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Perry beats Dodge County 10-7
By ALLINE KENT
For JHEIiMHdaffIHAI,
Tripp Morath had a two-run homer in the third
inning as the Panthers picked up a solid 10-7 win
over region opponent Dodge County Thursday
evening.
It was a sweet victory as the Panthers avenged
their earlier loss of the season to the Indians.
Perry got into early trouble as the Indians went
out by two in the top of the first inning and then
succeeded in loading the bases with only one out on
the board.
But Panther pitcher Kent Franklin struck out the
next two batters and had a two-run single in the bot
tom of the inning to even out the score 2-2.
Phillip Gentry and William Simon had both sin
gled and scored on Franklin’s hit.
Franklin made all the three outs of the second
Panthers down Macon County, Southeast in region baseball
ByALLINEKENT
For THF. TIMES-IOURNAL
Big hits seemed to be the
theme of the afternoon as Perry
celebrated their spring break with
a 8-4 victory over the Macon
County Bulldogs.
The Panthers also defeated
Southeast and Dodge County
during this recent school vaca
tion.
Against the Bulldogs, Phillip
Gentry and Kent Franklin both
had singles that brought runners
in across the plate during the first
inning.
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TEAM MEETING Members of the Perry
Middle School eighth grade baseball squad lis
ten as Coach John Warlick (white shirt) gives
Eighth grade Panthers suffer
two-game losing skid in baseball
By AIJLINE KENT
For the Times-lournal
The eighth grade Perry Middle
School Panthers baseball team
had a tough time last week drop
ping from a 2-0 record to a 2-2
record with two losses against
cross county rivals Tabor and
Feagin Mill.
Both games were lost 6-5 after
the Panthers had held the lead for
most of the afternoon.
Against Tabor, the Panthers
were down 2-0 until the second
inning when six hits brought in
five runs and gave Perry a three
run lead.
The rest of the game went
Middle Georgia College to host football tryout days
-COCHSSr?r Middle
Georgia College Athletic
Director and Head Football
Coach Randy Pippin has
announced that the Warrior
Football team will hold seven
open tryout camps beginning
April 17.
All of the camps will last one
day, begin at 9 a.m. and take place
at the Middle Georgia College
practice field with the exception
Bartlett sets new middle school high jump record
Eighth grader travels 4-feet, 4-inches in recent leap
By ALLIN E KENT
F»« WTIHfrIQMBMIr
Although die team hasn’t had much success as a
whole lately, die girls track team at Perry Middle had
something to celebrate last week as one of their own
put her name in the school record books.
High jumper Samantha Bartlett tied a long stand
ing school record when she competed last week with
a 4’4 ! * jump,
Bartlett is a seventh grader at the middle school
inning while David Coffey made two in the third to
hold the Indians scoreless.
With runners on base, Coffey caught a fireball hit
headed to the fence for the third out of the third
inning.
The Panthers picked up a run in the second on
Gentry’s single. Gentry, a sophomore, had two RBl’s
on the evening and went 4-4.
In the third, Jeb Stuart stole third and then came
home on a wild pitch to put Perry up by two runs.
Morath’s home run gave the Panthers a 6-2 lead.
Franklin and Jerry Drazny would each pick up a
RBI in the fourth.
Dodge County attempted to fight back but relief
Ritcher Tripp Morath was too much for them.
lorath held the Indians, striking out two batters
and making a big play at first to help end the game.
Jeb Stuart had a strong game
on both sides of the field high
lighted by a stand up triple in the
second.
But it was David Coffey’s
home run with two runners on
that scaled the Bulldogs fate in
only the second inning of play.
Coffey smacked the ball across
the center field fence and put the
Panthers up by four runs.
Macon County added two
runs to the Perry side of the
scoreboard as they walked in two
Panther runners before changing
pitchers in the fourth.
instructions during a recent middle school
game.
Tabor’s way, however, as the
Panthers had nine batters strike
out. The team made four errors
on the field. Perry averaged 14
hits and 12 runs scored in their
first two games of the season.
“We are not just getting the
hits right now,” said Coach John
Warlick. “The top of our order,
which bats more often only scored
one run.”
Because of the new format in
middle school baseball this year,
the two losses put a serious
damper on Perrys hopes to be
county champion. Every game
counts this season, since there will
not be a playoff round or champi
of the final camp at Panama City
High School in Panama City,
Fla., July 17.
The camp will have an NFL
style combine which will include
40 yard dash, 20 yard dash, verti
cal jump, 20-yard shuttle, long
jump, and bench press in the
morning. After lunch, the athletes
will work out with a position
coach in the afternoon.
Athletes must bring tennis
shoes, cleats, shorts and a SSO
and is the daughter of Dennis and Tina Bartlett.
The competition was held at Bonaire stadium
between all seven middle schools in the county. Two
meets, one canceled because of the weather, were
combined to create the unscheduled seven-way
meet.
Perry wall compete this afternoon in the last meet
of the season in a scheduled seven-way meet between
the middle schools in the county. The event will be
held at Bonaire and will get under way at 3:30p.m.
Page 6A
Wed., April 14, 1999
Perry pitcher Tripp Morath,
collected the win.
“It was a good week for us,”
said Coach Whatley after the
Macon County win.. “We are
starting to hit the ball a little bet
ter. The bottom of the order has
really been hitting good for us.”
The Panthers hope for good
news this week concerning Clay
Talton. Talton, who injured his
shoulder last week and was
thought out for the season, may
be released by his doctor earlier
than first thought.
Photo for the Times-Joumal by Alline Kent
onship game. The team in the
county with the best record at the
end of the season will be crowned
county champions.
“To gain ground, we have to
beat teams with the same or bet
ter records,” Warlick explained.
“If we don’t win these two games
this week, we could be out of it,
unless Rumble falls apart.”
Rumble is undefeated so far
this season.
“Our pitching is good, and we
really don’t make that many
errors. We have just got to hit the
ball,” Warlick said.
processing fee. Each participant
will receive a lunch, a tryout camp
T-shirt and an on site evaluation.
The following is a list of the
tryout camp dates: April 17; May
1; May 15; May 22; June 5; June
19; and July 17 at Panama City
High School in Panama City, Fla.
For more information, call the
Middle Georgia College Athletic
Department at (912) 934-3152 or
Shane Stokes at 934-3392.
Houston limes-Jomial
... -
ft"
Photo for the Times-Joumal by Alline Kent
GENTRY TO GENTRY - While the Dodge County first base
man listens, Coach Gentry (4) speaks with player Gentry (look
ing left) at the Perry-Dodge County game last week.
Hornet golfers now 8-0
By PHIL CLARK
Times-lournal Sports
Jon David Kennedy fired a 74
here April 12 in leading the
Westfield golf team to victory in a
three-team meet including
Fullington and Windsor.
Matt Moore and Wes Wheeler
each shot 789 and Joe Todd, the
Middle Georgia golfer of the
week for the week of April 5, shot
80, giving the Hornets a total of
312.
That score was 80 shots better
than Fulling, which finished with
a 392 including an 86 by Josh
Westfield golfers down Windsor
By PHIL CLARK
Times-lournal Sports
With Joe Todd leading the
way, the Westfield Hornets golf
team kept their 1999 season per
fect with a 311-368 win over the
Windsor Knights April 6 at
Oakview.
Todd shot his second straight
one-over par round with a 73.
Mitch Greer had a solid round
for the Hornets with a 77 while
Jon David Kennedy came in with
a 78 and Meyur Vashi was at 83.
Westfield baseball
Hornets can’t stop the
bleeding, fall to Tiftarea
By PHIL CLARK
Times-lournal Sports
Whatever can go wrong for
the Westfield Hornets baseball
team will go wrong Billy’s law!
April 12 at Tiftarea, the
Hornets led the region lAAA
team until a five-run uprising in
the bottom of the fifth erased a 5-
1 Hornets lead.
With Matt Hardy cruising
along with a five hitter, Tiftarea’s
Allen Pate hit a one-out, wind
blown home run to make it 5-2.
Three singles, a base on balls, a
fielding error, a throwing error,
four stolen bases and two wild
pitches later, Tiftarea had taken a
6-5 lead.
Adam Guarneila’s sixth inning
Jackson earns Army Commendation Medal
Special to the Times-lournal
Army Spec. J.D. Jackson has
been decorated with the Army
Commendation Medal.
The medal is awarded to those
individuals who demonstrate out
standing achievement or merito
rious service in the performance
of their duties on behalf of the
Army.
Jackson is a fuel handler with
the 9th Infantry Division at
Camp Casey, Tongduchon-Up,
South Korea.
He is the son of Elizbeth
Jackson of 1018 King Blvd.,
Perry, Ga.
The specialist is a 1992 gradu
ate of Perry High School.
Morgan. Windsor was two shots
behind the Trojans. Jeremy Cox
posted a 90 for the best round for
Windsor.
Westfield climbed to 8-0 in
Georgia Independent Schools
Association golf play for the year.
Westfield (312) Jon David
Kennedy 74, Matt More 79, Wes
Wheeler 79, Joe Todd 80.
Fullington (392) Josh Morgan
85, Brett Marshall 90, Andrew
Clemons 98, Jared Cross 118.
Windsor (394) Jeremy Cox 90,
Dusty James 98, Scott Cox 102,
Justin Lake 104.
Dusty James led Windsor with
an 82 and was the only Knights
player to break 90.
The Hornets will be busy
coming of spring break, with five
matches inll days, including
three matches in a four day span
Apr 19-22.
Westfield won state golf
championships in 1996 and 1997,
and finished one stroke behind
the state champions last year in
Georgia Independent School
Association play.
home run finished the scoring in
the 7-5 Tiftarea win, their 16th of
the season against five setbacks.
It was another heartbreaking
loss for the hard luck Hornets,
who have seen leads slip away in
each of the last two games.
Chance Jones had two doubles
in four trips, Nathan Skinner was
3-4 and Gary Virden 2-3 for the
Hornets. Jones ancf Skinner each
drove in two runs.
Guarncila had two singles to
fo with his home run for
iftarca.
Westfield 320 000 0 -5
Tiftarea 010 051 x-7
Winning pitcher Allen Pate Losing
pitcher Matt Hardy
Jefion completes course
Special to the Times-lournal
. Army Pvt. Stephan J. Jefson
has graduated from the petroleum
supply specialist course at Fort
Lee, Petersburg, Va.
Jefson received instruction in
receipt, storage, issue, shipping,
and distribution of petroleum, oil
and lubricant products used by
the Army.
Jefson is the son of Rita A.
Miller of 608 Old Perry Road,
and Mark B. Jefson of 143 Kovac
Road, both of Kathleen.
The private is a 1997 graduate
of Houston County High School.
Phil
Clark
Times-Joumal
Sports
Are you
satisfied with
Braves’ start?
OK, the major league base
ball season is a week old. Are
you satisfied with the perfor
mance of your Atlanta Braves?
A 4-3 start doesn’t sound all
that bad, but then consider the
Braves opened at home against
Philadelphia and Arizona. The
Phillies appear to be stronger,
and the Diamondbacks have
Randy Johnson and Todd
Stottlemyre as their two top
pitchers, although they came
into Atlanta without a win.
Johnson was dominating,
but that was no surprise. The
surprise, I suppose, was Cy
Young winner Tom Glavine
losing two starts in the home
stand.
You have to figure, though,
that Glavine will get his wins.
He always has. If that’s all the
Braves have to worry with,
then they are in great shape.
Let’s take a look at the over
all picture. At first base, Ryan
Klesko will be expected to fill
in for Andres Galarraga. He
did an adequate job in the
field, although he did commit
one error. He also hit a home
run, and make a couple of out
standing defensive plays. He
will be OK.
Brett Boone didn’t hit all
that well, but he played out
standing defensive, starting
one double play which had the
fans buzzing when he ranged
to his right, threw off balance,
and hit a moving Walt Weiss
who made an outstanding turn
to complete the double play.
It’s that kind of defense the
Braves didn’t get at second
base last year with a crippled
Keith Lockhart and Tony
Graffinino.
Weiss looks healthy this
year. He battled hamstring
problems a lot of the 1998 sea
son and missed a lot of games,
although his backup, Ozzie
Guillen, was more than ade
quate. Guillen is back this year
as a backup at shortstop and
second base. That’s a plus. He
could probably still play every
day somewhere.
Chipper Jones finally hit a
home run late in the home
stand, and made some good
plays in the field. Jones had a
great spring, and his hitting
will come around. That makes
a pretty solid infield, I think.
Even with Galarraga out of
the lineup, the infield is better
than last year overall.
Although Galarraga hit 44
home runs and drove in 121,
the Braves were a “3-run home
run” type offensive club last
year. This year, it appears they
will take advantage of better
contact hitters and much more
speed, negating the need for
the three run homer.
In the outfield, two thirds
of last year’s starters are gone,
although Klesko simply
changed positions. Right field
er Michael Tucker was traded,
along with Kenny Neagle, to
get Boone from Cincinnati.
The Braves re-acquired
one-time center fielder Otis
Nixon. This was before they
knew they’d lost Galarraga.
The intent was to use Nixon
primarily as a backup to
Andruw Jones in center and
Klesko in left. As it turns out,
though, Nixon was the open
ing day left fielder, and will
share time there with holdover
Gerald Williams.
Andruw Jones is one of the
best defensive center fielders in
the league, if not the best. His
range is remarkable, and he
fets a great jump on the ball,
lis hitting has been the ques
tion mark, although he did hit
31 homers and knock in more
than 90 runs last year.
He still has to learn the
strike zone a little better, and
that’s where new hitting
instructor Don Baylor will
come into the picture.
Already, Jones appears to be
a little more patient at the
plate, and he had two game
winning base hits during the
opening home stand, including
a ninth inning, two-run single
on Sunday that pulled the win
out of the hands of defeat.
Brian Jordan has assumed
Galarraga’s role as cleanup hit
(See CLARK, Page 7A)