Big Ups…to the Rose Hill Rockets
May 15, 2008 @ 12:05 a.m. by jlongThe No. 7 seed.
Single digit wins.
This is what the post-season is all about. Not only did the Rockets beat No. 2 seed Andover, they follow it up with an upset over No. 1 seed Andover Central to take home the 4A Regional title. Once the last out was recorded they celebrated by dogpiling on the mound as if they had one the state tournament. Did they care that they had on the home white uniforms and that the rain had the pitcher’s mound looking like the dirt was imported fresh off a plane from Georgia. No. Even one of the coaches got in on it and he looked like he had tried to reenact that Old Spice commercial for its “Swagger” scent.
But that’s how you celebrate when you probably didn’t think at the start of the tournament you’d be winning the whole thing.
SIDE NOTE:
Andover Central had a great year. There are a lot of programs that would love to have a 21-2 record. Trust.
And I haven’t been here that long, but sophomore Ben Minnihan pitched the best I’ve seen a guy pitch in pressure situations. He did give up the game winning hit, but with the go ahead run(s) in scoring position twice he shut down shop. Striking out a total of five batters when he needed outs.
May 15th, 2008 at 9:11 am
I cover the Rockets baseball team for the local newspaper. I talk to Coach carr on a weekly basis. This cannot happen to a nicer guy and nicer group of kids. They’ve really worked their butts off and improved tremendously. They won only 3 games all of last year! To come out and beat Andover, Augusta and Andover Central is a feat these boys and the community will remember for a very long time.
Congrats to the Rockets, and I’m already looking forward to the opening round of state!
I’d also like to add that people do not give justice to Zack Kretsch. He’s been a huge surprise for the Rockets and every time he pitches, they have a chance to win. He threw all seven against Andover and then six against AC on just one day of rest. What a performance. What a pitcher.
Go Rockets!
May 15th, 2008 at 11:23 am
Great, a team that doesn’t belong in the state tournament slips in and will know get POUNDED by the #1 seed. They need a better playoff system in hs baseball. Rose Hill plays terrible for an entire season and then has a good day and makes it over better candidates?
May 15th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
Haha sour grapes from a Central fan, its how it works. Did anyone think the Giants were actually better than the Patriots in the superbowl or did they just have a “good day” and win it all. Was San Diego better than UCONN in the NCAA tournament this year or did they just have a “good day” its how sports are. Players gotta make plays in big games.
May 15th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
Don’t call me a Central Fan. Did the “Lion” name tip you off at all (Go Goddard LIONS). And I very much appreciate you telling me how sports works. Let me see if I got this straight, “players gotta make plays in, small, games” (man, I messed it up, didn’t I).
And the San Diego - New York Giants comparison doesn’t make sense. The Giants Got to the super bowl, they almost beat the Pats in Week 17, they proved they belong. While San Diego got “lucky”. Go Rose Hill against the best team in the state tournament (maybe it will last 5 innings).
May 15th, 2008 at 9:06 pm
Could be worse, you could be a Lion fan and go unbeaten through the regular season then think you got regionals in the bag and get beaten by a nobody. I bet that really sucked didn’t it. And the year after winning the state championship at that.
May 15th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
Its just ridiculous that you say after Rose Hill makes a great run to get into the tournament all you can do is look down apon them for doing so. That is what is so fun about sports. Its post season for a reason, if you don’t like upsets and having “undeserving” teams in the playoffs why dont we just award the team with the best record at the end of the year the championship. Congrats to Rose Hill, I hope them the best and think what they accomplished is impressive.
May 15th, 2008 at 11:49 pm
Rose Hill is going to get dominated in the first round, and then they will be forgotten. But good run, just goes to show the regular season means ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
Opportunity Knocks, THEY JUST WON A FREAKIN STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.
May 16th, 2008 at 1:18 am
If they get dominated 15-0 then they will be as good as last year’s state 4A runner up now won’t they.
Should have won two straight with that team, never got there.
May 16th, 2008 at 8:35 am
lion you seem disgruntled!
i dont know if work is rough or things at home, but bottom line,
whether or not they “got lucky” or it was just another fluke, that means nothing. It takes a little bit of somethin to throw out three wins in a row.
Rose Hill showed up. What’s to say that that cant happen next weekend in salina? I’ll be there and i hope they do well!
May 16th, 2008 at 9:18 am
wow, we get some real jerks don’t we? Why take away from what these boys did? What axe do you have to grind against them?
I’m gonna say it now, they’ll give Russell a run for their money, especially with Kretsch on the mound.
It does suck that AC doesn’t get a chance, but they gotta take care of business, you know? Hell, AC and Andover are probably better than all but three (Russell, Bishop Ward, and Hayden) of the state teams…
Besides, aren’t they all just playing for the right to smacked by Ward again? 5 in a row and counting. Wow. Ward played in a brutal regional, with 18-2 Spring Hill and 17-3 Piper, beating them both to make it to state. Piper lost 4 games this year, 3 to Ward. Piper and Spring hill could probably beat most of these state teams too.
Let’s not be jerks and take away from what those boys pulled off. Kudos to them and their coaching staff. Go Rockets!
May 16th, 2008 at 9:23 am
well said tom, 4a state is going to be interesting this year
May 16th, 2008 at 10:43 am
Let’s face it everyone is playing for 2nd place again this year - Ward will 6-peat.
Central with a fresh French on the bump would be the only chance they would have had to lose.
May 16th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
watch out for the tall staff that andale has on the mound!
Three different guys all could be considered the ace!
Indians are on a role!
May 18th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
why does everyone have to dog us… thanks to everyone that supports us
May 21st, 2008 at 2:40 pm
AC fans and supporters should stop crying. If they wanted in the State Tournament they should have beat Rose Hill. AC barely beat Eldorado and struggled with Circle.