Power says a 10-0 start and some high-profile pitchers are the reason that MaxPreps and others have taken notice.
‘’We’ve got some frontline pichers, two ACC kids,’’ Power said. "That’s where the national ranking stuff comes from, when you’ve got a couple of players like that.’’
One is Andrew Smith, who has signed with North Carolina. The other is Zane Evans, who has signed with Georgia Tech. Both are right-handed pitchers.
Junior shortstop Tyler Green (batting .344 with two home runs in 32 at-bats) has committed to Georgia, and senior right fielder and No. 3 starter Chris Wright (2-0, 2.76 ERA) has signed with West Florida. Also putting up nice numbers on a team averaging 9.6 runs per game are Taylor Muldowny (.375), Ryan McDonald (.353) and Chad Woodhead (.387) and Vincent Cottone (.370, 19 runs).
Power says his ACC pitchers, Smith and Evans, are similar. The main difference is that Evans also catches and is one of the state’s top hitters.
‘’He can dominate both phases of the game,’’ Power said of Evans, who is 6-foot-3, 220 pounds. "He’s a very good catcher who can hurt you with the bat, and when he’s on top of his game, he can totally dominate you on the mound too.’’
Evans is hitting .487 with four home runs and 25 RBI. On the mound, he is 3-0 with a 2.80 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 15 innings.
Smith (6-2, 190) is viewed more strictly as a pitcher on the next level, a projected first- or second-round pick in the 2010 MLB Draft. Smith is 3-0 with a 1.32 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 21.2 innings.
"He’s the guy who can run it up there at 90 (mph) with a really good breaking ball and changeup,’’ Power said. "To me, they’re similar because they have control of three pitches – the fastball, breaking ball and change.’’
Roswell has hit well in its first 10 games, scoring at least six runs in nine of them. In the opener, which was Power’s 400th victory as a coach, Smith pitched a two-hitter in a 2-0 win over Union Grove.
Roswell began region play last week in 6-AAAAA with a 6-4 victory over Lassiter. The region is Georgia’s toughest. Recent state champions Pope (2009), Walton (2007), Lassiter (2006) and Milton (2004) are among the teams Roswell must beat out to make the state playoffs.
Power has won state titles at Georgia’s Harrison High (1998) and Alabama’s Daphne High (2001, 2002) in a 19-year career. His players have included major leaguers Adam Everett and Corey Patterson. He's never won a national title, but that's not on his mind despite the national attention.
‘’We don’t talk about that, to be honest,’’ Power said. "The way those things are, you a lose couple of games and you’re out. In baseball, and in our region, you’re going to lose a couple of games. It’s early now. Our main focus is to get in the playoffs and have an opportunity to win state.’’