Sun News Top 5: Montenery keeps sitting ‘em down, and Waccamaw keeps moving on up
A veteran of many seasons in the dugout, Waccamaw baseball coach Jeff Gregory knows better than to fret a slow start.
Thank goodness baseball is a marathon rather than a sprint.
Sure, every coach yearns for his team to win every single occasion it takes the field. In reality, they all understand the likelihood is nothing more than a dream.
With that in mind, improvement on a daily basis is the requirement, especially win contending for a state championship is expected.
Specifically Waccamaw, which began the season among the top squads in Class 3A. While the chance to host the Coastal Invitational Tournament is not one it takes lightly, the Warriors also want their best ball to be played at the end rather than at the start line.
“You have several scrimmages and tournaments early in the season. The Coastal Invitational originally started as a preseason tournament, and has developed into a prestigious event,” Gregory said. “While our goal is to win, we’re gauging our team in an effort to find what we’re good at and what we need to work on.”
The Warriors may have yet to round into perfect form, but after three games in Region VI-3A play, Gregory must feel good about where his team is sitting.
Following another masterful performance by junior standout Jaret Montenery — both on the bump as well as in the box — Waccamaw claimed a 3-1 decision over league foe Aynor on Tuesday. By virtue of the win, the Warriors are now 3-0 in the league — along with them taking over the top spot in The Sun News’ baseball poll this week.
Since losing his first start of the 2017 campaign, Montenery has been impressive in each of the following three, winning them all. In those contests, the Waccamaw pitcher did not yield more than a run, striking out a total of 32 batters.
Waccamaw has also proven it is at its best in tight games. Of the club’s six victories, four have come by a single run.
Softball poll
This week’s softball poll was largely unchanged, with Aynor, St. James and Conway taking the top three spots.
Courtesy of a pair of big wins, Georgetown moved to No. 4, just ahead of Myrtle Beach.
Joe L. Hughes II: 843-444-1702, @JoeLHughesII
THE SUN NEWS BASEBALL TOP 5
1. Waccamaw (7-4, 3-0 Region VI-3A): Riding the broad shoulders of Jaret Montenery, the Warriors have surged to the top of Region VI-3A.
2. North Myrtle Beach (7-1, 2-1 Region VII-4A): Despite suffering their first loss of the season to Marlboro County, the Chiefs bounced back with a shutout of Wilson.
3. Myrtle Beach (6-3, 2-0 Region VII-4A): An impressive week that saw two pitchers combine for a no-hitter finished with a solid road win in league play at St. James.
4. Conway (5-6, 2-2 Region VI-5A): Tigers flashed their tremendous upside in wins over West Florence and Socastee, and the better part of a tough loss at Sumter.
5. St. James (4-5, 0-3 Region VII-4A): Tough losses have been a recurring theme for Sharks, resulting in an 0-3 hole in league play.
THE SUN NEWS SOFTBALL TOP 5
1. Aynor (4-1, 3-0 Region VI-3A): The Blue Jackets cruised to a pair of double-digit wins over the past week. Its toughest test awaits Friday, though, visiting Dillon.
2. St. James (7-3, 3-0 Region VII-4A): Sharks continued their steady play with convincing wins over Myrtle Beach and Marlboro County.
3. Conway (5-4, 3-1 Region VI-5A): Stellar defense has become a calling card for the Tigers, allowing them to claim three league wins in a row.
4. Georgetown (6-3, 2-1 Region VI-3A): Bulldogs have exploded the past two games, outscoring opponents by a score of 35-2.
5. Myrtle Beach (4-2, 1-1 Region VII-4A): Got over a disappointing loss to St. James by hanging 25 runs on the board against Loris.
This story was originally published March 22, 2017 at 4:44 PM with the headline "Sun News Top 5: Montenery keeps sitting ‘em down, and Waccamaw keeps moving on up."