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Show APRIL 7, 1987 L, BHS primed for 87 baseball season By KEITH DUNCAN Sports Editor Check the stats, the experience, BOUNTIFUL Examine the Bountiful High baseball roster, The Braves have one of the best infields in prep baseball (an early prediction), a very capable outfield, enough quality pitchers to start a franchise, enough power to light the city, speed and - well, what else is there? The Bountiful baseball team certainly has the talent to win it all in this year. But whether they do or not comes to the fact, a topic veteran coach Phil Olsen keeps at the top of his list, can they keep getting better in Utahs infamous g weather. It was just a year ago that Bountiful glided through Region Four undefeated and splashed onto the tournament scene only to get drowned by Kearns. Though that was a humbling experience for Brave players, it might serve as a reminder that anyone can beat anyone and its always good to have the eye of the tiger whoever youre the balance. Pretty impressive -- 4-- A winter-sprin- 4-- A playing. Olsen likes the way his club is playing right now and says were getting the things done we want to get done. After four games, the Braves were 0 with impressive victories over American Fork and Taylorsville. ' Were not really overpowering, but our execution is sharp on defense. We knew we had pretty good players coming back in both the infield and outfield, but Travis Smith at third base has made us a good defensive team rather' than just average. People just cant get one by Travis, hes been playing really solid, said the Bountiful coach. pre-seas- 4-- . a' z . , . vm a 4 Senior sensation Sid Smith comes back for one more season Hes clearly one of the finest in a Bountiful baseball uniform. catchers in prep baseball. ' .vA- '4, ft - - w r- -, ,U' Olsen says he has to step back three or four paces when Sid comes to bat because of the power he hits with. Against Roy, he hit one by the third baseman before the guy could get get his glove up, said Olsen. Against American Fork, Smith demonstrated his hard ball hitting tactics again when he nailed a fastball down the left field side that probably would have been a foul ball had anyone else hit it. But Sids power kept it fair and a double resulted. We enjoy Sids quiet leader. ship on and off the field, Olsen, said, enough good cannot be said about that. Another pure hitter comes in the form of Rhett Anderson who moves from the catcher position to left field. Anderson is getting better and better with every game. Olsen says Clark Stringfellow is one of the funnest kids Ive ever coached. The baseball coach feels the way he does because of Stringfellows willingness to give to the game even if it means diving for loose balls through mud and water. Defensively, the Braves are fortunate to have him at first base. nt Bountiful is getting good offense for 10 at bats) and as mentioned before, great defense from third (4 baseman Travis Smith. In just three games, Travis has five stolen bases. All of this isnt bad for a player that Olsen cut as a sopho- STAFF PHOTO BY KEITH DUNCAN Tony, Sid and Clark will give the Bountiful team plenty of offensive punch as their bats speak for themselves. more. Ryan Jacobs was described as Bountiful will give the opposithe coach as the most fierce comtion fits defensively this season, petitor Ive know. The Bountiful dont count on opposing teams second baseman is just what Olsen wants out there. He went five for. scoring a lot of runs on them. Pitching wise, Olsen has a ton of 10 in his first three games. folks to display and even though As soon as we get satisfied, its not where he wants it yet, he were not going to get better, said says, people are going to get some Olsen, Were a good team, but hits, but they wont get many were not a great team yet. thus far, the runs. In The potential is there to do Braves have yet to yield more than some great things, but we can be two runs in an inning. beat if we dont do the right things. Hitting wise, Bountifuls meat of Kids are kids and anything can the order is tough to get out. happen. Against American Forks quality catchteam last week, Bountiful lashed Olsen, who was an er with Brigham Young University out 11 hits to the Cavemens nine. Sharif Hadley starts things off, from 1965 to 1967, says his assieven though Olsen says the club stant coaches dont tarnish things at doesnt have a true lead-of- f hitter. alLBrad Christensen is the number But Hadley hasnt let anyone down one assistant and he coaches first yet as his on base percentage has base, having been with Olsen for been sparkling so far. Prior to the more than six years now. Occie American Fork game, Hadley was Evans is another totally supportive hitting .462 with three stolen bases. coach who works hard with the kids. Craig Smith, a former Sharif mans right field. player at Bountiful, is helping Jimmy Crawford, the talented coach the team before he leaves to outfielder, switch hits and has been go on his mission. The single most impressive thing making solid contact so far. about Olsens club is the quality Through three games he was hitting .500 (6 of 12), especially pitching and the depth of it. Chad Rigby is the ace, but there are so though on the left side. Defensively, they dont get much better. many good ones that Olsen feels Crawford bad he just cant give em all Against made a dead-ru- n enough mound time. catch that was major Rigby has allowed just four hits in ten innings so far and despite league stuff all the way. Tony Smith is keeping the family stats like that, he feels he is no tradition alive of producing stable where near his potential. Olsen caliber baseball talent. says the best is yet to come. Todd and Timmy went before Kenny Muir has a 1.24 ERA in Tony, the youngest getting off to a eight innings and Jason Shaw, a great start hitting wise with six hits junior, is top notch. The two sophin his first 10 at bats. He plays an omores, Adam Laraby and Jim Larsen are pitching real well right intelligent, smooth game at shortnow. stop. Three other seniors include Enough good cannot be said about Sid Smith, the teams catcher Chris Fairclough, Mitch Fry and and clean up hitter. Boy, can this Scott Ipson. They are all capable of a baseball in a hurry. doing real well on the varsity level. guy pre-seas- all-st- ar ' all-sta- te over-the-should- er all-sta- te Tony Smith gives Bountiful a strong link at shortstop, both with his fielding and his hitting. Phil Olsen, the Bountiful coach, describes Clark Stringfellow as one of the funnest players Ive ever coached. The Brave first baseman gives and then some. un-la- 150-perce- nt SAVE ON Bond Don us EPtie - UNIROW11RECT FROM YOU BUY4 NEW WHITEWALL RADIUS PLUS PAW TIGER WHEN T0U MY2! UT i FT El SS0 MM MNUS TIGER PAWPL j4WHEN mwTi n. uawauwtna P15590r13 P18S80M3 P1B57Sr14 P19975r14 am am S4.98 29.96 82.98 37.96 83.98 38.96 87.98 42.96 P20575H4 70.98 45.98r P2057Sr15 74.98 49.965 P21575H5 79.98 54.96T P22S75H5 81.98 56.965 Dicks Tire & Auto Service 320 No. Main, Kaysviile Open 7 ai.m. 1 UNIRDYAL I J till 546-132- 6 It's fflora than YOUR TAXES SAVE FOR THE FUTURE! Open an IRA (Individual Retirement Account) at BARNES BANK. 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