Cavaliers Open 2011 Playoffs
Thursday at James Island

Web posted April 26 at 1:15 p.m.

The Richland Northeast Cavaliers have already beaten some long odds in 2011 to get to this point, but now the real test is about to begin.

For an RNE team that was picked to finish no higher than sixth place in the region, the underdog Cavaliers now face a monumental task as they hit the road on Thursday to face James Island (22-3) in the playoff opener.
 
The Cavaliers finished the 2011 regular season with a 12-10 overall record and 7-5 record in Region 4-4A, good for third place in the region and their first trip to the 4A playoffs since 2009. After winning nine straight games, the Cavaliers stumbled to close out the regular season with losses to Lower Richland (8-7 on April 21) and Blythewood (3-2 on April 23).

The Cavaliers and James Island will face off in the Lower State District VII double-elimination tournament. One of eight district tournaments being held throughout the state over the next week, the winner of each district will advance to the 4A State Playoff Tournament. The District VII winner will be placed in the 4A Lower State Tournament, which begins May 7.

RNE coach Thane Maness is proud of how the Cavaliers exceeded expectations in 2011, but knows now it will take an even more special effort to have any chance in the postseason.

“I don’t think anyone would have believed we would be in the playoffs when we started back in February, but we’ve had a group of seniors and a couple of our young kids who stepped up and figured out ways to get it done,” Maness said. “It’s been a nice run, but I know it’s going to be very tough for us to keep this going against a team like James Island. No matter what happens this week, I’m still proud of our kids and what they’ve accomplished to even make it to the playoffs.”

For the Cavaliers to have any hope of winning a game in the postseason, they will need to somehow improve on a .245 team batting average. RNE was no hit in the loss to Blythewood on Saturday and had only five hits in the loss to Lower Richland — a team that won only three games in 2011.

“We’ve had guys step up at the plate at times in key spots for us this year, but we’ve got to get more than two or three hits a game to have any chance,” Maness said. “Our pitching and defense has been pretty solid all year keeping us in ballgames and giving us a chance to win, but we have got to make more consistent contact at the plate or it’s going to be tough to compete.”

On the flipside, James Island features a potent offense led by senior center fielder Bo Patterson, senior second baseman Robert Moody, senior first baseman John Fissel, junior outfielder/pitcher Carson Porcher, and switch-hitting junior catcher Ryan Stone.

The Trojans also feature an outstanding pitching staff led by the 1-2 punch at the top of the starting rotation of senior right-hander Austin Weekley and junior right-hander Josh Escoffier. Porcher, a left-hander, gives the Trojans a third strong starter, and sophomore left-hander Austin Walker also adds pitching depth.

Through April 15, Patterson was leading the Trojans with a .446 batting average and led the team with 16 stolen bases. Porcher was second on the team with a .415 average. Stone was leading the Trojans with three home runs this season.

On the mound, through April 15, Weekley had six victories, a 1.14 ERA, and struck out 53 batters in 43 innings. Escoffier also had six wins, with a 1.14 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 42 innings of work. Porcher was 4-0 on the mound as of April 15.

The Trojans were crowned the Region 7-4A champions after finishing with a perfect 8-0 record in league play, and were ranked No. 4 in the state in 4A in the most recent South Carolina Baseball Coaches Association Poll released last week.

The Trojans defeated Goose Creek 8-1 on April 14 for their 12th straight victory, to clinch the region championship. James Island then won three more in the Hanahan Invitational Tournament last week to extend is winning streak to 15 games before falling to rival Wando, 4-3, in the HIT championship game. Prior to the loss to Wando, James Island’s only losses this season have come to North Augusta (1-0) on Feb. 26, and to Summerville (12-3) on March 14.

“Not taking anything away from Spring Valley or Blythewood in our region, but James Island will be the best team we’ve faced all season, from top to bottom,” Maness said.  “They don’t really have a weak spot in their batting order, they make the routines defensively, and they have three or four good arms on that pitching staff that throw lots of strikes and can be overpowering.”

James Island baseball coach Tom Hatley has been around long enough to know it's not always wise to compare a team from one era to a team from a different era.

That's why he hesitated when asked to compare his fourth-ranked Trojans to the 1994, '96 and '99 James Island squads that went to the state championship series. The '94 and '96 teams won Class AAA state titles and the '99 team was state runner-up in Class AAAA. But he conceded and compared.

"This team, like the teams from the '90s, has good pitching and makes the routine plays," Hatley said in the Charleston Post and Courier. "The common denominator is that they love to play baseball."
 
"So far, we've done the little things right," Hatley said. "We've won a lot of games with pitching and defense. If you get good pitching, you're always going to be in the game. We go out and try to win each pitch, win each out. We try to win each inning. If we do that, the end of the game will take care of itself."

The first pitch on Thursday will be at 7 p.m. The winner will advance to play on Saturday when they will face the winner of Thursday’s South Aiken/Fort Dorchester first-round game. The two losing teams in those first-round games will meet on Saturday needing a win to keep their playoff run alive.

“It’s going to take something really special for us to win a ballgame,” Maness said. “Hopefully our seniors can step up and make something happen. No matter what happens, though, I’m proud of this group. Win or lose, it’s been a great year for RNE.”

Washburn's Senior Night
Heroics Lift Cavaliers
to 9th Straight Win

Web posted April 17 at 11:15 p.m.

On a night when Richland Northeast's nine seniors were honored, one Cavalier made Senior Night an even more memorable evening.

Senor Jason Washburn belted a three-run home run in the fourth inning, and he added a go-ahead two-run single in the fifth inning to lead the Cavaliers to a 7-6 come-from-behind win over Irmo on Friday, April 15, at home.

The victory put the exclamation point on a magical week for the gritty Cavaliers, who managed to pull off a comeback 9-8 win over Dutch Fork on Monday, and then pulled out a 10-7 win at Ridge View with a three-run seventh inning, sparked by a dramatic home run by Justin Voelkel leading off the seventh.

The win over Irmo was RNE's ninth consecutive victory, which is the longest winning streak in Coach Thane Maness' six seasons with the Cavaliers. RNE (12-8, 7-4 in Region 4-4A) clinched a state playoff berth with the win at Ridge View and clinched third place in Region 4-4A with Friday's win.

Along with the Washburn heroics at the plate (2-for-2, HR, five RBI), Jake Mueller went 3-for-4 with a stolen base and a run, Jarael Jenkins went 3-for-3, and Kevin Fulmer went 2-for-2.

Much like the Tuesday night hero Voelkel, Washburn was the poster boy for an RNE team that at times has been overmatched this season yet continues to find ways to win.

Washburn, who has delivered some big moments this season on the mound with victories over Spring Valley and Lugoff-Elgin, had a rough outing Friday against Irmo. He gave up five runs on five hits in 1.1 innings and left the game trailing 5-0. But his chance at redemption would soon follow.

Eighth grader Ryne Maness came on in relief of Washburn and the young right-hander pitched well beyond his years, holding Irmo to one run in 2.2 innings of work to give the Cavaliers a chance.

The Cavaliers first big chance came in the fourth inning. Trailing 5-1, Washburn reentered the game as a pinch hitter for Maness and delivered with his first career home run — a fly ball down the right-field line that just snuck inside the foul pole — cutting the Irmo lead to 6-5.

One inning later, the Cavaliers set up another dramatic finish when Fulmer led off with a single and Jenkins moved him to third with a double to center. Washburn followed with line drive to right center for a single to score Fulmer and Jenkins to make it 7-6.

With the Cavs back in business, senior Jason Mohn was lights out in relief. Mohn (3-3) came on in relief of Maness to start the fifth inning trailing 6-5 and came away the winner after giving up just two singles with no walks and four strikeouts — including striking out the side in the seventh to secure the victory.

Richland Northeast is off until Thursday, April 21, when it travels to face Lower Richland in a non-region contest. The Cavaliers close out the regular season and their Region 4-4A schedule when they travel to face Blythewood on Saturday, April 23.

SENIOR NIGHT: Congratulations to the nine Richland Northeast seniors who were honored on Senior Night  — Domineke Albert, Shawn Carrion, Justin Voelkel, Michael Meir, Jason Washburn, Andre Maddison Bradley Gibson and Jovon Golden-Cook. The Cavalier seniors received a photo scrapbook, an RNE helmet, a RNE logo baseball with their name and number, a 2011 highlight video on DVD and a 16x20 poster. Richland Northeast baseball would also like to recognize and thank senior Jessie Johnson, who has served as the public address announcer at RNE home games the past two seasons.

Voelkel's First Career Home Run Gives Cavaliers 8th Straight Win

Web posted April 14 at 5:45 p.m.

Richland Northeast senior Justin Voelkel has enjoyed the best week of his high school career, and the week's not over yet.

Less than 24 hours after his bases-loaded walk gave RNE a 9-8 win over Dutch Fork, Voelkel blasted his first career home run — a solo shot to right field in the top of the seventh inning — to snap a 7-7 tie and help the Cavs to a 10-7 victory over Ridge View at Ridge View High School on Tuesday, April 12.

With the win, the Cavaliers improved to 11-8 overall and 6-4 in Region 4-4A, which allowed them to clinch a berth in the Class 4A State Playoffs. It was the Cavs' eighth consecutive win and 11th in their last 15 games. That solidified the Cavs' hold on third place in the region, which would help set up a more favorable first-round matchup in the 4A state playoffs.

Voelkel went 3-for-3 with the home run and two RBI, while Shawn Carrion went 2-for-2 with two RBI and Jason Mohn went 2-for-5. Mohn (2-3) also came on in relief of starter Jason Washburn in the sixth inning, and the senior right-hander pitched two scoreless innings to pick up the victory.

The Cavaliers' eighth straight win matches the longest winning streak in head coach Thane Maness' six years at RNE, which last won eight straight in 2007.

Next up is the final regular-season home game Friday night, April 15, as the Cavaliers play host to Irmo. A win would not only give the Cavs their ninth straight win — the longest streak in Coach Maness' career — but, more importantly, would clinch third place in the region.

Following Friday's game, Richland Northeast is off until Thursday, April 21, when it travels to face Lower Richland in a non-region contest. The Cavaliers close out the regular season and their Region 4-4A schedule when they travel to face Blythewood on Saturday, April 23.

CAVS NOTES: Senior catcher Domineke Albert, rated as one of the top prospects in the state of South Carolina, signed earlier this spring to play baseball next year at Spartanburg Methodist College... Senior center fielder Shawn Carrion has verbally committed to play next year at USC-Salkehatchie.

Cavs Beat Dutch Fork
For Seventh Straight Victory

Web posted April 12 at 12:55 p.m.

It wasn't pretty, but the Richland Northeast Cavaliers will most definitely take it.

For the second time this season, the Cavs won a game on a bases-loaded walk by Justin Voelkel. This time, it came at the hands of Region 4-4A opponent Dutch Fork, as the Cavs took a crucial 9-8 win at home Monday night, April 11.

RNE extended its winning streak to seven and improved its record to 10-8 and 5-4 in the region. The victory moved the Cavaliers a huge step closer towards clinching a state playoff berth, as they vaulted past Dutch Fork (3-4 in Region 4-4A) into sole possession of third place in Region 4-4A for the time being. Over the weekend, the Cavaliers won their sixth straight, 14-4, in a non-region contest at home against Lower Richland.

After falling behind 4-0, the Cavaliers cut the deficit to 4-3 in the bottom of the second. The Cavs got on the board as Domineke Albert's RBI-double scored Jake Mueller. Jason Washburn then doubled to drive in Albert, and Washburn later scored on an RBI-single by Voelkel.

Dutch Fork extended its lead to 8-3 before the Cavs scored two in the sixth inning and then came to bat in the bottom of the seventh trailing 8-5.

Shawn Carrion singled leading off the seventh. Mueller then followed with a walk, and after an Albert flyout to center field, Jason Mohn walked to load the bases. Kevin Fulmer then popped up for the second out of the inning.

Down to their last out, the Cavaliers found a way once again. Four consecutive walks by Jarael Jenkins, Michael Meir, Washburn and the walk-off walk by Voelkel helped the Cavaliers complete another exciting come-from-behind win.

After starting pitcher Jason Mohn gave up four runs in the first two innings, the bullpen did an outstanding job to give the Cavaliers a chance. Eighth grader Ryne Maness gave up just two earned runs in three innings of relief. Freshman Preston Bayne allowed two runs in the sixth inning, and senior Michael Meir (1-0) followed up with a scoreless seventh inning to pick up his first career varsity victory.

The seven straight victories is the most for RNE since 2009. With a win today over Ridge View, RNE would match its longest winning streak in Coach Thane Maness' six years with the Cavaliers — the 2007 team won eight straight games to close out the regular season.

In the first matchup of 2011 between the teams back on March 18, RNE defeated Ridge View 10-6 at home.

After the game with Ridge View, the Cavs are off until Friday when they play their last regular-season game at home against Irmo at 6:30 p.m. Friday night's game is also Senior Night, as the Cavs honor their nine seniors in 2011.

Although the Cavs enter Tuesday's game at Ridge View in third place in the region, the race for the last three playoff spots in the region are still up for grabs. With Spring Valley and Blythewood already having clinched playoff berths, RNE (5-4), Dutch Fork (3-4), Irmo (2-6), Lugoff-Elgin (2-6) and last-place Ridge View (1-4) are all still alive.

Here is a breakdown of the remaining Region 4-4A schedule for each of the teams in the hunt for the last three playoff spots behind Spring Valley and Blythewood:

Richland Northeast: At Ridge View April 12, home vs. Irmo April 15, at Blythewood April 23.

Dutch Fork: Home vs. Lugoff-Elgin April 12, at Spring Valley April 15, at Blythewood April 18, home vs. Ridge View April 25.

Irmo: Home vs. Blythewood April 12, at RNE April 15, home vs. Lugoff-Elgin April 20.

Lugoff-Elgin: At Dutch Fork April 12, home vs. Ridge View April 15, home vs. Spring Valley April 19, home vs. Irmo April 20, at Blythewood April 25.

Ridge View: Home vs. RNE April 12, home vs. Spring Valley April 13, at Lugoff-Elgin April 15, at Blythewood April 19, at Dutch Fork April 25.



Web posted April 1 at 9:20 p.m.

Fueled by a stellar pitching performance by senior Jason Washburn, a home run by senior Domineke Albert, and great defense, Richland Northeast shocked the No. 5-ranked team in Class 4A Spring Valley, beating the Vikings 5-3 on Friday, April 1, at Spring Valley.

The Cavaliers pulled off the upset thanks to a complete-game by Washburn, and the go-ahead home run in the top of the sixth inning by Albert.

Albert went 3-for-4 for the Cavaliers, who improved to 6-8 overall and 4-4 in Region 4-4A with the win. The Cavaliers are now in a position to challenge Dutch Fork for third place in the region.

RNE's win over Lugoff-Elgin earlier in the week gave the Cavaliers a sweep of the Demons, and the win over Spring Valley further solidified their playoff hopes in 2011.

Prior to Friday night's win, the Cavaliers' last victory over the Vikings came on April 6, 2007  — a 4-3 win at Spring Valley.

Cavs Find a Way,
Beat Lugoff-Elgin 4-3 in 11 Innings

Web posted March 30 at 12:55 a.m.

Facing a must-win situation Tuesday night to stay in the hunt for a Region 4-4A playoff berth, the Richland Northeast Cavaliers dug down deep and found a way to win.

Trailing Lugoff-Elgin 3-2 in the bottom of the 11th inning, the Cavaliers rallied to tie the game at 3 on an RBI-single by Kevin Fulmer. RNE then walked away with a huge victory when senior Justin Voelkel walked with the bases loaded, capping a 4-3 come-from-behind victory at home on Tuesday, March 29.

Senior Jason Mohn came through with an inspired performance on the mound and gave the Cavs a chance, holding Lugoff-Elgin to two runs in 10 innings of work.

In the top of the 11th, the Demons capitalized on a leadoff double off reliever Jarael Jenkins, and then scored the go-ahead run off freshman reliever Preston Bayne to take a 3-2 lead.

In the bottom of the 11th, senior Domineke Albert led off with a double and later scored the tying run on an RBI-single by Fulmer. The Cavaliers then managed to load the bases and, with two outs, Voelkel walked to send the winning run home. The victory allowed the Cavs to move into sole possession of fourth place in Region 4-4A with a 3-4 region record.

Fulmer went 3-for-5 and played outstanding defensively at second base for RNE in the win. Albert went 2-for-4 for the Cavs.

Mohn started on the mound and allowed only two runs on six hits in 10 innings for RNE. Bayne recorded the victory after pitching out of a jam in the top of the 11th, which led to the late-inning heroics and winning walk-off walk by Voelkel.

The win Tuesday over Lugoff was on the heels of an impressive 11-0 non-region win last Friday night over Belle Vernon, Pa., in which the Cavs belted out 10 hits — including two each by Voelkel (2-for-3), Jake Mueller (2-for-2, walk) and Shawn Carrion — and rode a solid pitching performance by Jenkins.

The top five teams in the region will qualify for the Class 4A State Playoffs. Spring Valley (7-1), Blythewood (4-1) and Dutch Fork (3-2) hold the top three spots in the region ahead of RNE following Tuesday night's games.  Spring Valley suffered its first region loss Tuesday night, 6-4, to Blythewood, as Vikings ace and South Carolina signee/projected MLB first-round draft choice Taylor Guerreri suffered his first loss this season. Dutch Fork routed Irmo in the other key region contest Tuesday night to remain in third place in the region.

With the loss, Lugoff-Elgin fell to 2-5 in the region, which dropped them into fifth place in Region 4-4A ahead of Irmo (2-6) and Ridge View (1-4).

Next up for RNE is a rematch with archrival Spring Valley on the road Friday night. In the first meeting between the teams March 11, the Cavs fell 9-8.

Jason Mohn Named WLTX-TV
High School Player of the Week

Web posted March 23 at 11:10 p.m.

Cavaliers senior infielder/pitcher Jason Mohn was named the WLTX-TV High School Player of the Week and was featured on the 6 o'clock news on Wednesday, March 23.

Mohn is a four-year starter for the Cavaliers, and has been one of the team's key players this season.

The 6-foot senior has anchored the Cavs pitching staff while also batting leadoff and showing his versatility on defense, playing first base, third base and shortstop in 2011.

In the classroom, Mohn is in the RNE Horizon Magnet Program, has a 4.0 grade point average and will attend the University of South Carolina Honors College in the fall.

Go to WLTX.com or click on the video to the right to view the feature on Mohn.




Web posted March 22 at 11:10 p.m.

Richland Northeast returns to action on Wednesday night, March 23, as the Cavaliers play host to mighty Blythewood, in another important Region 4-4A contest.

For the Cavaliers, who enter the game vs. Blythewood with a 2-3 record in Region 4-4A, the first run through their region schedule has been anything but predictable.

First, RNE endured a rough start to the 2011 season, going 0-4 in the preseason Carolina Ale House Classic. The Cavaliers then opened the Region 4-4A schedule with a surprising and inspired 7-3 victory over defending 3A state champion Lugoff-Elgin on the road on March 8. Then came the March 11 showdown at RNE against archrival Spring Valley, when the upstart Cavaliers battled the Vikings and led most of the way before eventually falling 9-8. The Cavs then bounced back with a 9-5 non-region win at Eau Claire on March 14, and then went on a roller-coaster ride in the region over the past week. On March 15, the Cavs suffered a tough 7-4 region loss to Dutch Fork. Three days later, RNE bounced back with an impressive and intense 10-6 win over Ridge View. Then, on March 21, the Cavs took another step back as they were handed a disappointing 13-3 loss at Irmo.

The question now is, which RNE team will show up against Blythewood? Will it be the Cavs who stunned Lugoff-Elgin, handled Ridge View and nearly stole a win over Spring Valley? Or will it be the Cavs who struggled in the losses to Irmo and Dutch Fork?

"We really did a nice job against Spring Valley, and we hoped that maybe we started to turn the corner in that game, and then with a big win at home over Ridge View," RNE coach Thane Maness said. "But we really didn't execute against Dutch Fork or Irmo, and I felt like we took another step back. It is going to be very difficult to have a chance against a club as strong and as talented as Blythewood if we play like we did against Dutch Fork and Irmo. They have so much talent over there. There isn't an easy out in that lineup and they have outstanding pitching. It is going to be a very difficult matchup for us."

The Bengals (6-2) enter the game on Wednesday having won three straight and six of their last seven games, including a 13-2 win over Irmo on March 18. Blythewood is 2-1 in Region 4-4A and can take sole possession of second place in the region behind unbeaten Spring Valley with a win over RNE.

Blythewood is led by senior catcher Grayson Greiner, a University of South Carolina signee and one of the top players in the state. Through last weekend, Greiner was batting .688 (11-for-16) with five home runs, 13 RBI and 11 walks. Outfielder Daniel Young, a 2010 all-state section, and outfielder Brandon Burris, are also formidable threats in the Bengals lineup. Blythewood also features a deep pitching staff, anchored by senior Cameron Ross and sophomore Zach Hamilton.

First pitch on Wednesday is 6:30 p.m.

CAVS NOTES: Senior Jason Mohn was named the WLTX-TV News 19 Player of the Week after pitching a complete-game victory over Ridge View on March 18. The Player of the Week feature on Mohn will air on WLTX on Wednesday, March 23. ... Senior Domineke Albert continued his tear at the plate, hitting a pair of home runs in the win over Ridge View... Senior center fielder Shawn Carrion recorded his first two-hit game of the season in the loss at Irmo...  Shortstop Jake Mueller, an eighth grader, has hit safely in four of the Cavaliers' five region games entering the game vs. Blythewood. The only game in which Mueller did not get a hit was vs. Ridge View, but he still did not make an out, reaching base in all four of his plate appearances vs. the Blazers (three walks and one hit-by-pitch). Mueller is batting .455 (5-for-11) with four walks, one hit-by-pitch, a .625 on-base percentage, three RBI, seven runs scored, and two stolen bases in three attempts in his first five regular-season starts.

Cavaliers Come Home to Face
Spring Valley March 11

Web posted March 11 at 10:00 a.m.

Fresh off a 7-3 victory Tuesday night in the Region 4-4A opener on the road over Lugoff-Elgin, the Richland Northeast Cavaliers will face a monumental test Friday, March 11, as they play host to region favorite Spring Valley in the 2011 home opener at RNE. Game time is 6:30 p.m.

After a disappointing opening to the 2011 season with four straight losses in the preseason Carolina Ale House Classic Tournament, the Cavaliers got an outstanding pitching performance from senior Jason Washburn and some timely hitting at the plate to open their region schedule on a high note.

But for the Cavaliers, it will take some magic to knock off mighty Spring Valley, a talent-rich team many are predicting to make a deep run in the 4A state playoffs.

Ranked No. 8 in the state in 4A in the preseason South Carolina Baseball Coaches Association poll, Spring Valley is led by the top prospect in the state of South Carolina and one of the top high school prospects in the nation, right-handed pitcher Taylor Guerreri. Guerreri, who transferred from North Augusta this spring, is a South Carolina Gamecocks signee and is projected as a high pick in this June's Major League Baseball draft.

Guerreri made his highly-anticipated Spring Valley debut on Tuesday in a 7-6 win over Blythewood, and did not disappoint the many scouts and fans who attended. Guerreri was as good as advertised, featuring a fastball clocked between 93-96 mph. The right-hander was dominant at times and struck out 11 in six innings of work. He scattered five hits and only two earned runs in the victory.

Along with Guerreri, the Vikings feature one of the deepest pitching staffs in the area and maybe the state. Leading the group of returnees on the Spring Valley pitching staff is junior right-hander Austin Hill. Junior right-handers Trae Dent and Anthony Paulson, and left-handers Dane Windham (senior) and Gene Cone (sophomore) add solid depth for the Vikings.

Dent and Hill also anchor the left side of the infield for Spring Valley and contribute to an outstanding Vikings lineup that can hurt you from top to bottom.

The Vikings are coached by Charlie Wentzky, who is in his seventh season at Spring Valley and was the The State South Carolina 4A Coach of the Year in 2006.

"Spring Valley is just an outstanding all-around ballclub," Richland Northeast head coach Thane Maness said. "They've got an outstanding pitching staff with a bunch of guys who throw strikes and can be dominant at times, they are very good defensively, and there aren't really any holes in their lineup. And they are extremely well coached and play the game the right way. We're excited for the opportunity to play Spring Valley again for the first time in a few years, but it's going to be a very big challenge for our ballclub. We will really need to throw strikes, play flawless defensively, and execute and find ways to manufacture runs tonight if we hope to be able to compete with Spring Valley."

Richland Northeast and Spring Valley have not met since 2008, and the Vikings have won three of the last four meetings between the teams. The Cavaliers' last victory over Spring Valley came on April 6, 2007  — a 4-3 win at Spring Valley.

SCHEDULE NOTES: The RNE B-Squad will play Blythewood at Spring Valley on Friday, March 11, at 5 p.m. Also, the JV/B-Squad doubleheader at Ridge View has been moved from March 16 to March 17.  B-squad plays at 5 p.m. and JV plays at 7 p.m.

Cavs Open Region Schedule
With Win Over Lugoff-Elgin

Web posted March 8 at 11:30 p.m.

Richland Northeast opened the 2011 regular season with a 7-3 victory on the road over defending 3A state champion Lugoff-Elgin in the Region 4-4A opener at Optimist Field.

After a rough start to the 2011 season with four straight losses in the preseason Carolina Ale House Classic Tournament, the Cavaliers responded in a big way, as senior right-hander Jason Washburn (1-1) pitched five strong innings for the victory.

Senior Jason Mohn closed it out on the mound with two stellar innings in relief, with six strikeouts.

Senior catcher Domineke Albert had a breakout performance at the plate, leading the Cavs on offense with a 4-for-4 night.

The Cavaliers (1-4, 1-0 in Region 4-4A) are back in action on Friday, March 11, as they play host to rival Spring Valley in their home opener.

Diamond Notes: Week of Feb. 26-March 5

The Richland Northeast varsity went 0-4 in the preseason Carolina Ale House Classic. The Cavaliers suffered a 9-1 loss at Irmo on Feb. 26, a 7-2 loss at Dreher on Feb. 28, a 7-2 loss at Chapin on March 3, and a 4-3 loss at Airport on March 5. Jason Washburn was a bright spot for RNE on the mound in the preseason tournament and was named to the all-tournament team.

The Cavaliers JV opened their 2011 season by hosting and winning the RNE Preseason Tournament. The Cavs defeated Crestwood twice (12-0 and 14-2) before dropping a 6-1 decision in Game 3 of the tournament to Ridge View. However, the Cavs rebounded in the championship game on Saturday, March 5, defeating Ridge View 4-2 to finish the tournament with a 3-1 record. Freshman Preston Bayne pitched a complete-game gem in the championship game for the JV.

Varsity Player of the Week: Jason Washburn

JV Player of the Week: Preston Bayne

Picture Day: Team and individual photos will be taken on Saturday, March 19. Players should report to the field by no later than 10 a.m. Order forms will be handed out Monday, March 14. Checks need to be made payable to Carolina Sports, Inc.
 
Uniforms for Picture Day:
Varsity — White pants, Navy tops with Inserts, Navy and White Hats
JV — White tops/bottoms navy hats
B-Squad —Orange Tops, Gray Pants, navy hats

Cookie Dough Fundraiser:  Delivery date for all orders will be on Thursday March 17. (alternate date Thursday March 24)

2011 Preview

Web posted Feb. 25 at 11:00 a.m.

The 2011 Richland Northeast Cavaliers varsity opens the season on Saturday, Feb. 26, as they take on Irmo in the Carolina Ale House Classic Preseason Tournament at Irmo High School.

The Cavaliers will compete in the newly realigned Region 4-4A. Region opponents include archrival Spring Valley, Dutch Fork, Irmo, Ridge View, Blythewood and Lugoff-Elgin.

Coach Thane Maness enters his sixth season at RNE with an overall coaching record of 139-102 in 11 seasons, including a 68-50 record at RNE.

RNE will be led by senior catcher/pitcher Domineke Albert, who signed in January to play college baseball with Spartanburg Methodist College and is ranked by scouts as one of the top 20 prospects in South Carolina. Albert could also be selected in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft this June.

Including Albert, the Cavaliers will feature nine seniors in 2011. Four of the nine seniors are returning starters: infielder/pitcher Jason Mohn, outfielder/pitcher Justin Voelkel, pitcher Jason Washburn, and outfielder Shawn Carrion. Senior outfielder Michael Meir, who was a solid contributor as a junior in 2010, is expected to earn a starting spot in the outfield in 2011.

Sophomore infielder Kevin Fulmer is the only other returning starter for the Cavaliers.

Junior pitcher Daniel Mercer, who missed most of the 2010 season with an arm injury, is back and healthy in 2011 and is expected to play a key role for the Cavaliers pitching staff.

Infielder/pitcher/catcher Jarael Jenkins, a junior, also returns to the program after sitting out last season, and is expected to add offensive punch to the Cavaliers lineup.

The 2011 Cavaliers will also feature several young newcomers ready to take on starting roles at the varsity level, including a pair of promising middle schoolers - catcher Shannon Glover and shortstop/second baseman Jake Mueller.

RNE opens the Region 4-4A schedule on Tuesday, March 8, on the road against defending Class AAA state champion Lugoff-Elgin, and then play host to rival Spring Valley in the Region 4-4A home opener on Friday, March 11.