By Concepcion Ledezma Riverbend News
Radio broadcaster Nevada Cullin couldn't say enough about Hamilton County High School's (HCHS) Chandler Howard while on the air.
The junior catcher made quite an impression on the play-by-play personality from Union County Radio during the Trojans' nightcap of their doubleheader against number one (Class 1A) state-ranked and previously undefeated Union County (UC) Tigers on Wednesday night, March 31.
Earlier in the game, a 6-3 Trojans victory, Howard made three key defensive plays -- he produced two pin-point throws to second base to prevent steals and a big catch on a tricky foul ball pop-up near the third base dugout.
At bat, Howard recorded two loud outs on hard-hit fly outs to center field and the broadcaster was smelling trouble for the team the radio station covers as the Trojan catcher came up for his third turn at bat.
"Can (Union County relief pitcher Ethan) Moody get Howard out a third time?" Cullin declared from the HCHS press box to his listening audience during a tense fifth inning. Hamilton County was nursing a 4-3 lead.
The answer was a resounding "No!"
From the left side of the plate, Howard (a .421 hitter) drilled a pivotal, one-out RBI single to center field that was key for the eventual Trojans victory to earn a split in a doubleheader over Union County and knock the Tigers off the undefeated ranks.
When asked if this was a statement game, Coach Chris Howard replied, "I hope so. I told the guys this was the number one team in the state. Maybe this will give us some confidence. I mean, this is how good we can be."
The visiting Tigers came into the district match up with a 14-0 record; they had won their 15th in a row in the opener by a 6-2 score before Hamilton County rebounded with its morale-boosting win.
The Trojans' record is 10-6 through Friday, April 2.
"We knew that if we won one of the two games, it would be big for us," Chandler Howard said. "We proved tonight that we're that caliber of a team, that we could take down the number one ranked team in the state."
Howard was the Trojans' starting pitcher in game one, giving up six runs, three unearned as early fielding mistakes proved costly. In four innings of work, he struck out four, walked one and hit two batters. Senior right hander Caleb Deas came in relief to pitch two scoreless innings.
In game two, HCHS got a big game out of left-handed starter Trayson Rogers, who kept Union County scoreless the last five innings of the game; he retired 14 of the last 15 batters he faced for the complete-game victory. The one batter who got on base (on a single) was gunned down by Howard attempting to steal second. Trayson finished with four strikeouts and walked none.
"A game like this is a real boost to the team," Rogers said. "It's a learning experience in that it shows what it's like to go against a real state (level) team, and see how it's going to be like (during run for postseason)."
Three of the four hits Trayson gave up came in the first two innings, when the Trojans fell behind 3-1. That's when Hamilton County gradually chipped away at the lead.
From his catcher position, Howard played a big role in keeping Union County from doing more damage than it initially did, holding the Tigers to a two-run lead. His most impressive assist was when he threw out UC's speedy lead off hitter Quinton Rawls attempting to steal second base to stop a potential big inning.
"It slowed their momentum down," Howard the catcher said. "In the first game, they tried to run. Their game plan was to put runners on base and get the runners to run and move them over (with stolen bases or sacrifices)."
The coach agreed, "That changes the game."
The third inning started uneventfully for HCHS, as Union County left hander Lucas Johns (4-1) got two quick outs on ground outs. Lead off hitter Julian Garcia followed with a two-out single to left. After stealing second, Devin Cherry knocked him in with a single to right to cut UC's lead to 3-2.
For the game, Garcia reached base on all four plate appearances with a walk and three singles. He scored three runs to lead the Trojans. Cherry did his job at the number two spot, with two sacrifice hits, including a first-inning sacrifice fly.
In the fourth inning, the Trojans scored twice and tasted the lead for the first time in the doubleheader at 4-3.
Tmoriyon Paul led off the fourth with a single, then added to his team-leading 17 stolen bases when he took second. Two outs later, he scored on Denandre Johnson's lining single to left field to make the game 3-3. Rogers kept the inning alive with an infield single, putting runners at first and third with two outs.
The Trojans then got a big break on a Union County miscue during a pick off attempt. With the UC infielders' attention drawn to Rogers between first and second bases, Johnson sneaked in from third base for Hamilton's first lead at 4-3. Rogers, meanwhile, slid safely to second on a throw that bounced on the dirt.
"We didn't play well enough in the second game to beat them," UC coach Travis Rimes said. "We're usually the team that puts the pressure on the other team and have them make the mistakes. In this game, Hamilton was the team that put the pressure on us; this is the most errors (three) we've committed in a game all season."
HCHS added two in the fifth inning for the final score. Garcia continued his hot-hitting with a lead off single; Cherry sacrificed him over to second. Howard followed with his RBI single. Even though Howard was eventually caught stealing at third, Paul (who singled) advanced home when the UC catcher made an errant throw to third base that went to left field.
"Our (school) name will pop up everywhere after this, wondering who Hamilton County is," Howard, the catcher, said.
Despite the victory, the biggest question mark for HCHS going forward is the shortstop position. During the doubleheader, Coach Howard and his assistant Jerel Tolle, Sr., made numerous defensive shifts and it centered around using three different shortstops during the twin bill.
"If you know of any shortstop in the market, let me know," the coach joked. "Shortstop's been a problem for us all year. We'll figure it out."
Even so, the Trojans continued their winning ways as Spring Break got underway on Good Friday. HCHS defeated Hilliard 11-4 in Nassau County for their 10th victory of the season. The win avenged a 9-1 home loss to the Red Flash 14 days before.
Chandler Howard was once again exceptional with the bat and behind the plate. He went two for three while adding to his team-leading seventh double of the season; he also knocked in two runs and gunned down a base runner attempting to steal second base.
By Concepcion Ledezma Riverbend News
Radio broadcaster Nevada Cullin couldn't say enough about Hamilton County High School's (HCHS) Chandler Howard while on the air.
The junior catcher made quite an impression on the play-by-play personality from Union County Radio during the Trojans' nightcap of their doubleheader against number one (Class 1A) state-ranked and previously undefeated Union County (UC) Tigers on Wednesday night, March 31.
Earlier in the game, a 6-3 Trojans victory, Howard made three key defensive plays -- he produced two pin-point throws to second base to prevent steals and a big catch on a tricky foul ball pop-up near the third base dugout.
At bat, Howard recorded two loud outs on hard-hit fly outs to center field and the broadcaster was smelling trouble for the team the radio station covers as the Trojan catcher came up for his third turn at bat.
"Can (Union County relief pitcher Ethan) Moody get Howard out a third time?" Cullin declared from the HCHS press box to his listening audience during a tense fifth inning. Hamilton County was nursing a 4-3 lead.
The answer was a resounding "No!"
From the left side of the plate, Howard (a .421 hitter) drilled a pivotal, one-out RBI single to center field that was key for the eventual Trojans victory to earn a split in a doubleheader over Union County and knock the Tigers off the undefeated ranks.
When asked if this was a statement game, Coach Chris Howard replied, "I hope so. I told the guys this was the number one team in the state. Maybe this will give us some confidence. I mean, this is how good we can be."
The visiting Tigers came into the district match up with a 14-0 record; they had won their 15th in a row in the opener by a 6-2 score before Hamilton County rebounded with its morale-boosting win.
The Trojans' record is 10-6 through Friday, April 2.
"We knew that if we won one of the two games, it would be big for us," Chandler Howard said. "We proved tonight that we're that caliber of a team, that we could take down the number one ranked team in the state."
Howard was the Trojans' starting pitcher in game one, giving up six runs, three unearned as early fielding mistakes proved costly. In four innings of work, he struck out four, walked one and hit two batters. Senior right hander Caleb Deas came in relief to pitch two scoreless innings.
In game two, HCHS got a big game out of left-handed starter Trayson Rogers, who kept Union County scoreless the last five innings of the game; he retired 14 of the last 15 batters he faced for the complete-game victory. The one batter who got on base (on a single) was gunned down by Howard attempting to steal second. Trayson finished with four strikeouts and walked none.
"A game like this is a real boost to the team," Rogers said. "It's a learning experience in that it shows what it's like to go against a real state (level) team, and see how it's going to be like (during run for postseason)."
Three of the four hits Trayson gave up came in the first two innings, when the Trojans fell behind 3-1. That's when Hamilton County gradually chipped away at the lead.
From his catcher position, Howard played a big role in keeping Union County from doing more damage than it initially did, holding the Tigers to a two-run lead. His most impressive assist was when he threw out UC's speedy lead off hitter Quinton Rawls attempting to steal second base to stop a potential big inning.
"It slowed their momentum down," Howard the catcher said. "In the first game, they tried to run. Their game plan was to put runners on base and get the runners to run and move them over (with stolen bases or sacrifices)."
The coach agreed, "That changes the game."
The third inning started uneventfully for HCHS, as Union County left hander Lucas Johns (4-1) got two quick outs on ground outs. Lead off hitter Julian Garcia followed with a two-out single to left. After stealing second, Devin Cherry knocked him in with a single to right to cut UC's lead to 3-2.
For the game, Garcia reached base on all four plate appearances with a walk and three singles. He scored three runs to lead the Trojans. Cherry did his job at the number two spot, with two sacrifice hits, including a first-inning sacrifice fly.
In the fourth inning, the Trojans scored twice and tasted the lead for the first time in the doubleheader at 4-3.
Tmoriyon Paul led off the fourth with a single, then added to his team-leading 17 stolen bases when he took second. Two outs later, he scored on Denandre Johnson's lining single to left field to make the game 3-3. Rogers kept the inning alive with an infield single, putting runners at first and third with two outs.
The Trojans then got a big break on a Union County miscue during a pick off attempt. With the UC infielders' attention drawn to Rogers between first and second bases, Johnson sneaked in from third base for Hamilton's first lead at 4-3. Rogers, meanwhile, slid safely to second on a throw that bounced on the dirt.
"We didn't play well enough in the second game to beat them," UC coach Travis Rimes said. "We're usually the team that puts the pressure on the other team and have them make the mistakes. In this game, Hamilton was the team that put the pressure on us; this is the most errors (three) we've committed in a game all season."
HCHS added two in the fifth inning for the final score. Garcia continued his hot-hitting with a lead off single; Cherry sacrificed him over to second. Howard followed with his RBI single. Even though Howard was eventually caught stealing at third, Paul (who singled) advanced home when the UC catcher made an errant throw to third base that went to left field.
"Our (school) name will pop up everywhere after this, wondering who Hamilton County is," Howard, the catcher, said.
Despite the victory, the biggest question mark for HCHS going forward is the shortstop position. During the doubleheader, Coach Howard and his assistant Jerel Tolle, Sr., made numerous defensive shifts and it centered around using three different shortstops during the twin bill.
"If you know of any shortstop in the market, let me know," the coach joked. "Shortstop's been a problem for us all year. We'll figure it out."
Even so, the Trojans continued their winning ways as Spring Break got underway on Good Friday. HCHS defeated Hilliard 11-4 in Nassau County for their 10th victory of the season. The win avenged a 9-1 home loss to the Red Flash 14 days before.
Chandler Howard was once again exceptional with the bat and behind the plate. He went two for three while adding to his team-leading seventh double of the season; he also knocked in two runs and gunned down a base runner attempting to steal second base.