Since being medically cleared to return to action, South Pittsburg pitcher Jacob Toney has begun to show why he is regarded as a top potential college prospect. Wednesday, in only his third appearance of the season, the 6-foot-3, 190-pound left-hander no-hit Whitwell to help the Pirates secure the No. 2 seed for the District 6-A tournament.
According to pgcrosschecker.com, which publishes scouting reports of high school and college baseball players in Tennessee, Toney is the top-rated sophomore in the state. University of Tennessee commitment Taylor Morton of Bartlett is the site’s top-rated senior, and Science Hill’s Daniel Norris is the No. 1 junior.
Toney gained a good bit of attention from scouts when he consistently hit 87 mph last summer while pitching for the Chattanooga Cyclones.
He had surgery on his right knee in November and returned to limited action two weeks ago. Working on a 30-pitch limit against Bledsoe County, Toney struck out four of the seven batters he faced and did not allow a run. He was allowed to double that pitch limit in a four-inning outing against East Hamilton last week, striking out seven and earning his first win of the season.
Coaches did not restrict the number of pitches he would throw Wednesday and Toney wound up striking out 13, including the last two he faced. While lowering his ERA to 0.53, Toney allowed one ball to be hit out of the infield, and in the later innings four Whitwell batters tried to bunt their way onto base.
“He’s still not throwing with everything he’s got, but his fastball is getting up there and he throws a good slider, changeup and curve, so he can mix it up pretty good,” said Pirates coach Wesley Stone, whose team has no seniors, five juniors, eight sophomores and a freshman.
“He’s getting stronger and more comfortable every time he goes out. There’s a huge confidence difference for the whole team when he’s on the mound.”
Baugh at home
Ooltewah pitcher and first baseman Garrett Baugh is home from the hospital. The Tennessee Tech signee was struck in the head Sunday by a foul ball that went into the Owls’ dugout, and he immediately was taken to Erlanger. He was in intensive care overnight but was moved to a regular room Monday afternoon and released Tuesday.
“He’s doing pretty well,” Owls coach Brian Hitchcox said. “He still has some headaches and he’s dizzy every now and then, which are concussion-type symptoms.”
Baugh is unlikely to pitch again for the Owls, who earned the top seed earlier this week for next week’s District 5-AAA tournament at Rhea County.
Lady Trojans rising
Soddy-Daisy, which made its 2010 debut four weeks ago at No. 36 in the ESPN Rise FAB 50 softball rankings, now is in the top 20 in two national polls. The Lady Trojans (40-2) are ranked 16th in the FAB 50 and 18th in the USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association Top 25.
Beech High from Hendersonville was rated 26th in the FAB 50 preseason poll and reached 15th in week 5. The Lady Buccaneers (32-3-1), whose losses all were to teams from Alabama, have slipped to 40th. They were No. 14 in the NFCA poll that came out April 15 but have sinced dropped out.
Riverdale, which beat the Lady Trojans in a sectional on the way to last year’s state championship, is 43-6 and among 19 teams listed “on the bubble” below the Top 25.
Bryan signs Farlett
Chattanooga Christian outside midfielder Hannah Farlett signed scholarship papers Thursday to continue her soccer career at Bryan College, which lost 2-1 to Union (Ky.) in the Appalachian Athletic Conference championship game last fall.
She also talked to coaches at Maryville, Covenant and Trevecca Nazarene but picked the Dayton school for its proximity to her Soddy-Daisy home and the direction the Lady Lions are heading under coach Mark Sauve.
“I’m excited about the soccer program at Bryan, and I really like the Christian atmosphere,” she said.
Farlett is a 5-foot-4, 115-pound “go-getter who always gives you everything,” CCS coach Cal Sneller said. “She’s got very good speed, and she knows where to go and where to put the ball. She’s very good at finding the open player.”
Farlett also played basketball for CCS and this year joined the softball team and is starting at second base. Sneller said concentrating on soccer will help her continue to develop.
“Hannah is a smart player,” Sauve said. “CCS has a real strong program and teaches the fundamentals. She’ll have an easier transition than most kids because of the coaching’s she had. And she has real strong character. I think she’s going to fit very well with the players we’ve got.”
Sauve has added eight players for the 2010 season and may get two more. He lost six from his 2009 team.
Maryville adds Shull
Boyd-Buchanan defensive back Taylor Shull will continue his football career at Maryville College, an NCAA Division III member. The Buccaneers’ three-year starter earned all-state honors after intercepting nine passes and helping the team reach the Class 2A state championship game. Shull was a two-time all-region performer.
“I’m very excited for him because it’s a testament to his work both on the field and in theclass room,” Bucs coach Grant Reynolds said.
Fling finals scattered
Because Middle Tennessee State University’s Reese Smith Field won’t be available, five high school fields will be used for this year’s TSSAA state baseball championship games. MTSU is hosting the Sun Belt Conference tournament at the same time as the annual Spring Fling.
This will be the second time in three years that Reese Stadium isn’t available to the TSSAA. Blackman High, Oakland and Siegel will be the three sites for the Division I championship games. LaVergne and Wilson Central will host the Division II finals.