OCR Text |
Show orts WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12,2008-61 Covering what matters most Dons and Lady Dons are back in the swing of things Softball finishes John Jackson STAFF WRITER The warm Friday afternoon brought anxious players, coaches, and fans to the Dons field to see the opening game of the 2008 season. The good part was that the Dons made quick work of the Layton Lancers, the bad part was that the warm afternoon had to be cut short because of the 10 run mercy rule win. Coach Shoe was able to get three of his talented pitchers some work. Devin Nelson threw the first two innings, allowing no runs while giving up just two hits and striking out three. Tyler Hanks took over in the top of the third. Hank's velocity looked great, but a couple of walks and an infield error allowed Layton to get their only run of the game. In the fourth inning Hanks benefited from some great defensive plays. First, the Dons turned a 3-6-1 double play to perfection. Then, a Layton base runner trying to steal second was gunned down by catcher Tagg Lunceford. All total Hanks allowed only one hit, two walks, with one strikeout. The final inning belonged to senior Selby Brummett. Brummett gave up a leadoff hit, but the Layton threat was short lived as the defensively sound Dons rolled their second double play of the day, this one a 6-4-3. Brummett walked the next hitter, however Lunceford threw him out by a mile as he was trying to steal second base to end the inning. Offensively it was hard to see any first game jitters. Tyler Hanks got it all started when he drilled a hard hit triple to the rightfieldwall scoring Kirt Daley, who had got on base with a walk. Hanks scored on a Layton pitchers baulk making it 2-0 for the Dons. Patience at the plate allowed the Dons to add three more i runs in the third. Selby Brummett led it off with a walk and advanced to second on a Lunceford sac bunt. Brummett went to third on a wild pitch and scored when Shaun Peterson, who had been hit by a pitch, got into a run down between first and second. The bases were loaded after walks to Daley and Hanks. Brock Duke got an RBI the easy way when he got on with a bases loaded walk. The final run of the inning came on a past ball. Shaun Peterson and Damon Ward made some noise in the third. Lunceford had got on base after Layton was unable tofielda ground ball. Pinch running Trevor Randolph stole second then scored on a sharply hit single from Shaun Peterson. Peterson was then able to score when the senior Damon Ward hit an RBI double to the outfield. Hanks led the fourth off with a walk and moved to third when Brock Duke lined a double to the outfield. Both scored on sacrifice flies from Gentry Mitchell and Michael Hayes, making the score 9-1 for the Dons. Heading into the fifth the Dons only needed two runs to end the game. Dcvin Nelson led the inning off with a walk and moved to third when the next batter, Tagg Lunceford, drilled a double. The game ended when junior Brelt Grover knocked in both runs with an RBI single. The Dons now head to St. George where they will play five games in three days, and go for four in a row as Dixie Sunshine Tournament champions. Brent Thurgood STAFF WRITER Spanish Fork's Lady Don fast pitch softball team started off their 2008 season on Thursday March 6, with a decisive although quick victory over the Mountain View Bruins in Orem. The Lady Dons scored three runs in the first two innings, the first coming off a sacrifice fly by junior Katelyn Elliott. The next two runs crossed home plate courtesy of Mountain View wild pitches, both which reached base on a walk. In fact the Lady Dons benefited from seven walks given up by the Bruins starting pitching in the first three innings, including the first three batters in the top of the third. That might have been the correct approach to stay within striking distance, however, as the Dons led only 3-0 after two innings. The Bruins, however, changed pitchers with no outs and the bases loaded in the top of the third. The new pitcher did not walk another batter, but the Lady Dons proceeded to unleash a barrage, sending 17 batters to the plate in the inning. Junior Leah Adamson started things off with a 2-RBI single to left field. Two batters later, again with the bases loaded, senior Lindsee Thurgood picked up 2 RBIs of her own on a line drive to center. Immediately following Thurgood's single, Junior Kylie Brinkerhoff tripled to right center scoring two more runs pushing the score to 9-0. The hit parade continued with extra base hits by Tina Ferguson, Whitney Holm and singles by Ashley Chappel, Katelyn Elliott, Aly Tingey and Thurgood's second hit in the inning. When the dust finally cleared Spanish Fork had scored 13 runs in the top of the third pushing their lead to 16-0. Mountain View managed to pick up one run in the bottom of the third. However, the game was called after three innings due to the fifteen run "mercy rule." Senior Deven Baum started the game for the Don's and picked up the win, pitching 2 1/3 innings giving up 2 hits and no runs. Junior Cami Robinson came into the game to pick up the final two outs in relief. The Lady Dons return eight starters from last years team that finished second in state and have high expectations. There are five returning seniors on the team this year, which should provide strong leadership. The seniors include outfielder Aly Tingey, infielders Ashley Chappel, Lindsee Thurgood, Whitney Holm and pitcher Deven Baum. The Dons starting lineup also includes five experienced juniors. Tina Ferguson, moving from the outfield last year, will take over as the Dons starting catcher. Outfielders Kylie Brinkerhoff, Leah Adamson, along with infielder Katelyn Elliott and pitcher Cami Robinson round out the remaining juniors with experience. 4 |