CRESTVIEW— It was tough sledding for Crestview High School’s baseball team Thursday night as the Bulldogs hosted Navarre in a District 2-7A game.

The Raiders sent senior ace Matt Cronin to the mound and he showed why he is one of the top pitching prospects in the area. Cronin allowed just four hits and struck out 14 Bulldog batters to lead Navarre to a 6-3 win.

“You have to tip your hat to him (Cronin), he was really good, as he has been his whole career,” Bulldog Coach Tim Gillis said. “You aren’t going to make a living facing him every time out.

“We didn’t put the at bats together and put the ball in play and put the pressure on him a little bit better. That’s on me as the coach. We have to get that part of the game shored up and I hope we get better as we go on.”

The Raiders scored first in the second inning when Tyler Rebber was safe on a Bulldog error and later scored as Rusty Rogers tripled.

Crestview (7-4, 2-1) tied the game in the bottom of the third inning. Dayne Justice led off the inning with the first Bulldog hit of the game. Justice took second base on a Cronin wild pitch and scored as Alik Whited laced a single to left.

Navarre regained the lead in the top of the fourth inning. Crestview starting pitcher, Jeremy Willis, walked the first two Raider batters of the inning. Those two walks came back to haunt Willis and the Bulldogs when Andre Macedo doubled to clear the bases.

The Bulldogs answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth. Austin Polk walked to lead off the inning. Corey Armstrong followed Polk with a base hit up the middle.

Matt French sacrificed to move Polk to third and Armstrong to second. Colter Hancock was safe on an error scoring Polk and moving Armstrong to third.

Bryant Berry took the field as a courtesy runner for Hancock, the Bulldog catcher. It looked as if Berry was going to be picked off first base, but he continued to run to second base forcing an errant throw and allowing Armstrong to score.

Seth Forrest replaced Willis on the mound for Crestview in the fourth inning. Forrest gave up six hits and two runs in 1 1/3 innings of work to take the loss. Forrest was lifted for Matt Bottom with one Raider out in the fifth inning and finished out the game for Crestview allowing one run on one hit.

Armstrong led the Bulldogs with two hits.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Cronin leads Navarre past Crestview

BAKER — Nothing seemed to go right for Baker School’s baseball team in Tuesday’s District 3-1A game with Chipley.

The Gator defense was porous. The Gator offense struggled. And Baker base runners had mental lapses that led to outs.

About the only thing going for the Gators was the pitching of Austin Davis and Gabe Nelson. Davis and Nelson held the Tigers to seven hits. Unfortunately Baker fielders made nine errors leading to eight unearned Tiger runs as Chipley took a 10-2 win.

“We’ve got to find some hear to play,” Baker Coach Adam Henry said. “You’re not going to win any ball game making nine errors.

“The errors gave them four runs in the first two innings. We just have to come back out here and work on our defense.”

The game got off to a shaky start for the Baker defense when Chipley’s first two batters reached on errors. The Tigers turned the errors into runs as they took a 2-0 lead they would build on the rest of the game.

Davis reached on a bunt single to lead off the Gator first, but he was called out trying to steal second.

The Tigers added three runs in the second inning on four hits and the third Baker error of the game.

Nelson struck out to lead off the bottom of the third for the Gators, but reached first when the third strike got based Chipley catcher Cordell Carley. Nelson moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Chandler Rockwell.

A base hit by Connor Bartlett moved Nelson to third and Baker (2-8, 0-4) had runners on the corners with one out, but the Gators were unable to cash in on the situation.

Chipley scored three runs in the fourth inning and one run in the fifth and sixth innings to take a commanding 10 – 0 lead as Baker came to bat in the bottom of the sixth.

Baker finally got on the scoreboard in the sixth inning to avoid the shutout. 

Davis was safe on a Chipley error to lead off the inning, He moved to second as RJ Bush walked. Dillon Nixon grounded out moving the runners up a base.

A single by Ryan Weidenhammer scored Davis. Bush scored as Bubba Ellis reached on a fielder’s choice.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Errors costly as Baker's baseball team falls to Chipley

LAUREL HILL — Bryan Pursley has become one of the leaders on Laurel Hill School’s young baseball team.

When the Hoboes need somebody to pick them up, Pursley takes charge. The versatile sophomore can handle almost any position on the field.

“He pretty much means everything to the team,” Coach Andrew Wirth said. “He’s a utility player. He’s middle infielder and will play shortstop or second base for us.”

Wirth believes Pursley has a future in baseball beyond the high school level, if that’s his goal

“I think with a little bit of work and some weight lifting, to get a little strong and a little quicker, he can go to the next level,” Wirth said.

We now catch up with Bryan Pursley.

How old were you when you started playing baseball?

I was 6 years old.

What's the best part of baseball?

Being out with your friends.

What's the worst part of baseball?

Losing.

What are your expectations this season?

Working hard and playing with my friends.

If you had to pick a different sport to play, what would it be?

Probably basketball, because it’s the only other sport here.

What is your favorite baseball experience?

Catching when we went to state with Paxton youth baseball when I was 12.

What are your hobbies outside baseball?

Riding ATVs (all terrain vehicles) and playing football and basketball.

What's your dream career?

Baseball.

Would you want to play college baseball?

At Alabama, because it’s just my favorite team.

What is your favorite movie?

“Texas Chainsaw Massacre.”

Who is your favorite singer?

Colt Ford.

If you could be a cartoon character, who would you be?

Bugs Bunny, because he’s funny.

If you could live in any other period in history, which one would you choose?

Probably when Babe Ruth was alive (in the 1920s or 1930s) because I’ve always wanted to meet him.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 13 things you didn't know about Laurel Hill's Bryan Pursley

CRESTVIEW 4, NICEVILLE 2

Niceville     000 011 0 – 2 3 1

Crestview   100 111 x – 4  6 2

Pitching

Niceville: L-Will West 5 IP, 3 runs, 4 hits, 8 strikeouts, 5 walks, 1 HB; Chance Huff 1 IP, 1 run, 2 hits, 1 strikeout. 1 walk, 1 HB.

Crestview: W-Colter Hancock 7 IP, 2 runs, 4 hits, 5 strikeouts, 2 walks.

Hitters

Niceville: Grant Hooten 1 hit; Brady Smith 1 walk; Nic Nolen 1 run, 1 hit, 1 double; Christian Huff 1 hit, 1 RBI; Christian Manthey 1 run, 1 hit, 1 home run, 1 walk 1 RBI.

Crestview: Zach Degraaf 1 run, 1 walk; Bryant Berry 1 run, 1 hit, 2 walks; Corey Armstrong 2 walks; Colter Hancock 2 hits, 1 HBP; Matt French 1 HBP; Devin Wimmer 1 walk; Austin Polk 1 run, 1 sacrifice, 1 RBI; Dayne Justice 1 hit; B.A. Larkins 1 hit, 1 RBI, Alik Whited 1 run, 1 hit.

Crestview Niceville baseball box

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview baseball doubles up on Niceville

LAUREL HILL — Laurel Hill School’s baseball team hasn't made the playoffs for six years, and it’s been eight years since it's won a playoff game.

But Andrew Wirth, a 2009 Crestview High School graduate and former Bulldog baseball player, wants to revive the program. He replaces Ronnie Smith, now LHS's girls basketball coach, in the dugout.

Wirth takes much of his baseball philosophy from his high school and middle school coaches. “I played under great coaches: Coach (Tim) Gillis, Coach (Chris) Sweatt and Coach (Dexter) Day,” he said. “My biggest thing was integrity, coming in.

“I told them from the beginning, ‘Success without integrity is failure.’ Everything we are doing we will do with character and class. We will rebuild, and we are starting with a  fresh slate, basically.”

CHALLENGES AHEAD

The Hobo baseball team has been down so long the  team no longer knows how to win, Wirth said. "It seems like an atmosphere of failure,” he said. “What we are trying to do is have some pride and take some character … It’s just the pride thing — pride in our school, pride in having all of our fans here, and not to get embarrassed at home.”

One challenge is the team's absence of upper classmen. The Hoboes have one senior, Jared Simmons, and two juniors, Cody Boutwell and Lane Alford. Alford is out with an injury.

“I’m dealing with sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders, one or two ninth-graders and two or three 10th-graders,” Wirth said. “I’ve got one sixth-grader, Dalton Raef, in my starting nine, so we are very, very young.”

'DISCIPLINE IS HUGE'

Wirth wants to win, but win the right way, he said.

“I came in and I told Mrs. (Lee) Martello and Mr. (Greg) Brock, our principals, that my philosophy coming in is I would rather lose every game with a bunch of character kids than win a bunch of games with a  bunch of punks,” he said. “Discipline is huge. Grades — if you can’t be a student first, you can’t be an athlete. I check the grades every Friday. I’m holding them to a standard they might not be ready to be held to. I told the parents that, too.”

Wirth said he has talked to Gillis and Day about ways to instill discipline and build the program the right way.

STARTING YOUNG

LHS's baseball program has struggled, but its biggest rival, Paxton, has thrived. The Bobcats have been to the playoffs 10 straight years, and a large part of Paxton's success is the youth baseball program in that community.

“I think starting young is very critical,” Wirth said. “Paxton has a great program over there. “I’d love to see one here.

“If I had a five-year plan, that would be in it. What I hope to do, since we get them so young, is start a Little League of sorts. What we have right now is sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders and, in two or three years, hopefully we will be good."

CHOOSING A ROUTE

Wirth, who's played baseball most of his life, said he knows what it takes to be successful.

“I had some absolutely top-shelf coaches: Coach Gillis and Coach Sweatt," he said. "Just my experience from that, I know what it is to be successful. I know what it looks like.”

Having experienced his own success in baseball makes Wirth that much more determined to give the Hobo players the same opportunity.

“I played at the 6A level and I know what it takes to get there (to the top),” he said. “I know which route we are headed.

“It’s going to take a lot of work and a lot of commitment with these young guys, keeping  them committed, keeping them upbeat, keeping them optimistic.”

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Coach aims to rebuild Laurel Hill baseball team

BAKER — A gutsy effort by the Baker School baseball team came up short against Paxton on Monday.

Trailing 6-1 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning the Gators rallied for four runs, but it wasn’t enough as the Bobcats held on for a 6-5 win.

“Paxton is a good team,” Baker Coach Adam Henry said. “They hit the ball well and they pitch well. We can build off this game.

“We were down 6-1 and we came back and got to within a run and had a man on third (that would have tied the game). You have to be proud of that.”

The Bobcats wasted little time in putting a run on the board.

Paxton’s Zach Varnum led off the game with single. He stole second base, took third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly by Grant Stewart.

Baker tied the game in the bottom of the second.

The Gators loaded the bases on a Dakota Blackburn single, a walk to Gabe Nelson and a base hit by Will Davis.

With Conner Bartlett at the plate and nobody out, Henry decided to try the squeeze play. Bartlett was unable to get the bunt down and Blackburn was out trying to score.

Nelson did score on the play when Bobcat catcher Caleb Newborn threw ball into left field in an attempt to throw Nelson out a third base.

The score didn’t remain tied for long as Paxton scored four times in the top of the third inning to seemingly take control of the game. The big hit of the inning was a triple by Zach Varnum that scored Connor Varnum.

The Bobcats scored their last run in the top of the fifth when Connor Varnum struck out, but reached first on a wild pitch. He later scored on a sacrifice fly by Stewart.

Baker chipped away at the lead with two runs in the bottom of the fifth and two runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Bartlett reached first on an error to lead off the fifth and scored as Dillon Nixon was safe on a fielder’s choice. Austin Davis scored the other Gator run in the fifth walking and coming in on a Bubba Ellis sacrifice fly.

Will Davis and Bartlett scored in the sixth inning on two-run single by Logan Rickmon. Unfortunately for the Gators they were unable to score the tying run from third base as the inning ended.

“We hit the ball a lot better than we have in the past,” Henry said. “If we had hit with runners in scoring position I think we would have come out on top in this game.”

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Baker come back falls short