Ruling Class

Andrew Arnold needed asbestos batting gloves

to grip his molten-hot war club.

 RE-CAP   Fresh off of an impressive out-of-town tournament championship in which they notched three out of four victories via the run rule, the Louisville Longhorns returned home for their fifth Beechmont 12U Competitive League regular season contest and picked up right where they left off, run-ruling the Prairie Village Legends 10-1 in five innings on Wednesday night. The ’Horns have now won 9 of their last 11 games via the run rule and have reached double-digit scoring totals in 10 of the last 12 tilts. With tallies in all four of the frames in which they came to bat against the Legends, the club has also now put at least one marker up on the scoreboard in 17 of the last 20 innings. The only thing rivaling those apple-knocking numbers has been the primo pitching performances of the Longhorn orb-tossers, with Wednesday evening’s contest marking the seventh time in the last 11 games that the stingy slab staff has allowed nothing more than a single run.

Starting pitcher Casey Simon eyes a base runner

—seconds before picking him off.

 MIDWEEK MISSIVES   Africa Hot: After an 8-for-11, 8 RBI showing in Nashville, Andrew Arnold’s bat continued to be hotter than a Serengeti summer, as the Longhorn clean-up clouter went 3-for-3 with a 3-run seeya-shot and 4 RBIs... Easy As 1-2-3: In the final inning, Arnold traded in his bastinado for a ball and glove, climbed the hill and retired the side in order—on just 7 pitches—to nail down the victory... Missed It by That Much... Matthew Higgins just missed hitting his 8th yard-leaver, yanking a ball over the right field fence, perhaps two or three feet foul... Simply Smashing: But it did shatter the windshield of the SUV belonging to the father of the Legends’ shortstop... Double Helping: Higgins added a pair of two-baggers to his ever-increasing 2011 season extra base hit total...  Two Good: Brendan Koester rocketed an RBI double over the left fielder’s head in the second inning, his second two-cushion shot of the season... The Bryce is Right: With two hits and a walk, Bryce Elmore has now reached base safely in his last six times at bat... Driving Home His Point: Nicholas Parrish’s productive evening included a base hit, a sacrifice fly and two runs driven in... Prime Pickins: In addition to limiting the Legends to a single run on 5 hits over 4 innings, starting chucker Casey Simon picked two ill-fated runners off first base.

Ryan Hamilton gears up for his second inning base knock.

Sweet Music

It turned out to simply be a matter of going from Knox to Knoxville. When their planned Global World Series qualifier tournament in Fort Knox, Kentucky fell through, the Louisville Longhorns packed up their gear and hit the road, heading south for the May Madness Global World Series Qualifier tournament in Knoxville, Tennessee. There, they would square off against some fresh game faces, but the results were similar to what fans of the team have come to expect: the Longhorns rocked the Music City, outscoring their four out-of-state foes by a combined score of 40-8 for a perfect 4-0 record en route to capturing their third straight tournament championship and their fourth overall of the 2011 season.

Casey Simon emptied the bases with a second inning grand slam.

 RE-CAP   Perhaps a bit stiff after their three-hour drive down from Louisville, the Longhorns failed to score against the Mt. Juliet Mojo in the first inning, but certainly seemed to have the kinks worked out by the next frame, sending 16 batters to the dish and piling up 12 runs—both single-inning season-highs—in the second. The 14 markers put up on the scoreboard in just three innings at the plate were 13 more than needed, as the L-Horn’s hilltop heavers spun a 3-hit shutout in the 4-inning, 14-0 run-rule victory.

Bryce Elmore hits the dirt and slides home safely

with one of his two runs in the game.

Trey Sweeney comes around to score one of his two tallies.

 NOTES FROM NASHVILLE   Seconds on Salami: Casey Simon’s first-ever Longhorn hit was a grand slam in 2010’s season-ending tournament in Mt. Vernon, Indiana, and he connected again with the pond fully stocked in the 12-run second inning... Six-Pack Jack: The 2-run round-tripper swatted by Matthew Higgins in the third inning was his team-leading sixth of the season... Pair of Aces: Nicholas Parrish tossed two innings of 1-hit ball and Trey Sweeney allowed two harmless singles in two innings of relief to shut down the Mojo... Deuces Wild: Andrew Arnold and Sweeney both went a perfect 2-for-2, with 2 runs scored and 2 runs batted in... Double-Dipping: The ’Horns had two double plays for the first time in a game this season, including an unassisted dazzler by first baseman Bryce Elmore on a screamer smoked down the line... The Ouch Trilogy: Noah Baugher, Elmore and Parrish each took one for the team, getting plunked by pitches, and ultimately scoring, in the big second inning.

Catcher Andrew Arnold gunned down another would-be base nabber,

aided by shortstop Casey Simon’s sweep tag

and second baseman Brendan Koester’s demonstrative out call.

Andrew Arnold collects one of his quartet of Game 2 RBIs.

 RE-CAP   Once again, the Longhorns got untracked after a scoreless first frame, plating multiple runs in each of the next three innings and recording a double-digit tally-total for the ninth straight contest in a 10-2 win over the Music City Hits. It was the second run-rule triumph in as many pool-play games for the ’Horns, and also the second consecutive game in which the club’s summit slingers combined to limit the opposition to 3 hits and no earned runs.

Number 9 Noah Baugher is led back to the dugout by all nine

of his ecstatic teammates after clubbing his first career home run.

Pitcher Andrew Littlefield made yet another stellar start,

allowing just two hits over two shutout innings.

 MUSIC CITY MUSINGS   Baugher Power: Noah Baugher delighted the Longhorn road contingent when he stroked his first career home run, a 2-run rope to dead-center field in the second inning... Send ’em Home: Andrew Arnold was 2-for-3 with 4 RBIs, plating at least one base runner in each of his three at bats... Pair of Aces, Part Deux: Starting horsehide hurler Andrew Littlefield allowed just 2 hits over two shutout innings, while Casey Simon limited the Hits to just one of their namesakes, and no earned runs, over the final two frames.

Ryan Hamilton lines a third inning base hit.

Nicholas Parrish got his second starting nod of the tournament

and went deep into the game to earn the W, all the while wearing pants

that were eminently cleaner than those of teammate Casey Simon.

 RE-CAP   With a 2-0 record and only 2 runs allowed in their pair of pool-play games on Saturday, the Longhorns earned the No. 1 seed and a berth in Sunday’s semifinals against the No. 4 seeded Brentwood Power. Having scored in four of the five innings they came to bat, the ’Horns held a commanding 7-0 lead after five stanzas, a cushion that allowed them to easily absorb the Power’s 5-run uprising in the final frame.

Trey Sweeney prepares to uncork a second inning double

and drive home Bryce Elmore from third base.

 POWER PLAYS   Trey Bien: Trey Sweeney had his second multi-hit outing in three games, a 2-for-3 showing that included a run-scoring double-bagger... Right with Ya, Buddy: Andrew Littlefield conjured up a reasonable facsimile of his compadre’s hitting line, also going 2-for-3 with an RBI... Pitching In: Starting pitcher Nicholas Parrish gave up only one earned run over 5-2/3 innings, striking out 4 along the way... Dyno Ryno: Second baseman Ryan Hamilton made a spectacular, diving, tumbling grab of what should have been a clean base hit in the hole between first and second base in the final inning... Two for the Price of One: Hamilton, shortstop Casey Simon and first baseman Bryce Elmore got together for a nifty 4-6-3 double play in the third inning.

Ryan Hamilton, shown manning his second base station,

would later make a spectacular, diving stop on grounder in the hole.

Noah Baugher, the man of the hour, receives hearty congrats

from teammates Matthew Higgins and Casey Simon after

cranking his second four-bagger of the tournament.

 RE-CAP   It was not their highest run-scoring performance, a season-best hit total was not amassed, nor did they add another no-hitter to the three already under their belt this year, but all who were there to witness the Louisville Longhorns’ 9-1 May Madness tournament championship game victory will tell you that it was the finest exhibition of baseball that they have seen from this team in what has already been a very successful 2011 season. Squaring off against the No. 2 seeded Tennessee Outlaws—a well-coached, hard-hitting, strong-pitching, good-fielding, aggressive outfit from Chattanooga—the Longhorns out-hit, out-pitched, out-fielded, out-ran and, most importantly, out-spirited a team that had convincingly disposed of their previous three tournament opponents. Down 1-0 after the first half inning, the Longhorns answered right back with three in the bottom of the frame to take a lead that they would never relinquish. Although that tally triumvirate would have been enough for victory, the ’Horns opted to continue to put the hammer down, adding two more runs in the second, another three in the fourth and a walk-off, tournament-ending final score in the decisive fifth frame.

Matthew Higgins follows the path of his tree-topping,

mammoth mash in the fourth inning.

 CROWNING ACHIEVEMENTS   Polished Gem: Mound-topper Andrew Littlefield went the 6-inning distance, scattering 7 hits along the way, in a pitching performance for the ages... Did We Mention That He Can Hit, Too?: Littlefield’s fourth inning single extended his hitting streak to 17 games... And He’s Pretty Good with the Glove: Littlefield grabbed a hot worm-burner up the middle, turned and threw to Casey Simon covering the keystone sack who then fired to Nicholas Parrish at first base to complete a fourth inning, 1-6-3 double play, the Longhorns’ fourth twin-killing of the tournament... Noah Way!: After hitting his first career home run on Saturday, Noah Baugher added his second circuit clout of the season, a line shot over the center field fence to lead off the second inning... Double-Dinger Club: Matthew Higgins matched his teammate’s two-tater tourney total when he launched a fourth inning moon-shot over the grove of trees beyond the center field fence... Nigh-Side Knocker: Higgins’s homer capped off a perfect 3-for-3 game for the lefty sphere-smacker... Crazy Eights: Andrew Arnold also was 3-for-3, putting an exclamation point on a weekend in which he went 8-for-11 with a team-high 8 RBIs, including the walk-off base knock that plated Trey Sweeney with the tally that gave the ’Horns the run-rule victory... Pick Six: Simon’s run-scoring single in the fourth inning gave him an even half-dozen Nashville ribbies... Five Golden Runs: Brendan Koester scored twice in the title tilt and five times overall in the tournament, second only to Higgins’s six plate-crossings.

Brendan Koester reached base safely in both of his at bats

and scored two of his five tournament runs in the championship game.

It All Adds Up

Hard to believe, but we have reached the midway point of the Louisville Longhorns’ 2011 season! For certain, with 12 games—more than a third of our schedule—rained out, and with numerous practices also washed away, or moved indoors, it may still feel like we are just getting started. But it has been two months since we played our first game, and we have two more months to go, so we are indeed halfway through our game calendar.

With 23 contests now under our belts, it’s the perfect time for our official team bean-counters to have been working night and day, poring over the statistical databases, to bring you the...

FIRST ANNUAL LOUISVILLE LONGHORNS

MID-SEASON NUMBER-CRUNCH!

Runs put up on the scoreboard in 23 games so far this season,

an average of almost 10 per game.

Individual multi-hit games

by Longhorn sphere-strikers.

Extra base hits by Longhorn ball-bashers.

Season-high single-game run total,

in the Lyndon Derby Classic tournament championship game

against the At the Yard Titans on Sunday, May 1.

Season-high single-game hit total,

in their Beechmont 12U Competitive League game

against the Louisville Samurai on Thursday, May 5.

Number of times Longhorn batters have

“taken one for the team” and been plunked by pitches.

Games in which the Longhorns

have amassed double-digit run totals.

Home runs hammered by Longhorn pill-pelters.

Season-long win streak (current).

Games in which the Longhorns’ offensive machine

has amassed double-digit hit totals.

Error-free games by Longhorn leather-toters.

Shut-out victories.

One-hit pitching performances

by Longhorn mound-climbers.

Tournament finals reached,

in 4 tournaments played.

Tournament championships.

No-hit games by Longhorn apple-chuckers.

Average number of runs allowed per game.

Fresh Starts

With two key members of the Louisville Longhorns’ pitching staff on the shelf and unavailable for mound duty in this weekend’s Nations/Battle Against Cancer tournament in Brandenburg, Kentucky, head coach Rick Arnold delved into his rich reserve of quality arms and got big wins from two previously-unheralded hurlers. His pool-play games 1 and 2 starters had only one start between them over the Longhorns’ first 21 contests, but the two took the horsehide from their lofty leader and pitched like seasoned veterans, allowing no earned runs over a combined 7 innings.

Andrew Arnold tossed 4 innings of shut-out ball

in just his second start of the season.

Although even the most impressive hilltop performances are sometimes negated by a lack of run support from the apple-knockers, such was not to be the case on this cloudy Saturday morning, as the Longhorn offense delivered double-digit hit and run tallies for the sixth straight game. With 12 markers and 11 safeties in each of their pool-play tilts, the ’Horns went 2-0 and were guaranteed a high seed going into Sunday’s bracket-play phase of the tournament.

RE-CAP  Making his first start in over six weeks, and only his second start of the season, Andrew Arnold looked every bit the Cy Young Award candidate, going the distance against the E-Town Xtreme and allowing only three base runners on two hits and a walk, while striking out four. What little run support was needed was provided in the first inning, when the ’Horns sent 11 batters to the plate and put a half-dozen tallies up on the board. Not leaving anything to chance, the team would plate three more runs in the each of the next two innings as well, en route to 12-0, run-rule victory.

Bryce Elmore was locked in,

going 3-for-3 at the plate with 4 RBIs.

SATURDAY IN THE PARK  Serious Damage: The 12-run, 11-hit offensive was led by Bryce Elmore, who went 3-for-3 with a booming triple and 4 RBIs... Three’s Company: Matthew Higgins and Andrew Arnold each drove in three runs, with both going 1-for-2 with a sacrifice fly... Dirty Dozens: Andrew Littlefield’s two-bagger to lead off the first inning extended his hit-streak to 12 games, and Casey Simon’s 2 runs scored meant that he had crossed the plate at least one time in each of the last 12 games... Revolution No. 9: Simon’s base on balls in the first inning ended a streak in which he recorded nine hits in nine straight at bats... Welcome Back My Friend, to the Show That Never Ends: Returning to the fold for the first time since 2010, Mitchell Elliott stroked a run-scoring base hit in his first Longhorn at bat of the 2011 season.

Mitchell Elliott was welcomed with open arms

in his return to the Longhorns.

RE-CAP  Having not started a game all season, it might have been unreasonable to expect starting pitcher Bryce Elmore to not allow a single earned run against the Floyds Knobs Fuzion in the second game of pool-play in the Nations/Battle Against Cancer tournament. But that is exactly what Ol’ Number 3 delivered, along with five strikeouts, over three full innings Saturday morning, while behind him the Louisville Longhorn cudgel-clutchers mounted an 11-hit, 12-run attack for the third straight game.

Bryce Elmore brings the heat,

while center fielder Andrew Littlefield cheers him on.

POOL QUEUES  Doing Double Duty: Once again, it was Bryce Elmore holding the hit parade baton, amply supporting his own pitching cause with a 2-for-3 plate performance, including a double and 2 RBIs... Imagine What I Could Do with a Full-Time Job: In just his second game back with the Longhorns, Mitchell Elliott was also 2-for-3 with a double and 2 RBIs... Me Too!: Noah Baugher, with base knocks in his first two at bats, joined Elmore and Elliott in the 2-for-3 club... Knock ’em Down, Knock ’em In: After knocking in 3 runs apiece in the previous contest, Matthew Higgins and Andrew Arnold each added 2 more ribbies in Game 2... Lucky 13: Andrew Littlefield’s third inning single ran his hit streak to 13 games, and Casey Simon’s first inning run gave him at least one plate-crossing in each of the last baker’s dozen worth of meetings... Mr. Consistent: Ryan Hamilton scored 2 runs for the fifth consecutive game... Habit Forming: With 2 base hits and 2 walks, Nicholas Parrish has reached base in 4 out of 5 plate appearances so far in the tournament... Look Out, Here He Comes: Brendan Koester’s fifth inning, run-scoring single gave him base hits in each of the last three games.

Matthew Higgins prepares to drive in his fifth run of the tournament.

Nicholas Parrish laces a second inning single.