATS!
• Hunter Stiles led off with a single.
• Two fly ball outs were hit to the outfield
• The Spartans had eight consecutive hits and 8 runs scored
• The 8 consecutive hits were by: Mark Sanders, James Colquitt, McKay Matthews, Matt Woodruff (2B), Patrick Jansen, Evans Wellborn, Hunter Stiles (2B), and Tag Galvin
Third inning:
• McKay led off with a walk
• Matt bunted him to second base
• Patrick walked
• Evans doubled
• Hunter doubled
• McKay, Patrick, Evans and Hunter scored
Fourth inning:
• McKay singled, went to second on a Matt’s walk, went to third on a passed ball and came home on a fielder’s choice
• Matt went to second on a passed ball, stole third and came home on another passed ball

The mercy rule was applied and the Spartans picked up their second victory of the season.

Final Score: Athens Academy 15, East Jackson 1

Posted by Mrs. Reigle at 12:53 PM | Permalink

February 25, 2008

Opening day win!

The Spartans kicked off the new baseball season with an opening day victory over Oglethorpe County.
The offense was hot, the defense sparkled and the pitching was superb!
Offensively:
1st inning:
• Matt Woodruff walked, stole second and third, and scored on a passed ball
• Evans Wellborn walked, went to second on a passed ball , to 3rd on a wild pitch, and scored on an error
2nd inning:
• Henry Terrell walked, stole second, went to third on a sacrifice bunt by Mark Sanders and scored on a double by James Colquitt
• James scored on a triple by Matt to right center
• Matt scored on a towering homerun to right center by Patrick Jansen
• Hunter Stiles singled, but was left stranded
3rd inning:
• Mark Sanders walked, stole second and went to third on a single by McKay Matthews
• McKay stole second and Matt walked
• The Spartans left the bases loaded
4th inning:
• Tag Galvin walked
• Everett Young came in to run for Tag and showed great speed as he scored from first on a Henry Terrell double
• Mark Sanders walked
• Henry and Mark executed a double steal to second and third with two outs, but were left on base
5th inning:
• McKay Matthews led off with a single, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and came home on a sacrifice fly by Patrick Jansen
6th inning:
• Henry Terrell doubled to deep right center went to third on consecutive walks by Mark and McKay, and scored on a wild pitch
Defensively:
• The Spartans were strong defensively, committing only one error
• In the fourth inning, they turned an outstanding double play … Mark Sanders (2nd base) to Henry Terrell (shortstop) to Tag Galvin (first base)
Pitching:
• Patrick Jansen picked up the win, going four innings, giving up three runs and six hits, striking out six and walking only one
• Henry Terrell went the final three innings with no hits, no runs, no walks and four strikeouts
The Spartans welcomed new assistant coach Andrew Nonni, who did an excellent job with his strong baseball knowledge and great enthusiasm for the game.
It was incredible to watch such a young team come together for their first win of the season.
The Spartans will be playing at East Jackson tomorrow (Tuesday, February 26th) at 5:00 p.m.
Hope to see you there!
Final Score: Athens Academy 9, Oglethorpe 3

Posted by Mrs. Reigle at 10:10 PM | Permalink

The baseball Spartans traveled to Milledgeville to scrimmage the Bulldogs from GMC.

The Spartans looked strong on defense. Matt Woodruff made an outstanding catch in center field. Thomas Sanders, playing at the hot corner, fired a strike to home plate in the seventh inning with bases loaded to get the runner out.

Offensively, Matt hit a double down the right field line, making it to second with great hustle. Hunter Stiles also singled in the sixth inning.

Patrick Jansen, Russ DeVore and Tag Galvin pitched for the Spartans.

The Spartans open the regular season at home on Monday, February 25th, verses Oglethorpe at 5:00 p.m.

Hope to see you there!

Posted by Mrs. Reigle at 10:27 PM | Permalink