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Show Thursday, March 29, 2007 The Gunnison Valley Gazette Page 7 Bulldogs defeat Hawks by MITCH PETERSON Mitch Peterson/Gunnison Valley Gazette Gunnison’s Carly Andersen, normally a shortstop but called to duty at first base, stretches and makes the catch for an out during last week’s game against North Sevier. Tough week for Lady Bulldogs by MITCH PETERSON Injuries, errors, and “Sevier” weather added up to two Region losses for the Gunnison Lady Bulldogs softball team last week. The Bulldogs dropped a 12-1 decision to North Sevier in Salina last Tuesday, March 20th, then saw a similar result three days later in an 11-1 loss to South Sevier in Monroe. On a windy day in Salina, the Wolves jumped out to a 70 lead in the bottom of the first and added four runs in the third on their way to the win. They scored their 12 runs on just four hits and pitcher Randi Wasden tossed a no-hitter. The Bulldogs hitters were making contact, but Wolves fielders made few mistakes. “The pitchers we faced this week weren’t any better than other pitchers we’ve seen this year” said Gunnison second baseman McCall McIntosh. “We just seemed to hit everything right at their fielders.” The Bulldogs run came in the top of the fifth inning. After pitcher Hailey Allred reached base on a Wolves error, Felicia Jensen replaced her as the courtesy runner. Jensen then scored as shortstop Lisa Bartholomew was getting on base on another Wolves error. Bulldogs second baseman Jessica Nelson made a nice tag on a Wolves base runner during a run-down situation in the bottom of the fourth inning for the game’s defensive highlight. Due to some injuries, the Bulldogs altered their lineup at North Sevier. Allred started at pitcher and Carly Andersen at catcher. Jerrica Pickett started at first base despite a nagging leg injury. McIntosh was at second base; Makale Fitzgerald at third; and Bartholomew at shortstop. Sam Coulter was at her usual spot in left field, with Marlee Newman in center and Brianne Fischer in left. Nelson played a later inning at second base, while injuries kept Nicole Childs out of the starting lineup. The coaching staff’s concern about Pickett’s injury forced a first-inning line-up switch. After a few pitches they pulled Pickett out of the game, moved Andersen to first base, and brought Childs off the bench to catch. The South Sevier game was eerily similar to the North Sevier game as the Rams got four runs in the bottom of the first and six in the bottom of the fourth and won it 11-1. The Bulldogs had three base hits on a cold day and Stanton A. Bailey, MD OB/GYN Specializing in • Menopause • Infertility • Period Problems • Bladder Problems Gunnison Medical Clinic 35 East Center • Gunnison 435-250-6134 Nephi office 48 West 1500 North • Nephi 435-623-3214 again hit the ball sharply, but couldn’t put a rally together. Fitzgerald and McIntosh each had singles, while Childs drove in the Bulldogs run when her fifth inning double up the middle scored Pickett, who’d walked to start the inning. Defensive highlights at Monroe include Andersen grabbing back to back grounders at shortstop in the bottom of the third and throwing out both runners, and Coulter firing a strike to home plate from deep left field as a Ram player tried to score in the first inning. The ball nicked the toe of the runner as she started her slide and bounced just out of the reach of Childs, who’d set up perfectly for the catch. The Bulldogs starting lineup at Monroe featured Allred pitching and Childs catching. Pickett was back at first base; McIntosh at second; Fitzgerald at third; Andersen at short; Coulter in left; Nelson in center, and Fischer in right. Cami Carlisle pitched to five batters in the fourth inning. A junior, McIntosh is a smooth-fielding second baseman in just her second year of varsity softball. She played as a freshman but pursued other interests last year. “My fielding is a lot better now than it was two years ago” she says. She had one of the Bulldogs three hits against South Sevier when she drove a fastball to right field leading off the top of the fourth. “I’m a little better hitting fastballs than slower pitches” she says. Pickett says her injured leg is okay, and she’s confident the team will find their offense. “We need to get our bats around faster” she says. Pickett is also a junior and in her third year of varsity. She’s played other positions but excels at first base, and says her goal there is to “stop everything” her teammates throw at her. The Bulldogs have four wins and seven losses overall, and they’re 0-3 in region play. This week, they’ll head to Spanish Fork Tuesday, March 27, for a non-region match-up with American Leadership Academy, then host the Grand Red Devils in a Region 12 doubleheader this Friday, March 30, at 2 pm at Bulldogs field. The Gunnison Bulldogs tennis team beat the North Sanpete Hawks 3-2 last Thursday, March 22nd. It was the Bulldogs first home match of the year and featured an epic two-and-a-half hour 7-5, 6-7, 7-5 win at #1 doubles for Gunnison’s Mike Oliver and Mitchell Anderson over North Sanpete’s Colton Clark and Parker Earl. Bulldogs #1 singles player, junior Jeremy Reid, beat Hawks #1 Scott Bentley 7-6, 6-4 despite being down 5-6 in the first set and 3-4 in the second. He says nerves may play a part early in sets. “But after we get started, I start to swing through easier, and it starts to fall into place.” Reid said. Reid adds that his serve is the strongest part of his game, but his volley needs work. “I’ve been working on my serve” he said. “And I’m tall, so I can get a lot of power into it. But I struggle getting to the net and finishing shots.” At #2 singles, Gunnison’s Jarom Christensen defeated North Sanpete’s Josh Benson 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, while North Sanpete’s Shawn Miner got a 6-0, 6-2 win over Gunnison’s Dillon Bown at #3 singles. North Sanpete’s Brian Anderson and Spencer Shelley won the #2 doubles match over Gunnison’s Jacob Hansen and Eric Rosenvall 6-4, 6-3. Second year Bulldogs head coach Doug Agren likes his team’s depth. Mitch Peterson/Gunnison Valley Gazette Gunnison’s Jeremy Reid returns a serve during last week’s match against North Sanpete. Reid beat North Sanpete’s Josh Bentley in straight sets at #1 singles. “We’ve got a lot of juniors and sophomores and the majority of the kids have some experience” Agren said. “We have strong players, but no stand-out type player. They’re just a good bunch of kids excited to play some tennis.” Agren adds that the team is working on their transition game. “We’re consistent on the baseline. We’re working on following the ball to the net.” Reid says the team’s goal is a region championship. “We have a young team but we can do it” he said. “And we’d like to get the whole team to state.” The Bulldogs are busy this week. They’ll play a pre-season match at Richfield Wednesday, Mar. 28, then open their Region 12 season against Parowan here in Gunnison Thursday, March 29. The day after that, they’ll host the Wasatch Academy Tigers from Mt. Pleasant. Huge day for Ashton by MITCH PETERSON Gunnison High track and field star Taylor Ashton had a huge day at a 12-team statequalifying meet in Kanab last Saturday, March 24. Ashton won the 200 and 400 meter races and the long jump competition while finishing a strong second in the 100 meters, earning 38 total points for his team in the process. Ashton won the 200 at 23.87 seconds; the 400 at 53.91; and the long jump at 21 feet 4 inches. His time in the 100 was 11.84, just off his school record tying time of 11.32. Also for the Bulldogs at Kanab, Cory Wegner was fifth in the high jump at five-feetnine-inches, and also placed in the Javelin throw. Junior Justin Hyatt finished second in the 800 meter race at 2 minutes, 15 seconds; fourth in the 1600 or “mile” run; and eighth in the 400 while scoring a total of 16 points for the Bulldog team. Hyatt says his strategy doesn’t change much from race to race. “I just keep my stride strong” Hyatt said. “And make sure I’m breathing properly.” Hyatt also runs a leg on the med- ley relay team. Kim Anderson led the Bulldog girls at Kanab with 12 points by claiming third in the 400 meters and fifth in the high jump. Anderson shaved two seconds off her 400 time between the preliminaries and the final. Rayel Sorensen was 6th in the long jump and 8th in the high jump, while Jessica Willden had the seventh best javelin throw. The Bulldogs head to Salina this Saturday, March 31, for a state qualifying meet hosted by North Sevier. The Scouting News! Gunnison Valley Gazette Lotsa Motsa Sports Calendar Fri Mar 30 Tue Apr 3 Softball Grand @ Gunnison - DH North Sevier @ Gunnison 3:30/5:30 3:30/5:30 Baseball Fri Mar 30 Tue Apr 3 Grand @ Gunnison - DH North Sevier @ Gunnison 3:30/3:30/5:00 3:30/3:30/5:00 Pizza • Calzone Breadsticks • Salad (Limited Area) 57 South Main • Gunnison The Scouting News is Sponsored by ACE Paints Sporting Goods Whirpool Appliances Free Delivery 528-3792 Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts throughout the valley helped with the annual Utah Food Drive last Saturday. The Cub Scouts delivered sacks to the door steps of all the homes around the valley and the Boy Scouts went back later to pick up the filled sacks. All of the food gathered in the Gunnison Valley went to the food bank in Mt. Pleasant and will be used to feed the hungry in Sanpete County. Pictured is scout leader, Thayne Carlisle and scouts from the Gunnison 2nd Ward loading filled bags into the trailer. Happy to Serve You 528-7513 435 South Main • Gunnison |
