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PAGE 3B — THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL. THURSDAY. MARCH 19. 2009 Madison County shortstop Matthew “Raybo” Robinson awaits a throw to second base Tuesday as a Loganville runner attempts to dive back safely. Ben Munro/Staff Baseball... Golf Lady Raiders win on wet course two-run single down the right field line and Drake put the Raiders ahead 4-2 by ripping a double off the centerfield wall. Ben Morris then provided two insurance scores with a two-out, two-run single. “It was big to come back and put a six-spot up,” Griffeth said. The hit parade continued in the fourth with Kennison driving home two more runs with a two- out double to centerfield to up the Raider lead to 7-2. Drake followed with another double to bring home another run. Madison County plated its final four runs off Loganville miscues. A dropped fly ball allowed two more runs to score in the bottom of the fifth, and the Raiders scored twice more in the sixth via passed balls, bringing the 10-run mercy rule into effect. “The game’s out of hand and we still score off two passed balls in the last inning," Griffeth said. “So the kids are hungry to succeed, or excel. That’s probably the better word.” Raiders notch two come from behind wins Madison County’s victories over Heritage and Salem came in much different fashion than the team’s thumping of Loganville. With the Heritage game tied 3-3, Bracken Turner doubled home the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth inning, and Seth Fleming supplied an insurance score with an RBI double as the Raiders won their region opener. Reliever Dustin Roberts earned the win, working one and one-third innings, allowing two hits and no walks. In the victory over Salem, Madison County scored continued from page IB four runs in the top of the sixth to overtake the Seminoles in Conyers. Matt Kennison singled home the tying run that inning and then went for second on the throw to the plate, drawing an errant throw from Salem's catcher. That allowed the Raider go-ahead run to score as well. Matthew Robinson worked two and one-third innings in relief to earn the win, allowing one hit and striking out two. Madison County’s glovework and bullpen were essential to both victories, Griffeth said. “We’ve just come up big with relief pitching and team defense," Raider coach Charlie Griffeth said. The coach noted that Madison County recorded no strikeouts in its error-free win against Heritage, which means the defense had to make its share of plays. “We played great defense,” Griffeth said. ‘To have 21 outs recorded and no strikeouts, they put it in play 21 times and we didn’t make an error.’ Griffeth pointed to similar defensive excellence in the victory over Salem. Roberts ran down a ball hit to right centerfield that “that just had double on it the whole way,” the coach said. Griffeth also pointed to a “great play" from Bo Dalton on a ground ball to first. Raider starters Jack May and Ethan Seagraves received no-decisions in the Heritage and Salem games, respectively. May worked five and two-thirds, allowing three runs (all earned) and four hits. Seagraves pitched four and two-thirds innings against Salem, surrendering five runs (all earned), eight hits and one walk while striking out four batters. Offensively, Kennison led Madison County against Heritage with two singles and Ian Drake drove home a run with a sac fly. In addition to his RBI double, Fleming also had a single. Kennison had two singles and two RBIs against Salem. By Ben Munro ben@mainstreetnews.com P laying on a Chateau Elan course soaked with four days worth of rain, the Madison County girls’ golf team man aged a water-logged 113-125 win over Loganville Tuesday. Winder-Barrow also competed, but had just one player, so it didn’t record a team score. “The course was still just soaking wet still,” coach Doug Kesler said. Taylor Morgan led the team with a 55. Kelsey Hochsteder and Cortney Boggs both carded rounds of 58. Megan Kesler (60) and Emmily Mann (63) also played, but their scores didn’t count. “It’s a tough course,” Kesler said of Chateau Elan. “There’s a lot of trouble on that course.” And soggy fairways didn’t help matters. “You couldn’t hit behind the ball, you had to pretty much pick it clean," Kesler said. Chateau Elan is the site of this year’s region tour nament, so the round was beneficial even though the wet conditions were less than ideal. “It’s good to go up there and play a round,” Kesler said. “Hopefully, we'll get to play there a couple more times.” Madison County was slated to take on Class AAA defending champion Franklin County Wednesday (March 18) at home. Results of that match weren't available at press time. The girls face North Oconee on Tuesday. Conditions aren’t kind to Raider golfers Inexperience paired with tough conditions made for a long afternoon Tuesday for the Madison County boys’ golf team. The Raiders shot a 190, finishing last in a three- team meet at a Chateau Elan Course still drying out from four days of rainfall. “It was very, very wet,” coach Chris Smith said. “You couldn’t get in behind the ball. You pretty much had to pick it clean.” Winder-Barrow finished first with a 180, followed by Loganville, which shot a collective 185. Madison County’s Jake Wilmont fired a 44, two strokes off the lead. Jacob Fleming carded a 47, the only other varsity Raider to shoot lower than 50. However, in exhibition play, Nathan Bray shot a 44. Madison County took on Franklin County Wednesday (results weren’t available at press time) and has a tentatively scheduled match with North Oconee Monday and another with Clarke Central Tuesday as a young team tries to overcome its inexperience. “Maybe by the end of the season we might be able to get things going a little better,” Smith said. Girls’ tennis continued from page IB “Sarah Powers and Sam LaZear are getting better with every match,” he said. “They played a great third set to continue the strong play we’ve come to expect from our doubles teams. Alexia Supakomdej and Kailtlyn Hale have great chemistry and are learning to close their matches out quickly.” Madison County blanked new region member Apalachee 5-0 on March 12 to move to 2-0 in region play. Strickland praised his team for maintaining focus against an unknown foe and winning all matches in straight sets. “The Apalachee players were a little less experienced and some times its easy to get pulled down by that lack of experience, but the girls played their game and took care of business,” he said. In fact, the Lady Raiders lost just 10 games the entire evening. A day earlier, Madison County beat Rockdale County 4-1 with the no. 1 and no. 2 singles players and both doubles teams winning in straight sets. Madison Co. 4, Winder-Barrow 1 (March 17) Winners: •No. 1 S Molly Smith, W, 6-2, 6-0 •No. 2 S Jeannie Bowen, W, 6-1, 6-1 •No. 1 D LaZear/Powers, W, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 •No. 2 D Hale/Supakomdei, W, 6-4, 6-1 Madison Co. 5, Apalachee 0 (March 12) Winners: •No. 1 S Molly Smith, W, 6-0, 6-2 •No. 2 S Jeannie Bowen, W, 6-0, 6-0 •No. 3 S Audra Minish, W, 6-3, 6-3 •No. 1 D Powers/LaZear, W, 6-1, 6-0 •No. 2 D Supakomdej, W, 6-1, 6-0 Madison Co. 4, Rockdale Co. 1 (March 11) Winners: •No. 1 S Molly Smith, W, 6-0,6- 0 •No. 2 S Bowen, W, 6-0, 6-2 •No. 1 D Powers/LaZear, W, 6-3, 6-2 •NO. 2 D Hale/Supakomdej, W, 6-0, 6-1 Boys’ tennis ... continued from page IB HELP WANTED Tree Service established m Madison/ Ch:Le counties looking for grounds, person with satv experience, valid Georgia drivers license, de an driving record Must be dependable. 706-546-6187 CALL FOR A FREE QUOTE HE CALLAWAY ACFiNCV Insurance Services Auto ' Hcktih • Ufa' Business 122CduiThnust 5c. j:r {706)795-3700 1 h c u 11 a nTi y »g n d s I r c z I - , nt t KLarry Calljwjy hr T “I 1 / U s I arm WINTER SALE Leyland Cypress Trees n 1-gaL containers 3-4 ft. tall $5.00 7-gal, containers 6-7 ft. tall $21.00 7G f i F<nri *■ 2331 Old Kngi. Bridge. M ■ Nicholicrv Georgia CALL AND COMPARE PER GRAM 706-369-0000 GREG REEVES Fine Jewelry 011 Hawthornu Ave. ■ Athene Soccer with a pair of quick scores at the start of the second half. Habersham then added two more goals to go up 5-1, before Crew Mayne chested a ball off of a comer kick to beat the keeper. “It’s one of the more unorthodox goals I’ve seen scored as a coach,” Mangan said. Though Madison County lost, Mangan noted that it wasn’t a 15-goal loss this time. “Overall, I was pleased with how the team played; it was a dramatic improvement from the Habersham . continued from game last year," he said. The Raiders entered the Habersham game coming off a 3-2 loss to North Oconee. Down 2-0, Madison County scored its first goal when Jason Bales played a punt up to Ian Webster, who headed a perfect ball in behind the defense. Ben Ortman caught up with the ball and put in the back of the net. Madison County then tied the game when Jake Sapp used some “brilliant creative play,” according to Mangan, to touch the ball back page IB to Austin Mize, who buried his first career goal as a varsity player. But North Oconee pulled ahead again, scoring off a shot that car omed off the post to go up 3-2. Madison County couldn’t over come the deficit in the last 10 minutes. “The team was disappointed not to come home with a win against North Oconee; we felt we should have gotten a better result than that,” Mangan said. match in three sets. “Like the singles players, the no. 1 doubles team of Jake Scarborough and Chris Dove have proven to be fighters," Strickland said. "They’ve won the last two matches in three sets and have gained a ton of confidence.” Madison County dropped its only point of the day at no. 2 doubles. “Were still working hard at no. 2 doubles,” Strickland said. "We’ve lost some really close ones.” The Raiders pulled off three three-set victories to beat Apalachee 3-2 March 12. It marked the team’s first region win. The Madison County netters lost the first set at every posi tion, but Bowen, Branson and the doubles team of Scarborough and Dove each rallied to win their matches. The Raiders fell to Rockdale County 3-2 one day earlier. Madison County picked up both its points in doubles play with the teams of Dove and Scarborough and Josh Dooley and Connor Hancock prevailing. Madison Co. 4, Winder-Barrow 1 (March 17) •No. 1 S Bowen, W, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 •No. 2 S Branson, W, 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 •No. 3 S Boleman, W, 6-2, 6-1 •No. 1 D Scarborough/Dove, W, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 Madison Co. 3, Apalachee 2 (March 12) Winners: •No. 1 S Bowen, W, 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 •No. 2 S Branson, W, 4-6, 6-1, 6-0 •No. 1 D Dove/Scarborough, W, 5-7, 7-6, 6-2 Volunteers Needed in April Hetp support the Athens ftqpfoimi Foundation lie a pact erf Dll- action on lI it- Nationwide Tour by wfhj Met ring at Liu? Athens Kegimial Foundation Classic. Yullt support as a vulmiLucr JLrLvtly ImiK'lil.-; Ilu: Ulptlt I bat l1ll l Alliens Rrjtion.iJ L'oirul.ilion Is doing in aMr community. We'd In™ ftir yniL 11' h'oniLtr a part csF Lmr tenm. We luive TOhintecr opportunities both pro tournament .ami clnrinft toe rnsirant week. Find olii how you con help by visiting our i^ebsLtc at tuTflgolf.org or call ?ob-A75-7025 for more informAtlun on lLl-Lci#, the tomnamenl schedule, and much mare. 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