Vandalia Butler (17-12) vs Lakota East (17-11)

[ButlerAviator83]

This regional matchup looks pretty even on paper, but that all means SQUAT come game time. Other than the fact that they beat a very good Centerville team 4-0, en route to winning their first ever District Championship, I really do not know anything about LE. What's the scoop? How do they compare to teams like Moeller, LaSalle, Hamilton, and Hamilton Badin? Those are all of the Cincy area schools that Butler has seen this season.

www.vandaliabutlerbaseball.com

[WHS00_UD04]

Congrats to the Aviators. Way to keep the GWOC in the tourney

[Voice-of-Reason]

East will win! bet on it...

[Yellow_Jacket06]

Go Butler!

Represent the GWOC

[BigO_53]

East will win! bet on it...

they will not beat butler, and you can take that to the bank. i seen both teams play this year and I like the aviators in this one. they throw dumler east will be lucky to get on the scoreboard. lasalle had no answer for butler and lasalle is ten times better then east.

[Voice-of-Reason]

they will not beat butler, and you can take that to the bank. i seen both teams play this year and I like the aviators in this one. they throw dumler east will be lucky to get on the scoreboard. lasalle had no answer for butler and lasalle is ten times better then east.

Butler was lucky to beat LaSalle. East by four runs.

[MightyMoe71]

Lakota East is an average team that was blessed with a very easy road in the tournament. Butler is an above average team that too had a pretty easy road up to the LaSalle game. This will be a good game, but Lakota East will not be able to beat Butler. The only way Butler loses this game is by beating themselves. I'll take Butler 5-3.

[southpaw69]

Butler has a tendency to do just that. They have been plagued by errors and very little run support at times. Dumler is solid but will not win without a solid defensive game and a few guys have to have some timely hits. It has been a problem and I think it will be their downfall........maybe not against East but very soon.

[ButlerAviator83]

I would tend to agree with MM71 and southpaw69. Butler's biggest undoing has been errors. Butler played error free against LaSalle, and turned in a gem. If they can play mistake free for 7 innings, they can play with most anyone. It's hard to say what Thursday holds not knowing anything about LE. I know enough though to say that we have drawn the more favorable of the two Lakota schools.

[pinhuntin09]

It's hard for me to think Butler has any chance in this one, I saw them get absolutley pounded in a double header to Springboro and Badin, I can't even beleive they made it this far to tell you the truth

[ButlerAviator83]

It's hard for me to think Butler has any chance in this one, I saw them get absolutley pounded in a double header to Springboro and Badin, I can't even beleive they made it this far to tell you the truth

I can certainly see where that performance would lead you to have a little skepticism.

[Yellow_Jacket06]

I can certainly see where that performance would lead you to have a little skepticism.

Sidney got pounded by Boro in a DH too...No big deal they had alot of talent.

The Aviators have had their share of breakdowns, like the first Sidney game. The second game was just a great pitching performance by Yinger.

I think Butler can beat East, if the mental errors are limited.

[southpaw69]

I think their bats may let them down as well. I don't think they are a good hitting team. I could be wrong but the games I saw were not that impressive.

[TheBenchwarmer]

I think there bats may let them down as well. I don't think they are a good hitting team. I could be wrong but the games I saw were not that impressive.

I was looking at their game by game results on their baseball website and this team looks like they have been hot and cold. When Butler hits the ball, the REALLY HIT the ball. When the bats freeze up, they are terrible. Looks like Dumler and Cono are their two top pitchers. I cannot believe how young this team is, they start two freshman, a couple of sophomores, and the rest are juniors. Only 3 seniors on the roster. This team is gonna be down right NASTY in 2009!!! I have seen East play 5 times this year, and they lost 4 of those 5. I don't know if there is a more evenly matched set of teams playing tomorrow. This one is a toss up. Whoever hits the ball wins this one. Butler looks like they are really playing with a spark of late. If they pitch and win with Cono tomorrow this team could make some noise. If they pitch Dumler and win, they could be hurting against Moeller on Friday. (I saw they lost 10-0 to Moeller already) I graduated from Butler in '67, but my boys are at Moeller so I have to root for the Crusaders!

[ButlerAviator83]

Aviators won 10-1 last night against Gahanna Lincoln. Sophomore Kyle Blakely improved to 4-2.

[whs01]

Any score updates yet?

[flames coach]

3-3 top of the 9th inning. Cattani hit a 2 out 2 run home run in the top of the 7th to send to extra innings

[NYCBlue]

Per Cincy Enquirer HS sports blog....


On to the 10th...

Posted by tomgroeschen at 5/29/2008 4:47 PM EDT


This is a recording: Lakota East 3, Vandalia Butler 3. We just finished the 9th inning.

Some folks' schedules are being thrown by the extras, but this has been a great game. Three runs and six hits with one error by East. Three runs, five hits and no errors for Butler.

East starter Luke Giddens went 8 2/3 innings before being lifted. He had five K's, four BB's and allowed only four hits. Butler's three runs were all in the top of the 1st.

[NYCBlue]

Per Cincy Enquirer....


Lakota East wins it...

Posted by tomgroeschen at 5/29/2008 5:02 PM EDT

Lakota East 4, Vandalia Butler 3.
Final score in 10 innings.

East went up 4-3 in the top of the 10th on a throwing error. Wes Smith, who was the winning pitcher in relief, also scored the decisive run.

East will play the Moeller-St. Xavier winner Friday at 2 p.m. at UC in the regional final, for the right to go to the Division I state tourney. This is the best tourney run in East's decade-long history.

[ButlerAviator83]

Great game, tough one to lose. Congrats to LE. Good luck tomorrow.

[MACster]

Congrats on a fine season to Coach Trent Dues and the Aviators.