Catamounts open playoff series today

By Adam Krohn
adamkrohn@daltoncitizen.com

May 08, 2008 11:15 pm

— On the eve of Dalton hosting Alexander High of Douglasville in the Class 4A state baseball playoffs, a light shower fell on the Catamounts’ baseball field.
Instead of one last practice before today’s doubleheader starts the three-game series — game time is 5:30 p.m. — players and coaches gathered indoors to take a trip down memory lane by watching a highlight film of the 1998 team that reached the playoff semifinals.
That team would have advanced to the final round had the Georgia High School Association learned that Greenbrier had used ineligible players in the semifinals, according to Dalton coach Bobby Brotherton. Green-brier defeated Madison County in the championship series, but later was forced to vacate the title due to using the ineligible players.
As the team watched film of that magical season, the players got a kick out of seeing assistant coaches Heath Ellis and Jason Poteet playing for the Catamounts, who finished with a 27-6 record and were ranked No. 1 earlier in the season.
“That was by far the most fun I had playing sports,” said Ellis, who was a first baseman and outfielder. “We had a never-say-die mentality.”
Poteet, the starting catcher, recalled the clubhouse atmosphere.
“We always stayed loose,” he said. “Always, that was just our mentality. I mean, we were focused and had that killer instinct. We were never uptight.”
A decade later, the 2008 Cats (14-12, 9-5) are looking to make a mark of their own.
They enter the playoffs as the No. 2 seed out of Region 7-4A after beating Ringgold, 12-6, in the region finale and earning the tie-breaker advantage.
For coach Bob Brotherton, in his first season with the baseball team, that win achieved another goal he set for the Cats prior to the season.
“Our first goal was to win the region championship,” Brotherton said. “Also, our goal was to make the playoffs, and to host the playoffs. We’re hosting the playoffs.”
Looking ahead to third-seeded Alexander (21-5, 18-4) from Region 5-4A, Brotherton sees a style of play similar to that of his team.
“They’re a mirror image of us,” Brotherton said. “They can swing the bat, and they have good pitching and good defense. We’re going to have to come out relaxed and mentally prepared.”
Cougars coach Keith Hansen, who has watched two Cats games this season, puts Dalton in the favorite’s role.
“I didn’t know who we’d be playing,” said Hansen, now in his sixth season at Alexander. “So I scouted Ridgeland, Rome, Ringgold and Dalton, and I know everyone’s talking about Rome, but I don’t see a discernible difference between them and Dalton..
“The way I see it, Brotherton took over basically a week before the season started so they struggled early, but they’ve really picked it up in the second half. I think the name of the game will be who pitches better.”
The pitching matchup for Game 1 will be senior Mackie Sheets (3-5, 2.47 ERA, 48 strikeouts in 56 2/3 innings) against Alexander junior Dylan Smith (4-2, 3.32 ERA, 52 strikeouts in 34 innings).
According to Hansen, who saw Sheets pitch in the region finale against Ringgold, the two pitchers have identical styles, with both working off the fastball to set up the curve.
Sheets wanted the Game 1 start and is determined to get the win for the Cats, who lost to Marist in a two-game sweep in last year’s first round.
“I think it’s huge,” said Sheets of the significance of starting the opener. “If I can spot my fastball and the offense comes out swinging, I think we’ll be fine. You can tell how we’re going to play in the first inning. If we get off to a fast start we’re a hard team to beat, so we just have to get on top and take (the game).”
Game 2 matchups have yet to be determined. Tonight’s second game is scheduled to start 20 minutes after the first game ends.
Cats’ junior catcher Garren Palmer, who leads the team with a .507 batting average (35-for-69) to go with two home runs and 18 RBIs, says this year’s team is up for the challenge of playoff baseball.
“We’re ready to play,” Palmer said. “We’re confident, we’re playing good and we know we can win if we play Dalton Catamounts baseball. It should be a good game.”