 | | | 5/25/2008 12:01:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article | Broncos eye fast semifinal start
By David Friedlander
Staff Writer
With a best-of-three Class AAAAA state baseball semifinal series ahead of them, both Brookwood and North Cobb have long since learned the value of setting the tone early in the postseason.
That subject is very much on each teams' consciousness as they get ready to face one another, beginning with Monday's 5 p.m. doubleheader at the Dave Hunter Complex, with a trip to the finals on the line. Getting off to a good start can manifest itself in many forms. A loss in Game 1 of Brookwood's opening-round series with Alpharetta made the rest of the series an uphill battle, even though the top-ranked Broncos (30-3) wound up coming back to win.
Conversely, a first-game win by North Cobb (23-10) in its second-round series against heavily-favored Lassiter proved a big boost.
Of course, how each team starts any one game can also be important, which is why a lot of eyes will be on each team's leadoff hitter - North Cobb's Johnathan Taylor and Brookwood's Jordan Erisman.
The two bring an entirely different style to the game, but are equally important to getting their respective teams going.
Taylor, who will play college ball at Georgia next year, uses speed, and plenty of it. With a .387 average, 27 stolen bases and 35 runs scored, the senior centerfielder gets on base often, and usually causes a lot of havoc once he gets there.
Brookwood coach Rick Howard knows keeping the speedy Taylor from being able to set the table for a potent Warrior batting order that includes Nick Fryman (.384, 4 HR, 31 RBIs), Patrick Daugherty (.356, 3 HR, 24 RBIs) and Jordan Johnston (.379, 4 HR, 28 RBIs) is cruicial to his team's chances.
"We saw him a lot (in scouting) last year," Howard said of Taylor. "He's going to be a big deal.
"The more I find out about North Cobb, the more I think it's going to be a great matchup because they hit the ball well one through nine (in the lineup)."
By contrast, Brookwood's Erisman often sets the tone for the Broncos with power.
His home run in Game 1 of Brookwood's quarterfinal victory over East Coweta was his 14th of the season, which not only made him the school's all-time single-season leader in that category, but also made him the Broncos' all-time leading hitter with his 160th career hit.
And while the senior shortstop has been hot and cold during the postseason, teammate Chase Hawkins says even the threat of Erisman's early power can be contagious throughout the lineup.
"If he starts out with a home run, we get so pumped up," the senior left-hander said.
Early runs can mean quite a lot to a pitcher, especially someone like Hawkins (12-1), who will likely be Brookwood's choice to get the ball Monday in Game 1. Likewise, a big performance by an opening-game starting pitcher can be just as important. A good example might be Hawkins' performance last week against East Coweta.
Pitching on only three days rest after closing out Game 3 of the previous series against Norcross, Hawkins admittedly didn't have his best stuff. Still, the 6-foot-1, 185-pounder was able to work through a tired arm and throw a complete-game victory.
"I haven't had my arm hanging like that all year long," said Hawkins, who will be a teammate of Taylor's at Georgia next year. "But if my arm is hanging like that and I'm still able to locate my pitches, I think I'll be better for it in the long run."
With a rainout and an extra day off in the East Coweta series, Hawkins will have five days rest when he takes the mound Monday, which means his arm should be fine.
That will make North Cobb's task tougher. Of course, the Warriors have a fine Game 1 starter, as well, in the form of junior right-hander Clay Dalton (10-1).
And coach Tom Callahan knows that against Brookwood's powerful lineup, having starters like Dalton, Johnston (6-3) and Lucas Hart (5-3) get deep into the game and save the bullpen from overwork will be another big key.
"That's something we've been fortunate with (in the postseason) - having our starters going deep into games," Callahan said. "The biggest thing is, we can't give (Brookwood) extra outs. They swing it so well, if you give them extra outs, it could get ugly."
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Saturday, August 02, 2008 
