THOMASVILLE —
Welcome to the postseason Thomasville High.
Awaiting the Bulldogs in the opening round of the Class AA playoffs are the Appling County Pirates. Appling is 25-1, 16-0 in Region 2 and feature one of the top prospects in the country in Byron Buxton.
“They’re a very good baseball team,” Thomasville coach Erik McDougald said. “If you even look at who these guys have played, these guys have beaten little, beaten big, they’ve beaten in between. They deserve it. They’re a well-coached team.
“Jeremy (Smith) over there, he’s a friend of mine. We like to chit chat and hang out up at the clinic. He’s a good dude. I know that he does a good job. He’s surrounded by some really good athletes.”
The best of the athletes is Buxton, a senior who could be the No. 1 pick in next June’s draft. The Pirates’ ace pitcher has been clocked as fast as 99 mph on the gun this season. According to McDougald, Buxton’s one of many talented players the Pirates have at their disposal.
“They’re just a good blend of everything,” McDougald said. “Defensively, from what I understand, their middle infield guys are the leaders of the field and kind of the field generals out there. They’ve got a signal-caller that does a good job. They’re led by, what could potentially be the No. 1 draft pick in the land. They’ve got some really good players.
“But at the same time they’re high school kids, too. You just never know what you’re going to get with a high school kid.”
For full details, see Wednesday's edition of the Times-Enterprise.
Raw: Baby White Rhino Debuts at Australian Zoo
Time Lapse: Rebuilding Bridge Post-collapse
Ohio Woman Accuses 3 of Holding Her Captive
Hunt for Ex-Teamster Boss Hoffa's Remains Ends
Aug. Trial Set for Ohio Man in Triple Kidnapping
Car Crash in NYC's East Village Injures 8
Obama Renews Call for Nuclear Reductions
Raw: Car Jumps Curb in NYC, Injures 8
Unusual Heat Wave Bakes Alaska
Raw: German President Welcomes President Obama
Raw: Arizona Wildfire Scorches 8 Square Miles
Raw: Huge Fire Near Yosemite National Park
Kid Couture: Spending Big Bucks on Babies
