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https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/education/aledo-isd-says-students-pretended-to-auction-black-classmates-in-social-media-group/287-9bf7d293-b3d8-445b-ac80-45ed59cafc5a News coming out that most of the freshman baseball team has been suspended/assigned to DAEP for this incident as well. Keep it clean once this becomes political over "high school talk" I will move it to the political forum.

I know its football season so don't nail me to the cross on this lol. My son who's 13 and in the 8th grade has always played fall baseball with his travel team. This year he's not and is instead working out with the local high school baseball players a few times a week in the afternoons, since middle school football really doesn't take up much time. Football practice is in the mornings. One of the parents asked me if I thought the coaches would let him tryout for the freshman team in the spring. He's in 8th grade. I never really thought about it, but curiosity got the best of me and I looked up the UIL rules. The only information I can find is if he was too old to compete at the 8th grade level, which he's not. Or if the sport is not offered the kid is interested in, middle school baseball is not offered in Texas. The last part which is eligibility worries me. It says students only have 4 consecutive calender years to complete high school varsity eligibility. To me that sounds like only 4 years of high school play regardless of freshman, jv or varsity. Is that right? The last thing I want to do is jeopardize a year of eligibility. Thanks

Let's finally get things started!!!! 7-5A Div I 2018 Standings John Tyler 6-0, 10-3 Mesquite Poteet 5-1, 8-3 Sherman 3-3, 4-7 McKinney North 3-3, 6-5 West Mesquite 3-3, 4-5 Texas High 1-5, 3-7 Wylie East 0-6, 1-9 8-5A Div I 2018 Standings Lufkin 7-0, 10-2 Magnolia West 6-1, 9-3 College Station 5-2, 9-3 Tomball 4-3, 6-5 Magnolia 3-4, 5-5 Waller 2-5, 3-7 WIllis 1-6, 2-8 Caney Creek 0-7, 2-8 9-5A Div II 2018 Standings Marshall 7-0, 10-3 Lindale 5-2, 7-5 Whitehouse 5-2, 7-4 Nacogdoches 4-3, 5-6 Pine Tree 3-4, 5-6 Jacksonville 2-5, 3-7 Mount Pleasant 1-6, 3-7 Hallsville 1-6, 4-6 8-5A Div II 2018 Standings Corsicana 7-1, 9-3 Kaufman 6-2, 7-3 Sulphur Springs 5-3, 6-4 Ennis 5-3, 5-5 Royse City 5-3, 6-4 Forney 3-5, 3-7 North Forney 3-5, 4-6 Greenville 1-7, 2-7 Terrell 1-7, 1-8

Anyone have any thoughts on the top 20 for the upcoming 2020 baseball season?

ALTO BASEBALL: Day 1 (Thursday 2/21) of the Hemphill Tournament has already been cancelled. Is there a school hosting a tournament this week/weekend that could add another team? Please private message me or contact head baseball coach Steve Villani at [email protected]. Thanks!

Bullard baseball is currently looking for a scrimmage on Feb. 8th. If you are interested, or know somebody who is, please contact either Brock Lemire (409-344-2186) or Caleb Gibson (903-405-7707).

Which stadium that you have been to is the best to watch a game? I've only been to 3 outside of Texas. The old Yankee Stadium, Fenway, and Coors Field. The old Yankee stadium was cool, but I didn't get nostalgia there like I did at Fenway. Fenway was an awesome baseball experience, and the crowd was pretty fun as well. I would have to go with Fenway as the coolest place I've been too. Coors Field was great because I love Colorado, and watching a June baseball game when it's 60 degrees out is REALLY nice. (When I went to the Yankee game, I got to get up the next day and drive to Cooperstown to go to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Not sure anyone has been there, but if you haven't you should go and take your kids. One of the best memories of my life.)

My son is starting middle school (in Texas), and I would like to buy him a new bat. He will be going to a new charter school. They do not have a baseball coaching staff fully in place, so I asked the Athletic Director what type (certification) should I get him. He told me BBCOR -8. I have never heard of a BBCOR with -8, only -3. I emailed Texas UIL Baseball and they told me that for regulations I needed to email NFHS. I emailed NFHS and they told me they only write regulations for High School, not middle school/jr high. So, I'm asking parents of Texas Middle School baseball players, "What bat certification does your child hit with?" USA, USSSA, BBCOR .50 -3? ...BBCOR -8!?! If you do not have have a child currently playing middle school baseball, do not answer this question (unless you are a coach). (Note: -3 drop is a heavy ratio. I guess if it is BBCOR -3 middle schoolers have to do a lot of upper body strengthening. Also, the minimum 31" is a little long for some 11 year olds. Just my observations.) Thank you.

https://www.parent.com/mentally-strong-kids-have-parents-who-refuse-to-do-these-13-things/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=SocialWarfare

Lovelady won game 1 tonight 8-0. Game 2 tomorrow in Douglass at 1:00. Will provide game updates.... (Photo credit kbtx)

Who Was Ty Cobb? The History We Know That’s Wrong

The Hawks seem to be off to a hot start. Does anyone have anything for them in this district?

Both teams are undefeated in their districts and look set to make a run in the playoffs and hopefully an appearance in the state tournament. Can Douglass finally get over the hump and beat Carlisle this year, or will Carlisle pull it out in a one-game series again?

All four teams from 13 3A are still in the hunt. However, only two can advance to the Semi-Finals. Predictions? PG/Paris play Thursday in Texarkana, Friday in Paris, and if needed, 3rd game Saturday in Texarkana at Texas High 2 pm Pitt and N. Lamar could play their third game at 4pm At Texas High if needed.

First game Friday in Marshall. Second game Saturday, followed if needed by third. Buckeyes looking to be the first team to knock PG off the hill in the Playoffs in seven years. Hawks always seem to find a way to win their way to Austin lately. Predictions?

Pump Jacks Seventh Season to Open May 29 The Jacks home slate will kick off on Tuesday, June 3, against the Woodlands Strykers Let the countdown begin! While Texas Rangers fans are eagerly waiting for pitchers and catchers to report to spring training (on February 16, by the way), East Texas Pump Jacks fans now have a date to circle on their calendars: May 29. That’s when the Pump Jacks’ seventh season will kick off, the team announced Thursday along with the entire 2014 schedule. “The fun and excitement of Pump Jacks baseball is back!” said Pump Jacks general manager Mike Lieberman. “Fireworks, promotions, giveaways, and some of the best collegiate ballplayers from around the country will return to Historic Driller Park and East Texas this summer.” The team hinted at a “big league” announcement coming next week, possibly to name a new head coach. Last year’s Pump Jacks coaches – Mark Kertenian, Nate Leaser, and Nic Mishler – all earned new Division I jobs within two month of each other and therefore are unable to return to East Texas. The new head coach will open the 2014 season on the road with a two-game set in Dallas against the Texas Marshals on May 29 and 30. The road trip will continue in Lafayette, La., with a pair of games against the Acadiana Cane Cutters. The Pump Jacks kick off their home slate on Tuesday, June 3, when they welcome the Woodlands Strykers to Driller Park for a two-game series. The historic facility will host all 30 of the Pump Jacks home games in 2014, as it has for the franchise’s first six seasons. The Brazos Valley Bombers visit East Texas on June 7 and 8 in a matchup of the last two Texas Collegiate League champions. The Pump Jacks won the 2012 title in dramatic fashion against the Victoria Generals, and the Bombers captured their first championship last summer, also against the Generals. Less than a week after the TCL Championship Series, Brazos Valley was named the 2013 summer collegiate national champion in the final rankings published by Perfect Game. For the fourth straight season, the Pump Jacks schedule is 60 games, evenly split between 30 games at Driller Park and 30 games on the road. The campaign is split into two halves, with the first half coming to a close on July 2. Team records will then reset to 0-0 on July 3 to open the second half of the season. East Texas has fared well in the TCL’s split-season format, which was first adopted for the 2010 season. The Jacks have never had a losing record in a half, winning four division titles in the process. The 2014 TCL All-Star Game will be played on Tuesday, July 8, one week before its major league counterpart. The league expects to announce the site shortly. The Pump Jacks hosted the last year’s rendition of the league’s midsummer classic. With six teams in the TCL again this season, the schedule retains the same basic format as last summer. Every week, the Pump Jacks will play three, two-game series, with Monday serving as a league-wide off-day. The Jacks will also play a pair of doubleheaders this summer, on June 25 and August 5, in Dallas against the Marshals. The regular season will conclude on August 8, followed by the playoffs. The complete schedule can be found by clicking here. The Pump Jacks are expected to announce information about season tickets on Friday, including a special promotion for loyal fans who purchase their tickets early. The team added it could announce the new head coach early next week, suggesting that it will have “major league” implications on the Pump Jacks this summer. To follow all the news as the Jacks prepare for the 2014 season, visit the Pump Jacks official web site at www.pumpjacksbaseball.com. Join the conversation with other members of Pump Jacks Nation by visiting the Pump Jacks on Facebook and Twitter.

Elkhart Baseball will host an MLB sponsored Pitch, Hit and Run event at "The Backyard" - the Elks High School baseball field - on Saturday, April 20. Registration begins at 10:00 a.m. and is FREE to boys and girls ages 7-14. The All-Around winners in each age division and gender, along with the top winners in the Pitch contest, Hit contest and Run contest in each age division and gender will advance to Sectionals. There are four levels of competition to advance through, including Team Championships at the Ballpark at Arlington. Top winners from the Team Championship are eligible to win an all expense paid trip to the National Finals at the 2013 MLB All-Star game in New York. Direct questions to [email protected] .

Elkhart Baseball will host an MLB sponsored Pitch, Hit and Run event at "The Backyard" - the Elks High School baseball field - on Saturday, April 20. Registration begins at 10:00 a.m. and is FREE to boys and girls ages 7-14. The All-Around winners in each age division and gender, along with the top winners in the Pitch contest, Hit contest and Run contest in each age division and gender will advance to Sectionals. There are four levels of competition to advance through, including Team Championships at the Ballpark at Arlington. Top winners from the Team Championship are eligible to win an all expense paid trip to the National Finals at the 2013 MLB All-Star game in New York. Direct questions to [email protected] .

Elkhart Baseball will host an MLB sponsored Pitch, Hit and Run event at "The Backyard" - the Elks High School baseball field - on Saturday, April 20. Registration begins at 10:00 a.m. and is FREE to boys and girls ages 7-14. The All-Around winners in each age division and gender, along with the top winners in the Pitch contest, Hit contest and Run contest in each age division and gender will advance to Sectionals. There are four levels of competition to advance through, including Team Championships at the Ballpark at Arlington. Top winners from the Team Championship are eligible to win an all expense paid trip to the National Finals at the 2013 MLB All-Star game in New York. Direct questions to [email protected] .

Elkhart Baseball will host an MLB sponsored Pitch, Hit and Run event at "The Backyard" - the Elks High School baseball field - on Saturday, April 20. Registration begins at 10:00 a.m. and is FREE to boys and girls ages 7-14. The All-Around winners in each age division and gender, along with the top winners in the Pitch contest, Hit contest and Run contest in each age division and gender will advance to Sectionals. There are four levels of competition to advance through, including Team Championships at the Ballpark at Arlington. Top winners from the Team Championship are eligible to win an all expense paid trip to the National Finals at the 2013 MLB All-Star game in New York. Direct questions to [email protected] .

Elkhart Baseball will host an MLB sponsored Pitch, Hit and Run event at "The Backyard" - the Elks High School baseball field - on Saturday, April 20. Registration begins at 10:00 a.m. and is FREE to boys and girls ages 7-14. The All-Around winners in each age division and gender, along with the top winners in the Pitch contest, Hit contest and Run contest in each age division and gender will advance to Sectionals. There are four levels of competition to advance through, including Team Championships at the Ballpark at Arlington. Top winners from the Team Championship are eligible to win an all expense paid trip to the National Finals at the 2013 MLB All-Star game in New York. Direct questions to [email protected] .

Pump Jacks Name Mark Kertenian New Head Coach The defending champions hire a former Division I coach with his own summer collegiate title as the third skipper in team history Kilgore, TX (January 15, 2013) – The East Texas Pump Jacks are the defending Texas Collegiate League champions. Former head coach Ben Taylor led the Jacks to a record 40-win season in 2011 and set the TCL career record for coaching victories in 2012, achieving national rankings both years. Mark Kertenian knows he has big shoes to fill “That’s one of the reasons I took the position, because that standard is there,” said Kertenian, who was announced today as the Pump Jacks’ new head coach. Kertenian takes over an East Texas team that captured its first TCL title during its fifth anniversary season in 2012. The Jacks reached #7 in Perfect Game’s summer collegiate national rankings and finished the season at #11, both TCL records. The daunting task of taking over a defending champion that has built such a reputation was the attraction to Kertenian. “Coaching the Pump Jacks is the most exciting opportunity I’ve had to date as a coach,” said Kertenian. The 33-year-old comes to East Texas with quite a resume of his own. Kertenian is entering his 12th season as a college coach and his third as an assistant at Glendale College in southern California. The Vaqueros have won conference titles both years he’s been with the program, ending an eight-year stretch without a league championship. Kertenian began his coaching career at Division I Cal State Northridge, where he spent nine seasons from 2002 to 2010. He helped the Matadors to a 40-win season and a Big West Conference title in 2002, finishing the season ranked #15 in the country. Northridge topped perennial conference contender Long Beach State and a Cal State Fullerton squad that one year later would advance to the College World Series. Kertenian helped guide the Matadors through some of the toughest competition in the country. In every season from 2003 to 2008, Cal State Northridge endured schedules that ranked among the 25 toughest slates in Division I baseball. Named the recruiting coordinator at Northridge in 2008, Kertenian thrived in his new role. His first recruiting class was ranked in the top-40 by Collegiate Baseball News, a feat he duplicated in 2009. The Burbank, Calif., native also made his first move into summer collegiate ball a successful one. He was selected to help recruit players for the Hawaii Baseball League’s inaugural season in 2005, and he served as head coach of the Oahu Paddlers for two years. Kertenian and the Paddlers captured the league title in 2005, then finished runner-up the following summer. An accomplished instructor, Kertenian founded the Matadors baseball camps at Cal State Northridge, and he continues to tutor one-on-one with some of California’s top prospects. He worked closely with a pair of 2012 draftees, including Arizona Diamondbacks’ second round pick Joe Munoz. Of course, East Texas fans will better recognize another of his former pupils: 2012 Pump Jacks outfielder Taylor Murphy. Mentoring draft picks and future pros is nothing new to Kertenian. He has coached five future big leaguers, including former Texas Rangers pitcher Kameron Loe. No fewer than 45 of his former players have been drafted by major league teams, and a total of 84 players have gone on to play professional baseball. Interestingly, Kertenian’s link to the TCL goes back almost a decade. While he was coaching at Northridge in 2004, he sent four players to Texas for the league’s inaugural season. Two of those players were named TCL all-stars, and all four of them were later drafted. Kertenian takes over for Taylor, who after last season sought a new challenge when he accepted a position with the Mat-Su Miners in the Alaska Baseball League. Taylor coached in three-straight TCL All-Star Games and routinely assembled a roster with the league’s top prospects. He was named the TCL Coach of the Year in 2011, duplicating the achievement of Stan Phelps, who was named the league’s top manager in the Pump Jacks’ 2008 inaugural season. “We knew finding a new coach this time around would be a challenge,” said general manager Mike Lieberman. “As a nationally-ranked program and the TCL champions, we wanted more than just any coach. Our fans deserve that. “After an exhaustive nationwide search, it was easy to see that Mark was the man for the job.” Kertenian’s playing career included serving as team captain at Pasadena City College and then again at Los Angeles City College. He concluded at Point Loma Nazarene University, where he saw time both on the mound and in the field. A 2003 graduate of Cal State Northridge, Kertenian earned a Master’s degree from Azusa Pacific University the following year. He is currently an instructor in kinesiology, health, and physical education at Glendale, and he has previously taught at colleges throughout southern California. Kertenian and the Pump Jacks open the defense of their title on May 30 on the road against the Texas Marshals. They open their 2013 home schedule on June 4 against the Acadiana Cane Cutters, then conclude their opening homestand with a championship rematch against the Victoria Generals. The complete 2013 schedule can be found here. Season tickets for the Jacks are on sale now. Season ticket prices remain the same this year – that’s right, no price increase even with a championship! Lower Box seats, which include in-your-seat wait service, are just $199 each, and Upper Box seats are $150. Grandstand season tickets are $105 for adults and $85 for children and seniors. Fans who purchase their season tickets and pay in full by February 8 will receive a free limited edition championship T-shirt, one that won’t be available to any other fans! Season tickets can be purchased online, by phone, or in person at the Jacks’ office in downtown Kilgore. Click here for more information on Pump Jacks season tickets. To follow all the news and developments as the Jacks prepare for the 2013 season, visit the Pump Jacks official web site at www.pumpjacksbaseball.com. Join the conversation with other members of Pump Jacks Nation by visiting the Pump Jacks on Facebook and Twitter.

Pump Jacks Sixth Season, Championship Title Defense, to Kick Off May 30 Fans can get a free championship T-shirt with the purchase of season tickets for the 2013 season, the Jacks’ first as defending TCL champs Kilgore, TX (January 9, 2013) – May the title defense begin! That’s the message from the East Texas Pump Jacks, who announced today the team’s 2013 season schedule. The Pump Jacks are the defending Texas Collegiate League champions after capturing the title in 2012, when the team celebrated its fifth anniversary season. “As much fun as the 2012 season was, we’re looking forward to this summer being even better,” said Pump Jacks general manager Mike Lieberman. “Five years of excitement, national rankings, drafted players, culminating in a championship we were able to share with our fans at historic Driller Park… that’s all the foundation for a new and exciting season this summer.” The Pump Jacks will return to Driller Park for the 2013 season, the site of the club’s dramatic, come-from-behind victory in the 2012 TCL Championship Series against the Victoria Generals. East Texas finished the season ranked #11 in Perfect Game’s national poll of more than 250 summer collegiate teams. The #11 rank at the end of the season, along with the #7 peak ranking during the summer, are believed to be TCL records. The 60-game schedule will kick off on Thursday, May 30, the earliest in the calendar year the TCL has ever began play. The Pump Jacks open the season on the road with a pair of games against the formally rechristened Texas Marshalls, followed by a two-game set in The Woodlands against the Strykers. The Pump Jacks return to Driller Park to begin their home schedule on Tuesday, June 4, against the Acadiana Cane Cutters. The two-game series against Acadiana will be followed by a championship rematch versus Victoria on June 6 and 7. The season will once again be evenly split between 30 home games at Driller Park and 30 games on the road. The campaign is split into two halves, with the first half coming to a close on July 3. Team records will then reset to 0-0 on July 4 to open the second half of the season. The Pump Jacks have acclimated themselves well to the TCL’s split-season schedule, which was first introduced in 2010. East Texas won four-straight division titles, beginning with the second-half crown in 2010, both halves in 2011, and then the first half of the Jacks’ championship season last summer. The TCL All-Star Game will take place on Tuesday, July 9, and the league expects to announce the host shortly. The regular season will conclude on August 9, followed by the playoffs. The complete schedule can be found by clicking here. Even with the Pump Jacks’ championship and national rankings, season tickets will once again remain the same price for this summer. Lower box seats, the best seats in the house that will continue to feature in-your-seat wait service, are only $199 each. Upper box tickets remain at $150 per seat. Grandstand tickets, which give ticket holders to sit anywhere in the general admission area, are still only $105 for adults and $85 for children and seniors. To celebrate the team’s first title, fans who pay for their season tickets in full by February 8 will receive a commemorative TCL championship T-shirt. Like last year’s anniversary shirt exclusively for season ticket holders, the championship T-shirt will boast a unique design that will not be available in the merchandise stand or to any other Pump Jacks fans. Only season ticket holders who get their tickets by February 8 can get it, so act now! All season ticket holders still become members of the Pump Jacks Premier Club, providing perks not available to other fans. The most popular benefit is the “Never A Wasted Ticket” policy, which allows Premier Club members to exchange any unused season tickets for Grandstand tickets to another game, ensuring that ticket holders get the most out of their season tickets. The Jacks will be adding more benefits as the season approaches. To make purchasing season tickets even easier, fans have the option of the EZ Pay plan. With EZ Pay, fans make an initial payment of just 25% of their order when they purchase their season tickets. The Pump Jacks will then charge 25% in each of the next three months, paying off the entire cost of the season tickets. Fans don’t have to deal with invoices and mailing in payments, either, since the Jacks will simply charge their card each month. To take advantage of the EZ Pay plan, fans can check the EZ Pay box on the season ticket order form, or request the EZ Pay plan when speaking with a Pump Jacks representative. Purchasing season tickets is easy. Simply call the Pump Jacks at (903) 218-GO ET, or e-mail the Jacks at [email protected]. Season tickets can also be conveniently purchased online through the Pump Jacks store at www.pumpjacksbaseball.com. More information is available here, along with a downloadable season ticket order form. The Pump Jacks are expected to announce the team’s new head coach next week. Ben Taylor, who served in that position for the last four seasons, was recently named the head coach of the Mat-Su Miners in the Alaska Baseball League, another summer collegiate circuit. During his tenure in East Texas, Taylor coached in three all-star games, won the 2011 TCL Coach of the Year award, and set the TCL record for regular season victories. To follow all the news and developments as the Jacks prepare for the 2013 season, visit the Pump Jacks official web site at www.pumpjacksbaseball.com. Join the conversation with other members of Pump Jacks Nation by visiting the Pump Jacks on Facebook and Twitter.