We Play Baseball, Too

Posted by Dan Jensen

     We have a good tradition in basketball but we do in baseball as well.  If some of you would like periodic reports on the team, let us know and we will try to check the Galveston News and maybe some area correspondents can report also.

     Jim Mallory apparently coaches like Bear Bryant did in football.  That's an unusual approach these days but it works.  He has been especially good in developing pitchers.  Steven White and MarkMcCormick both had good careers at Baylor and are now pitching professionally.  Before that, Chris Scarcella (Bobby Galloway's grandson) pitched at Texas A&M and briefly in the pros.  Aaron Brown is at the University of Houston and I believe a former Wildcat is nursing a sore arm at Rice.  A couple of position players signed with colleges a couple of years ago.

     We just rallied to defeat Brazoswood in eight innings to remain undefeated in four District 24-5A games.  We are 14-4 for the season.

Comments

[Dan Jensen]

Anybody interested?

[Terry Mathis]

Clear Creek won the 5-A State Baseball Championship,in 1991 by beating Klein Oak 8-2. Klein Oak was coached by one of my former teamates in college, Dale Westmoreland. Me, my wife and son were some of the few fans that were there at the end of the game. It ended after rain delays during the day Saturday, backed the Championship game start to about 10:15 PM. It was almost 1:00 AM Sunday morning when the final out was recorded.
It's a shame that the one state championship won was enjoyed by so few people. Was anyone else at the game?

[Dan Jensen]

Terry, I was not tracking such things then but did know that we won state. Tell us more about that team.

As I recall, it was good that we did not play Klein Oak in the first game because it had a great pitcher who later was a high draft choice and I believe pitched a bit in the majors before an injury. I forget his name.

I know that Shawn Buhner was on our team. He followed older brother Jay to McLennan Community College in Waco and played a while professionally.

Is Jay Buhner our only alum to make it to the major leagues? He had a long and successful career. Let's hope that Steven White and Mark McCormick will soon be on that list.

[Terry Mathis]

Klein Oak's left handed pitcher in their first game of the state tournament in 1991, was Justin Thompson. He was a 1st round draft pick, 32nd overall in the 1991 draft. He was selected to the American League All Star team in 1997 with the Detroit Tigers. He has played 10 years in the minors and 5 years in the majors, last year 2005 as a member of the Texas Rangers. We beat their second best, Kevin Hodges a right hander, who was drafted in the 8th round, 211th overall by Kansas City. He has played 17 years in the minors, and 1 year in the majors with Seattle. Last year he played in Japan. Clear Creek's star was 1st baseman David Buhner, Jay's brother, who was drafted in the 64th round, 1504 pick overall. Speaking of Jay Buhner, he played for 19 years total, with 15 years in the majors. 2 years with the New York Yankees, and 13 years with Seattle. He earned over $36,000,000 in his career. His career ended in 2001. I say he is the most famous Wildcat of all time. I think he is the only Wildcat to play in the majors.

[Dan Jensen]

Since no one is interested in Clear Creek baseball, I thought I would toss in a report sent to me by Edward Davis, a big Baylor fan who saw the 14-0 win over Oklahoma State on Friday. Baylor has a good team but had been pounded three straight times because of awful pitching.

The Bears got a complete game shutout last night and we had our Weather Control Machine working well also. It was just installed this year and is paying big dividends.

This from Sir Edward: "The baseball Bears bounced back in fine fashion against OSU. The weather was really quirky and helped us more than it helped them. We were batting when the wind kicked up to about 40 miles an hour and was swirling in all different directions. Fortenberry hit one that would normally have been a routine pop-up to short that ended up hitting and staying fair between home plate and the mound and no one coming close to catching it. The Cowboy infielders were all running around trying to guage where it might come down and actually crashed into one another once. Seth got a double on it and Gerdes scored from 2nd on the high pop-up."

[Dan Jensen]

Although no one seems interested in the baseball team, I will report that we beat winless Galveston Ball, 6-1, and are now 7-1 in district play and 16-5 for the season.

Two Wildcat alums, Steven White and Mark McCormick are off to good starts in pro ball this spring.

White, pitching for a Yankee AA farm club, lost a no-hitter with one out in the eighth inning yesterday and his relievers later last the game. It was his second start of the year.

McCormick, pitching in Low A ball in the Cardinal organization, also had a one hitter. It was in his first game and was over six innings.

[Dan Jensen]

Looks like Clear Creek has a track team too. This from the Galveston News:

CLUTE — In the end, it was clearly Creek.

The Wildcats boys track and field team dominated the running stage of the District 24-5A track and field championships Thursday night, pulling away from Pearland to win the team title as Robert McLemore stole the show.

Creek won the team title with 197 points, ahead of Pearland’s 175.

McLemore won the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 14.86 seconds, assuring himself of a spot in the Region III meet later this month. He also finished third in the 300-meter hurdles

[Dan Jensen]

Steven White pitched 6 1/3 innings of three hit, seven strikeout ball tonight to get a win. He now has a streak of 13 2/3 scoreless innings for the AA Yankee farm club in Trenton. His earned run average is just 1.45.

[Terry Mathis]

It sounds like Steven is getting off to a better start than he had last year. He was 2-7 last year at Trenton with a 6.44 ERA, after starting 11 games. The Trenton Thunder are in the Eastern AA League, in the Northern Division that finished in second place last year just 2 games out of 1st.

[Terry Mathis]

Mark McCormick pitches for Quad Cities, in the Midwest League in Class A ball. Last year he was 1-2, with 9 starts. He had 45 K's, in 42.2 innings, thats what the big's like.

[Dan Jensen]

Steven White was severely hampered last year with two long stints on the disabled list with a pulled oblique muscle, then was sidelined at the end of the season with pancreatis, something he battled his junior year at Baylor too. He then played in the Arizona Fall League and pitched well against good prospects from all organizations.

Both White and Mark McCormick are off to very good starts this year.

[Debbie Goodwin (Cooper)]

Do you know who Steven White's dad is?

[Dan Jensen]

Steven is the only child of Mike and Brenda White and the grandson of my good friend, the late Paul White.

I became friends with Brenda and renewed my association with Mike when Steven pitched for Baylor. Sadly, Brenda died suddenly summer before last.

[Dan Jensen]

Speaking of Baylor baseball, Ed Davis and I will be in Waco Sunday for a game with Texas A&M.

One of the joys of this blog is finding out that Ed graduated from Baylor and is a big fan, attending about all of the home games.

My daughter lived in that area three years ago and I attended several games, not knowing that Sir Edward was there too. I sat with the Whites some of the time and he did too but never did our trails cross. They will on Sunday and I am looking forward to it and also seeing some of my other Baylor friends.

[Ed Davis]

I am certainly looking forward to the Sunday game. It is not too often that I get to meet a Creek alum that is actually older than I am. Dan has been a great supporter of Wildcats sports through the years and has been a great contributor to some of the Baylor websites as well. I knew of him before I actually knew who he was. So, Sunday should be fun. He failed to mention that somehow we both married Milby ladies. Go figure.

[Debbie Goodwin (Cooper)]

I too knew who Steven was. I don't go the games like I did when dad was here but I clean houses and I use to clean for Brenda and Mike. Mike graduated with my cousin Bubba and I sure he was on my dad's team when he was growing up. I have never seen Steven play but would love to see him make the big time...
debbie

[Dan Jensen]

Both Steven White and McCormick pitched today. White got a no decision and McCormick, whose start was delayed by some kind of injury, lost his first game of the season.

White pitched well, going seven innings, yielding two runs on five hits. His earned run average is 1.75.

McCormick lasted only 3.1 innings and gave up five runs (three earned) on five hits. His ERA is 4.61 in the early going.

[Dan Jensen]

No one seems much interested in Clear Creek baseball but here is an update. After going 6-0 in the first half of district play, our guys have lost three of four in the second round and stand 7-3 with two games left. I don't know what the playoff picture is. We are 17-7 for the season.

[Dan Jensen]

'Twas a fine day at the Baylor Ballpark yesterday. Ed "Two Codgers" Davis and I were on hand to witness a plumb loverly four run rally in the last inning as our Bears nipped Texas A&M at the wire, 9-8.

It's been a bit of a struggle for Baylor this year as we are trying to finish fourth in the Big 12 rather than winning the championship as we did last year.

Ed and I gathered at a restaurant after the game with a cluster of my internet friends and that was a lot of fun too.

Baylor made the trip to Omaha last season for the College World Series. That likely will not happen this year but I have been to Waco and that is the next best thing. I'm heading back across the Red river in about an hour and I will take with me some fond memories.

The Aggies are not very good this year but any win over them is dandy. In Waco last year, we trailed 8-0 before winning in the last inning--by 9-8. After yesterday's game Ed said he knew we would win when A&M scored its eighth run. And, he said the defeat couldn't happen to a nicer team. I hope Paul Timmins is not reading this.

[Dan Jensen]

And, Ed Davis really does look as old as two codgers. But we have to remember that he was in the same class as Hugh Taylor and Jimmy Pell.

And, I really do hope that Paul Timmins does read the above. And Bennie Lenox too although he doesn't answer my e-mails (must be kin to Ralph Parr and Lynn Davis) and probably doesn't read this blog.

[Ed Davis]

Well,I never thought I would say this, but Dan has made an understatment. Beating the Ags on Sunday with that dramatic come-from-behind rally in the 9th was more than plumb loverly - it was magical and fulfilling in so many ways. The only thing better than that win was the chance to finally meet up face-to-face with ol' Dan. Boy, he really is old but still has a lot of miles left in his old, worn-out chassis. We younger Wildcats could take a lesson or two from him about how to enjoy and survive life.

I really did enjoy making new friends through Dan at and after the game. It was really a special day for sure. When you grow old as some of us seem to doing more than less these days, you really treasure those golden moments of friendships and gathering of friends. I got to enjoy my actual family during the game and got to meet old friends and make new ones before and after the game. Boy, it was fun to share old memories of the Creek days and Baylor days around the dinner table on Sunday evening.

So, thanks for the memories, Dan, and let's keep them coming.

[Dan Jensen]

While still wondering if anyone--anyone at all--is interested, I submit the following from the Galveston paper:

ALVIN — Clear Creek still can’t wake from its nightmarish second half.

Junior Buenrostro drove in a run in the fourth inning, and Drew Erwin threw his third consecutive complete-game shutout as the Yellowjackets edged the Wildcats, 1-0, in a District 24-5A baseball game Tuesday night at Nolan Ryan Field.

Clear Creek, which went 6-0 in the first half of district, suffered its third consecutive loss and fourth of its last five games.

The loss, coupled with Brazoswood’s 8-0 win over Clear Lake on Tuesday, leaves Clear Creek tied with Brazoswood and Clear Lake for first place. All three teams are 7-4 in district.

If Pearland beat Clear Brook on Tuesday, then Pearland will make it a four-team logjam at the top — with only one more night of district play left.

Brazoswood hosts Clear Brook on Friday, while last-place Ball High plays at Pearland. Clear Lake plays at Clear Creek on Friday.

Clear Creek, 17-8 overall, could have to win that game Friday or miss the playoffs.

[Dan Jensen]

Anyone want to know about the Friday game with Clear Lake?

[Dan Jensen]

I guess not many of our old warhorses played baseball in days of yore. That still doesn't explain their lack of interest in our very fine program.

[Dan Jensen]

If this doesn't excite our old warhorses, they are beyond hope--which they probably are.

Wittkamp tosses no-no for Creek

By Joey Richards
The Daily News

Published May 5, 2006

CLEAR LAKE — Norman Wittkamp tossed a no-hitter, and Josh Darnell hit a pair of RBI doubles as Clear Creek beat La Porte, 6-0, Thursday in a first-round Class 5A playoff game at Bob Cobb Field.

Wittkamp (3-1) struck out 11 and walked two in going the distance in the opening game of a best-of-three series. Game 2 is 7:30 p.m. today at Wildcat Field in League City.

La Porte (16-11-1) had five baserunners, including three on errors.

It was Wittkamp’s first start since striking out 16 in the district opener. An arm injury kept him from pitching until he made a relief appearance in the district finale.

[Mark Cook]

Creek swept LaPorte in the 1st round of the playoffs this past weekend. Next up will be Westside H.S. ...a very tough draw, as they won the district historically dominated by Bellaire and Houston Lamar.

[Dan Jensen]

Wildcats send Westside by the wayside

By Joey Richards
The Daily News

Published May 12, 2006

HOUSTON — Clear Creek pitcher Norman Wittkamp got Michael Goodnight to ground out to short with the tying run at second base to preserve a 4-3 victory over the Westside Wolves on Friday at the University of Houston.

Wittkamp (4-1) had allowed only four hits, including two in the sixth, going into the seventh.

Creek also got what proved to be much-needed insurance in the top of the seventh when Bryce Sanders scored on a two-out error to take a 4-1 lead.

But the Wolves (25-4) scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh, all with two outs. Ryan Still singled and scored on Ben Theroit’s double. Zach Cohen followed with another RBI double, making it a 4-3 game.

But Wittkamp got Goodnight to hit a slow roller to shortstop Pablo Salinas, and Salinas’ throw to first just beat Goodnight to end the game.

Wittkamp struck out three, walked one and hit two batters.

Creek (22-9) managed just five hits off Westside starter Taylor Wall, who eliminated the Wildcats in the playoffs a year ago.

[Mark Cook]

Creek now awaits the winner of the Humble v. Pasadena Memorial series.

[Dan Jensen]

It will be against Humble in Baytown on Thursday. Another one game playoff.

Probably no one cares but Ed Davis and I, but Clear Creek/Baylor alums Steven White and Mark McCormick are doing well in pro ball this year.

White, pitching for a AA Yankee farm club, threw six scoreless innings last night and is 2-1 for the year with a fine 2.28 earned run average.

McCormick, with the Cardinal low A team, is 1-2 with a good 3.12 earned run average. He strikes out a lot of hitters but walks too many.

[Dan Jensen]

By Joey Richards
The Daily News

Published May 19, 2006

BAYTOWN — Clear Creek rallied for three runs in the fifth inning and held on to beat Humble, 10-8, in a Class 5A, Region quarterfinal playoff game Thursday night.

It was a one-game playoff, which means Creek (23-9) advances to play either Tomball or Cy Fair in the region semifinals next week.

[Dan Jensen]

Cypress Fairbanks beat Tomball, two games to one and is Clear Creek's next opponent.

Another Steven White/Mark McCormick report:

White ran his record to 3-1 today. In eight innings, he gave up two runs on seven hits. He struck out eight and walked one.

Here is a report on McCormick from the team website: McCormick (1-3) had his second rough outing in a row, lasting only 4.1 innings and allowing four runs on five hits. The 43rd overall pick in the 2005 draft out of Baylor struck out four, but also walked four, hit a batter, and allowed the home run to Thon.

[Dan Jensen]

From the Galveston News, and you old warhorses remember the school as Cypress-Fairbanks:

Now, Creek (25-9) plays Cy-Fair (25-10) in the Class 5A, Region III semifinals. The best-of-three series begins at 8 p.m. Thursday at Cy-Fair. Game 2 is noon Friday at Wildcat Field in League City. Game 3, if needed, is 10 a.m. Saturday at Frankie Field in Sugar Land.

The Bobcats beat Tomball, 4-2, 1-8, 3-2, in a best-of-three series in the region quarterfinals.

The other Class 5A, Region III semifinal pits Clear Lake against Katy, setting up the possibility of an all-District 24-5A finale between Lake and Creek.

“What’s neat about this is there’s not a district champion in this whole deal,” Mallory said. “We’re district co-champs, Cy-Fair was second, Lake was third and Katy was second. So we’re all not supposed to be here.”

[Terry Mathis]

Back to McCormick above. Who is Thon? Some relative to Dickey Thon who played for the Astros.

[Dan Jensen]

I have no idea. I just reproduced part of the story and didn't take note of Thon in particular.

[Terry Mathis]

Did Clear Creek loss the coin flip against Cypress Fairbanks to have to play a 3 game series? I would think they did, since they have been awful successful in the single game series.

[Dan Jensen]

The complete article made no mention of such.

[Terry Mathis]

When I hear Cypress Fairbanks, I think about the Kubiak's. They were a very athletic family. I played against David Kubiak in high school and he was the starting quarter back at Sam Houston State for (3) years, and we became close friends in college. No relation to Gary Kubiak of the Texans, who attended St.Pius in Houston.

[Dan Jensen]

By Joey Richards
The Daily News

Published May 26, 2006

CYPRESS — Cy-Fair pitcher Brandon Finken tossed a four-hitter as the Bobcats silenced the Clear Creek Wildcats, 4-0, in the opening game of a best-of-three Region III-5A semifinal playoff series.

[Dan Jensen]

Wildcats even series with Cy-Fair

By Joey Richards
The Daily News

Published May 27, 2006

LEAGUE CITY — The Clear Creek Wildcats are still on the prowl.

Pinch-hitter Matt Birkenseher drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift the Wildcats to a 7-6 victory over the Cy-Fair Bobcats on Friday.

[Dan Jensen]

Cy-Fair topples Clear Creek

By Richard Kotrla
Correspondent

Published May 28, 2006

SUGAR LAND — In a wild affair Saturday, in which there where there was a total of 26 hits and 20 runs, Cypress-Fairbanks defeated Clear Creek, 11-9, to advance to the Region III-5A finals.

Cy-Fair (27-11) won the best-of-three series, 2-1, and plays Katy in the region finals for a berth in the state tournament.

Cy-Fair won Game 1, 4-0, Thursday in Cypress. Creek (26-12) won Game 2, 7-6, Friday in League City.

“We were six outs away from making the finals,” Creek coach Jim Mallory said. “We made some mental mistakes, and our pitching was not up to some critical moments.”

Although the Wildcats playoff run ended, Mallory said his team “never quit, like they didn’t quit all season.

“Even when we went into the final inning four runs down, these guys were still determined they were going to win the ball game. And they almost did. We got the two runs, and had the tying runs on base before that last out.”

[Dan Jensen]

Mark McCormick showed his strengths and weaknesses in Class A Quad Cities' 3-2 loss to Cedar Rapids. The hard-throwing right hander allowed two hits over five innings and struck out 10, but he also walked four and hit two batters.

Steven White pitched six innings on the same day, yielding just three hits. The two runs against him were unearned and his ERA drops to 2.05. He struck out three and walked two. I'm hoping he will soon be promoted to AAA in the Yankee organization.

[Dan Jensen]

Steven White, now with the Yankee AAA farm club at Columbus, Ohio, evened his record at 2-2 today with a two hitter in seven innings. He allowed two runs, struck out eight and walked two. His earned run average is now 3.26.

Mark McCormick has been on the disabled list with a bone bruise on his throwing arm but should be about ready to be activated. His is pitching Low A ball in the Cardinal organization.

[Dan Jensen]

I forgot to mention that, on the Star of the Game show, the announcer introduced Steven as The Star of League City, Texas. The Chamber of Commerce ought to like that.

[Ed Davis]

And all this time I thought you were the Star of League City, Dan. Maybe you have been up to this point but now Steven wears the crown.

By the way, just who is Connie Dunn? I sure enjoy getting her info regularly about Steven and Mark.

Anyway, good for Steven, Clear Creek, and Baylor!!

[Dan Jensen]

As I often tell the folks on a Baylor site, "Them Creek guys can flat chunk." Connie Dunn, Steven's aunt, keeps me informed on both White and McCormick through e-mails.