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HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL
DENIED
From page iB
The decisive moment of
Wednesday’s title tilt turned
out to be a simple dropped
baseball on the pitcher’s
mound. That was a balk, and
it put Henry County’s baser
unners on second and third.
Shawn Gallagher ripped the
next pitch into left-center
for a two-run double, which
broke a 2-2 tie in the top half
of the third inning.
Henry County never gave
up the lead afterwards.
Though Perry scored once in
the bottom of the third, the
Warhawks pounded the ball
into the ground time and
again in the top of the fourth.
That tactic resulted in three
more runs, and the home
Panthers wouldn’t score
again until the bottom of the
seventh.
But the last of the seventh
wouldn’t end without the
Henry people getting a bit on
edge. Jamel Mann, the start
ing pitcher who moved to
first base, speared an Adam
Nelson line drive to turn an
easy double play at first.
But on a ball not hit nearly
as hard - Jordan Stephens’
pop-up in foul ground -
Mann had the catch pop out
of his glove. Stephens had
another swing and reached
on a fielding error at third
base. Following a Matt
BEARS
From page iB
inning to break open a tight game on the
way to 13-3 triumph at the Bears’ Den.
Having staved off elimination
with the win, the Bears survived to
battle down to the final day of the regular
season. Through the first several innings,
though, it was the visitors from Tifton
who constantly threatened. Leadoff hitter
Tyce Moored doubled to open the contest
and advanced to third on a groundout.
But when Moore attempted to score on
a wild pitch, catcher Byan Beitler played
the backstop carom perfectly and fired to
pitcher Kyle Davis covering home to retire
Moore.
Tift’s leadoff batter in the second inning
also doubled, moved to second on a single,
and scored on ground ball to put the Devils
up 1-0.
Moore then led off the top of the third
with a single, but HoCo’s Chris Thompson
started a double play to end the threat.
The home team finally got on the score
board in bottom of the third. Davis lined a
one-out double and later scored on a single
by Philip Knauer to tie the game at one.
In the fourth, Tift again put their leadoff
runner on. But after a strikeout, Chad
Roughton handled a hot smash to start
an around-the-hom, inning-ending double
play.
The Bears’ pivotal fourth inning started
innocently enough. With one out, Justin
Brown singled. Damian Phillips drew a
walk, but one batter later when the relay
to first on a double play attempt got away,
Brown dashed around to score. Tyler
Gay singled and took second on the throw
to third. Tift then intentionally walked
Davis to face Roughton, who was then
0-2 on the night. The junior third base
man answered the challenge by lashing
a double to the wall to clear the bases.
Knauer kept it going by singling Roughton
to third. A bad throw on a double steal
scored Roughton, and then Thompson
singled in Knauer. Tift replaced their
starter, but Beitler greeted the reliever
with a single and Brown was hit by a pitch.
Thompson scampered home on another
errant pickoff throw. Phillips capped the
scoring with a three-rUn homer to the
EAGLES
From page iB
was well in hand.
But Lovejoy scored six
unanswered runs in the top
of the fifth to tie it up. It also
had two go-ahead runners on
during the same inning when
George Bouman stepped up
to the plate. He had started
the inning of with a triple.
He was also the Wildcats’
pitcher at the time, having
been called over from where
he started at third base
late in the aforementioned
Eagles’ third. Following his
triple he was replaced with
a pinch runner. He then ran
over to the dugout, paused
for a second on its steps, and
then leaped in, planting both
• feet simultaneously on the
pavement. With the cleats
being metal both feet then
came firmly out from under
neath him to the enjoyment
of Northside’s fans.
So, there he stood in the
batter’s box with a chance to
have the last laugh.
Instead he popped up to
second.
Phillips walk, Gordy Grimm
- a junior varsity player for
most of 2008 who earned a
starting spot late in ‘A’ stea
son - singled in Stephens.
Henry County coaches
went to a new pitcher with
the tying run coming to the
plate. Blake Newalu, the
starting shortstop, closed out
the game with a strikeout.
Both teams failed to score
in the first inning, but
Henry’s Alex Glenn didn’t
fail on a home run swing to
lead off the second inning.
The Warhawks scored two
in all in the second, the sec
ond run coming on the cheap
side. Two one-out flares fell
in just the right spot to avoid
catches, and Perry made
things worse with an errant
relay on the second hit. It
was 2-0 on a walk and field
er’s choice grounder.
Henry later tried a delayed
double steal with runners on
the comers. But Phillips at
shortstop fired the ball back
to catcher Jeff Stewart for
the last out.
The Panthers struck with
two runs in the home second.
Mann, after showing some
wildness on the mound in the
first, let Nelson reach to start
the second on a third-strike
wild pitch. Stephens sent the
next throw offered to left
center for an RBI double.
Stephens scored the tying
run on a second wild pitch.
The top of the third opened
greenhouse beyond the left field fence to
make it 11-1.
The long inning caused some problems
for Davis in the next frame, as he hit the
leadoff batter with a pitch. One out later,
Moore delivered a two-run home run to
right. Two batters later, Davis plunked
Blue Devil Chance Veazey in the helmet,
causing several anxious moments before
Veazey could stand to take his base.
The bottom of the fifth brought out the
third Tift hurler of the evening. With one
out, Roughton and Knauer stroked back
to-back doubles to make it 12-3. Following
Juniors boost Bears past Peach County
By JOE MA IT HEWS
Journal Correspondent
The last home game of
the baseball season is tra
ditionally Senior Night,
a time to recognize the
accomplishments and
contributions of a team’s
senior players. For some
players, it will mark the
end of a lifetime of playing
ball, so emotions run deep.
Such was the case for
Houston County’s final
home game against Peach
County Thursday. The
Bears were looking to
avenge their defeat in
February’s bone-chill
ing season opener in Fort
Valley, and gain momentum
for a critical final region
game against Lowndes
in Valdosta Friday night.
With the emotions so high
among the senior, it was
the non-senior Bears who
stepped up in a 7-5 victory.
Junior Chad Roughton
started on the mound and
was rudely greated by
three straight Trojan hits
in the first to put them
up 2-0. But in the bottom
of the secortd, sophomore
Damjan Phillips doubled
off the wall with one out.
(Phillips had relieved senior
In the seventh, after the
Eagles had scored two runs
in the bottom of the fifth
without the aid of a hit and
one more in the bottom of the
sixth on two hits, he stood
in the batter’s box with the
same opportunity.
In this case, the Wildcats
were down by the final - the
9-6 margin - but had the
bases loaded with an out.
It wasn’t to be his day. He
hit into a 5-2-3 double play to
end the game.
As far as Northside’s scor
ing, its first two runs came
via designated hitter Brian
Wolfe, who ended up with
nine RBI on the day.
His first came in the first,
a single that scored Kevin
Gifford, who had also singled
and stole second.
His second was a double
that got that aforementioned
five-run inning started. It
scored Jordan Couillard, who
had reached on an error and
taken second on a passed
ball.
Taylor Ham also collected
two RBI in the first game
while going 2-4, while Joe
Scott was 2-4 with three runs
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ENI/Gary Harmon
Perry’s Tyler Rodgers beats the tag at third in the Panthers’ region championship loss to Henry County Wednesday
in Perry.
with a Quez Harris single
and walk to Newalu. Perry’s
John David Howard caught
the next two hitters looking
before the balk moved the
runners over one base.
Gallagher gave the visitors
a 4-2 lead, but Perry cut it to
4-3 on a Stewart double and
Brandon Loy - rehabbing
with a broken collarbone -
in right field after the first
pitch of the game.) A walk
and a Trojan error loaded
the bases before senior
Kyle Davis and Roughton
stroked run-scoring sin
gles. Another Trojan error
plated a run to put the
home team up 3-2.
Junior Justin Brown
relieved Roughton to
pitch a scoreless third,
then turned the ball over
to Damian’s brother Leon
Phillips for a scoreless
fourth. In the bottom of
the inning, Roughton had
another RBI single to make
it 4-2.
Phillips though ran into
trouble in the fifth. The
top of the Peach County
order led off in a repeat of
the first inning with three
consecutive hits to score a
run. However, Damian’s
strong throw from right
field cut down the second
Trojan runner at home.
One out later, three con
secutive singles would
score another run - but the
threat of Phillips’ strong
arm in right kept the bases
loaded before Leon retired
the last batter on a liner
batted in. Two of his came
via a single in the third and
the other was on a sacrifice
fly in the sixth.
In game two, Northside
again looked to be plenty in
control, Lovejoy, to its credit,
again just would not give up.
The Eagles scored two in
the first - those coming in
via Wolfe’s double.
Justin Key walked to start
the second and then later
accounted for Northside’s
third run when Daniel
Sandoval from the leadoff
spot singled him home.
Just as before, however,
the Wildcats hung around
and hung around. They,
being the home team the
second time around, scored
one in the top of the third
and then two in the top of
the fifth to tie it.
Northside answered those
two with four in the bottom
of the fifth. Couillard dou
bled to start things off then
Wolfe homered. Taylor Ham
singled and Kyle McArthur
walked. Justin Key was
then hit by a pitch before
Joe Scott’s fielder’s choice
enabled the first two to come
SPORTS
Nelson single.
Henry’s fourth-inning rally
began with a Mann one-out
home run. With two outs, the
next four batters hit tough
grounders, starting with
Harris and Newalu. Jeremy
Boyd hit one to deep second
base to reach and drive in
another pitching change, Thompson sin
gled home Knauer, ending the game on the
10-run “mercy” rule.
Knauer and Thompson were 3-4 on the
night, Brown went 2-2, and Gay was 2-3.
Davis pitched all five innings for the wing.
For Tift, Moore was only a triple shy of the
cycle in going 3-3.
If Houston County defeated Lowndes
and Colquitt County upset Tift in their
Friday night games (results pending), the
Bears would make the playoffs by virtue
of their two season wins over Tift as the
head-to-head tiebreaker.
to left.
Another Damian double,
a hit batter, two wild pitch
es, and another a Trojan
error would score two
Bears in the sixth. But a
leadoff walk to the number
nine Peach batter would
cost the Bears a run when
the hot-hitting top of their
order followed with a dou
ble and a single to make
it 6-5.
In the six, the Bears
added a key insurance run
on consecutive two-out
singles by Brown and the
Phillips brothers.
Leon retired the first
two Trojans in the top of
the seventh and was one
strike from ending the
game befpre he ran into
trouble. A walk and two
consecutive singles load
ed the bases for Peach’s
hot-hitting Justin Harper
- who already had three
doubles on the night. At
that point, Coach Kenny
Yanzetich called on senior
Chris Thompson in relief.
After two quick strikes,
Thompson induced a come
backer from Harper to end
the game. And the HoCo
seniors could savor a final
home win.
home.
Lovejoy then left the bases
loaded in the top of the sixth
- the Eagles went quietly
in the bottom half - before
Northside broke it open with
seven in the seventh.
The big blow that inning
came via Wolfe again. With
the bases loaded, he hit a
double - three of those reach
ing home when the fielder
had trouble getting it in.
. The Wildcats, despite the
f 7, 2008 a* iOam
cost: S6O per Team Perry High School
Roster and funds must be Send Payment and Roster to: Perry High School
received by May 14, 2008 c/o Coach Bradley
Round Robin Play • Co-Ed 1307 N. Ave., Perry, GA 31069
*This tournament is open to anyone 14 years or older. * Fundraiser for the Panther Varsity Volleyball.
For more info call 988-6298 and ask for Coach Bradley
Harris (6-3).
Glenn was next to get an
infield hit to load the bags,
and the lead went to 7-3 on
a walk. Perry’s Grimm and
Sam Kinnas each had two
hits after the third inning.
Grimm also started a double
play catching a liner in the
WR earns baseball playoff
home series; Hornets fall
Warner Robins High baseball not only ended
a brief absence from the state playoffs, but also
earned a home first-round series by topping Coffee
County High Tuesday in Douglas by a 9-5 final.
The Demons broke a 5-5 tie with a Jesse Scott
RBI out in the top of the sixth inning. Warner
Robins tacked on three insurance runs in the
seventh.
Scott was also the winning pitcher in relief of
Chess Malone. After Malone went four innings,
Scott threw the final three frames with only one
hit allowed and two strikeouts.
Mark Meagley had an RBI double for the Demons
in the third inning. Zack Watson and Casey
Graham each drove in runs in the fourth.
Warner Robins used some aggressive baser
unning to rally for three in the seventh. Justin
Burke’s single drove in Meagley, and Burke took
second on a throw home. That enabled Burke to
score on a Nathan Poole hit.
Just as Burke did before him, Poole ran to sec
ond on a throw to the plate. From there, he scored
on Alex Fant’s single.
The win put Warner Robins past Coffee in the
Region 1-AAAAA standings at 8-4. The most likely
first-round opponent for the Demons on May 9 is
Groves High of Region 3-AAAAA.
SOUTHLAND 2, WESTFIELD 0
In a pitcher’s duel, Southland’s Will Webb bested
Tony Albritton as the Raiders won a 2-0 decision
over Westfield Tuesday in Americus. Webb struck
out 10 while Albritton fanned 9 as both pitchers
went the distance. The Hornets mustered only
five hits as their’hitting woes - mainly With run
ners in scoring position - continued.
John Thomas Rust was 2-for-4, Cody Pratt and
John Peake each had a single and Tyler Brooks
had a double in the contest. Westfield left nine
runners on base.
The Raiders scored an unearned run in the
second. Adam Fussell hit an 0-1 fastball over the
left-centerfield wall in the third to account for rest
the scoring. The Raiders had only four hits total
and didn’t collect another safety after Fussell’s
home run.
The loss was Westfield’s fourth in a row in
Region 3-AAA.
- Compiled by Matthew Brown
insurmountable odds at
that point, still loaded the
bases again in the bottom
of the inning and were able
to get one home before Key,
who had come in to relieve
starting sophomore Nick
Boutw'ell (three runs, six
hits, two walks and a strike
out) in the sixth, fanned the
last for out three.
Next up for Northside will
be the opening round of the
state playoffs. The Eagles
SATURDAY, MAY 3, 2008 ♦
fifth. Perry Kiser pitched
three shutout innings in
relief allowing three hits, one
walk and striking out three.
The Panthers are looking
at a possible rematch of the
2007 playoffs. Troup High
from LaGrange is the third
place team in 2-AAA at 15-5.
are slated to play at Starrs
Mill Friday in a doublehead
er (best two-of-three with
game three Saturday, if nec
essary) with times yet to
be determined, said Head
Coach Kevin Kinsler.
Prime Rib
Seasoned to Perfection
I-75 Exit 136 -987-8977
3B
E 3274