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Baseball
Richter, Noyola, and Shimp Earn All-district Honors
April 24, 2008
Coaches in TAPPS district 2-5A named junior Wes Richter first-team all-district at their annual meeting on Wednesday morning. Richter, a co-captain, led the club in batting average (.476), on-base percentage (.581), hits (40), RBIs (27), and stolen bases (21). He also shut down opponents’ running game as the Panthers’ catcher. Head Coach Dave Ostroff adds that “Wes Richter sets a great example for younger players to follow – he plays hard all the time; he has a terrific work ethic; and he’s willing to make personal sacrifices for the good of the team. We’re proud of Wes, and we’re excited that Wes will be back to lead the Panthers in 2009.” Richter is one of only four underclassmen to earn 1st team honors in a highly competitive district that boasts three teams ranked in the Dallas Morning News top five (including the defending TAPPS 5A state champions) along with seven athletes who have signed NCAA Division I scholarships.
Senior captain Miguel Noyola and sophomore Scott Shimp were named to the coaches’ all-district 2nd-team. The Panthers’ captain hit .354 and led the team in doubles (15) and runs scored (40) from the lead-off spot. Noyola also anchored the team’s defense from shortstop and pitched for the Panthers, winning two games and saving three others in 26 innings of work. “Miguel Noyola leads by example,” says Coach Ostroff. “This all-district achievement is the product of Miguel’s relentless work ethic, commitment, and passion for the game. I’m pleased that coaches throughout the district have recognized his effort and achievements with this award.”
Scott Shimp earned 2nd team honors by leading the Panthers’ pitching staff in innings pitched (65.3), wins (6), ERA (3.75), and strikeouts (84). The 6’4’’ left-hander’s strikeout total ranks in the top five among area private school pitchers. Shimp also contributed at the plate – his .356 batting average was second-best on the team. “Nobody works harder to improve than Scott Shimp,” says Coach Ostroff. “He’s young, he’s talented, and he’s driven to be a great player. The coaching staff and I are proud of him, and we’re excited about his future with the Panthers.”
Panthers Finish with Winning Record; Double ’07 Win Total
April 24, 2008
“The baseball program has made light-years of progress from where we began in the fall!” says Head Coach Dave Ostroff, reflecting on the 2008 season. “To watch our young players improve and mature has been special. For much of the season, we started three sophomores and three freshmen in our varsity nine. Those young players have gained invaluable experience – they’ve faced 90 mile-per-hour fastballs and lights-out breaking stuff. They’ve competed at the highest levels against future Division I ballplayers, and they’ve always scratched, clawed, and competed no matter what obstacles we threw at them. These young men will have great baseball careers at Parish; I’m excited for them!!”
The club got out of the gates quickly and won five of its six games in February – including quality wins over TAPPS 2-A state title contender Legacy Christian, TAPPS 6A playoff team Bishop Dunne, and Trenton High School, a perennial UIL 1A title contender.
The ball club played two tournaments in March. The team traveled first to Wichita Falls and played in the American Cancer Society Tournament, winning five out of six games. Scott Shimp pitched the Panthers to a quality win over the defending UIL 1A state champs from Archer City; Miguel Noyola earned all-tournament honors for his work with the bat and the glove; and Brant Costilla threw a one-hitter at Bowie, a 3A UIL school from north Texas that has turned out two professional draftees in the last decade. The Panthers hit the road again for East Texas and the Quitman FCA Tournament – the ball club split a pair of one-run games before dropping a 13-10 slugfest. Wes Richter earned the Panthers’ win on the mound and took home all-tourney honors for his performance behind the plate, on the mound, and in the batter’s box.
Parish finished tied for fifth in TAPPS district 2-5A – losing a one-run game (1-0) in the last week of the regular season dashed the Panthers’ playoff hopes. Highlights from district play include Scott Shimp’s dominating shutout win over Tyler Grace at Grace and double-digit runs scored in wins over Shelton and Lutheran.
16 wins and 15 losses. The record and the stats only begin to tell the story of the 2008 Parish Panthers baseball team. Many young players and their families got a first taste of the level of commitment that highly competitive varsity athletics requires – along with chances to learn important life-lessons about giving ‘championship effort’, valuing preparation and hard work, and overcoming adversity. “In so many ways, 2008 has been a GREAT season,” adds Coach Ostroff. “The baseball program has built tremendous momentum heading forward. We can’t wait to get started with our fall ball and off-season programs next year!!”
Baseball Summary, Week Two Feb. 19, 2008
Varsity Wins Home Opener versus Frisco Legacy, 5-2
Scott Shimp drove in three runs with a pair of doubles, and Wes Richter banged out three hits to help the Panthers build an early 4-0 lead. Panthers’ freshmen also played key roles in the win: James Cook slapped a double to left for his first varsity hit, and Joe Firth added a key RBI. Brant Costilla tossed three scoreless innings, and Miguel Noyola slammed the door in the sixth and seventh to earn his second save of the season.
JV Rolls over Palmer, 8-1
Nick Feild and Prashant Dayal combined to throw a no-hitter against a seasoned Palmer lineup and lead the JV to their second straight win to open the season. Feild opened with four scoreless frames, and Dayal sealed the win. Meantime, Clay Alexander bashed a double to left-center to set the tone offensively, and the Panthers raced to a 5-0 lead after three innings on their way to victory.
Varsity Drops 7-0 Decision at Palmer
The Panthers could not claw their way out of an early deficit against Palmer, a perennial 2A UIL playoff team. Panthers’ ace Brant Costilla allowed three runs in the first on three walks, three hit batsmen, and no hits. Palmer added an unearned run in the fourth and strung together a couple of hits in the fifth to put the game out of reach. Scott Shimp collected two hits in the loss.
Varsity and JV Combine for Undefeated Week One Feb. 12, 2008
JV Overcomes Big Deficit, Posts 16-15 victory over BL Freshmen
When Coach Adam Yates huddled the JV baseball team before their opener on Saturday and told the boys they were going to “surprise some people and turn some heads” this spring, even he couldn’t have imagined his words would foreshadow the biggest comeback win in Parish baseball history.
After Bishop Lynch completed their at-bats in the top of the third inning, the JV Panthers began clawing their way out of a 12-1 hole with timely extra base hits from Zach Kleiman, Clay Alexander, and Joe Firth. In the meantime, Nick Feild and Casey Hall pitched well in relief; Hall got the last six outs and earned the win. The 16-run outburst included contributions from every member of the lineup – starters and reserves.
Varsity Defeats Bishop Dunne, 8-1
Avenging a 13-5 early season loss from last year, Brant Costilla, Scott Shimp, and Miguel Noyola combined to fire a one-hitter at Bishop Dunne – losing their collective no-hit bid in the bottom of the last inning with one out. The Panthers banged out eleven hits including three from Costilla, who has reached base safely in all seven of his at-bats to begin the season.
Varsity Wins Opener over American Heritage, 9-5
Captain Miguel Noyola led off the season for the Panthers with a line-drive base hit, promptly stole second, and scored on Scott Shimp’s single to right. The Panthers added two more runs in the top of the first and never trailed on their Opening Day. Brant Costilla started and earned the victory with three hitless innings, and Noyola got the final three outs for his first save of the year.
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