Wilcox pitching strong in Team USA trials
Heritage High School senior pitcher Cole Wilcox made a strong case Wednesday in Minneapolis for making the final 20-man roster for Team USA.
Wilcox, in his second outing in the weeklong trials, pitched three innings and gave up just one hit and one earned run while striking out three. He pitched in the first intrasquad game earlier in the week and allowed four earned runs in three innings.
“Cole says that he feels he has a good chance of making the final cut,” said Wilcox’s father, Lee. “But he said there are a lot of good arms there and he’s glad he’s not picking the final team, because some really good players will be going home.”
The final game will be televised live on MLB. com tonight at 7, and the Team USA roster will be announced live afterward on the network.
“We hope they don’t call the final roster out in alphabetical order,” Lee Wilcox said with a laugh. “But last on the list is better than not at all. It’s been a great experience for him, so whatever happens it’s been a great time.”
Lail gets 300th win
When Baylor won its last volleyball match over the weekend in the Showdown at the Sunsphere at the Knoxville Convention Center, it gave the Lady Red Raiders the Gold division championship.
But their first match in the tournament gave Sarah Lail her 300th coaching victory with the program.
Baylor reached the Division II-AA state final last October and could have won Lail’s 3ooth then but didn’t. It didn’t help that standout hitter Gabby Gray, now playing at Western Carolina, injured a leg playing in a match the day before.
“I had no idea at the end of last season that had we won in the state final it would’ve been my 300th,” said the former Sale Creek coach, who tallied things during the offseason and found she was sitting on 299 since coming to Baylor.
“Plenty of talented people have helped me along with that,” she added. “It helps having a great administration and being at a great school.”
GPS adds to staff
Girls Preparatory School’s new staff and faculty members for 2017-18 include some with sports responsibilities.
Besides head basketball coach and athletic director Jay Watts, whose hiring was reported in May, David Hall is the interim varsity rowing coach with Kipton Tugman and Maegan Gossett Collett as rowing assistants, Jenny Bullard is the bowling head coach, Candi McGowan is the assistant bowling coach and Sam DeFriese and David Barrueta are soccer assistants.
Katie Outlaw is coaching middle school cross country and track, and Brandon Noel is helping with middle school softball.