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Show Sports Thursday, March 27, 2008 The Gunnison Valley Gazette Page 7 Broncos take two from Bulldogs in double header by MITCH PETERSON Senior Jaden Hill up to bat against the Broncos. Larry Childs/Gunnison Valley Gazette Rivalry Week by ANDY HILL There are very few things in sports that are better than rivalry games. Gunnison has long held rivalries in different sports with teams close to home, but the Bulldog baseball team is a little different. Anyone who has been around the game in the last five year could tell you all about the battles with the Broncos. These are games that are charged with emotion and pride. So what better way to start the week off that with a double header with San Juan Broncos? The format for double header match-ups in 2A baseball work in a way that the visiting team is the home team for the first game, and then they switch for the second. This change in the first game gave the Bulldogs a change to bat first and they took every advantage of it. Gunnison pushed four runs across in the first inning and never looked back after that. Offensively they looked sharp by hammering out 14 hits, led by Jaden “Laser Beam” Hill who had three hits, including RBI’s on the day. Heston Neal, Max Sanders, and Kevin Nay also had two hits for the game. Sophomore Cultler Frandsen also had a breakout game with a double and HR on the day. On the hill Brad Jackson took the ball and it was business as usual as he gave up four run on four hits for the day. He also added to his team-leading total of strikeouts by fanning ten Broncos while giving up five walks. Shawn Gubeli closed the game out in the seventh recording the final two outs. It was another great performance on the hill from the Bulldogs staff. Game two started out very much like the first game as Gunnison jumped out to a quick two run lead after the first inning. But after that point, both teams settled in and it was a battle to the finish. San Juan scored once in the second and then again the fifth. Gunnison also added a run in the third. Going into the sixth, with the Bulldogs holding onto a one run lead, it looked like the game could go either way. In fact, with two outs in the sixth it looked like it was going to stay that way until the rally started. Gunnison then went to work on hits by Kevin Nay, Jaden Hill, Jace Anderson, and a towering shot by Brad Jackson. When the dust cleared the Bulldogs scored three more runs as they headed to the seventh. On the hill it was all Kevin Nay as he went the distance, allowing only two runs on fours hits, while striking out eight. With this performance he low- ered his already amazing ERA to a team-leading 0.30 runs per game. Again it was a stellar performance from the Bulldog pitching staff. With the two wins under their belt, the Bulldogs traveled to Salt Lake on Wednesday to take on the Judge Memorial Bulldogs. This game pitted the top teams from 3A and 2A in a match-up that was sure to be a good one. Last year in the Hillsports Tournament, Gunnison gave them all they could handle, but still came up a couple runs short. They were hoping that this year would be different. But as the ball sometimes falls, things did not go the way for the Bulldogs early on. With their two top pitchers coming on hard fought wins, and their All-State catcher at home with the flu, things started off rough. Gunnison gave up a quick six runs in the first and five more in the second, but after that they were able to settle in. Shawn Gubeli pitched a solid four innings, allowing only two runs on six hits, while striking out two. From the offensive side, Jaden Hill kept up his hot bat going 2 for 3, with a single and a double. Kevin Nay, Max Sanders, and Brad Jackson also added See BULLDOGS, Page 9 After a busy start to the season, the Gunnison Lady Bulldog softball team is now in the middle of a 14 day gameless stretch. The Bulldogs lost both ends of a doubleheader to the San Juan Lady Broncos last Tuesday, March 18th before heading to the break. In game 1, Bulldogs junior pitcher Hailey Allred struck out 4, while sophomore left fielder Stacie Mellor was 2-3 with a double and an RBI single. But four Gunnison errors made the difference as the Broncos pulled away to win it 9-2. Also for the Bulldogs in game 1, senior third baseman Jerrica Pickett singled and scored, while senior catcher Nicole Childs was hit by a pitch and eventually scored on a balk. Game 2 featured a Childs home run, while Pickett was 2-2 with a single and a double. Mellor also played well in this one and scored a run. Freshman shortstop Stephanie Spencer singled and scored to round out the Bulldog’s offense. The Broncos scored 11 runs in the top of the fourth on their way to a 19-3 win. The Bulldogs have now won 5 and lost 8 overall, and they’re 0-3 in Region 12. Their next game is a region match-up on Tuesday, April 1st, against 2A’s top-ranked North Sevier Wolves. In game 1 against San Juan last week, sophomore center fielder Cami Carlisle walked and stole second in the top of the first inning, (San Juan was the designated home team for game 1) but the Bulldogs couldn’t get her home. In the bottom of the inning, San Juan’s leadoff hitter singled, then scored on the play after some throwing errors. After the Broncos next batter doubled, Bulldog sophomore second baseman Felicia Jensen made a nice play on a hard-hit grounder and tossed to sophomore Morgan Piep at first for the out. The next batter hit a sacrifice fly to score the runner and clear the bases. San Juan’s next hitter singled, then tried to steal, but Childs threw her out with a laser to second base, ending the inning with San Juan up 2-0. A quick second inning saw Jensen, Allred, and Pickett each make a put-out to Piep at first base. Allred struck out the first two Bronco hitters in the bottom of the third, but the heart of the Bronco’s order staged a fourrun, two out rally to take a 6-0 lead after three. Childs led off the top of Mitch Peterson/Gunnison Valley Gazette Gunnison senior Nicole Childs rounds the bases after crunching a home run during last week’s game against San Juan. the fourth and reached when she was hit by a pitch, then advanced to third when Pickett singled. Pickett ended up at second base on the play. Childs scored on a balk, then Mellor singled to score Pickett and cut the lead to 6-2. The Broncos lead-off hitter doubled and scored in the bottom of the fourth. Two outs later, Spencer caught a screaming line-drive at short to end the inning with the Broncos up 7-2. San Juan scored two more runs in the bottom of the fifth to build a 9-2 lead. In the bottom of the sixth, Jensen made another nice play and threw out the leadoff hitter, then Allred threw out the next batter. Bulldog sophomore CC Halterman ended the inning with a nice snag in right field. She bobbled it a couple of times, but made the catch to the delight of teammates and fans. The Bulldogs couldn’t mount a comeback and the Broncos won game one 9-2. Allred started game two and Jensen came on in relief. The Broncos jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first, then Nicole Childs stepped to the plate in the bottom of the inning and crushed a fastball over the center field fence for her first ever out-of-the-park home run. Pickett then singled, but a double play ended the inning with the Broncos up 4-1. San Juan scored three more in the second to go up 7-1, but the Bulldogs scored twice in the bottom of the inning. Mellor lead off with a walk, then moved to second when Spencer singled. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch, and Mellor scored when Spencer forced a throw to second base. Spencer made it back safely, and eventually scored on a throwing error. The inning ended with the Broncos up 7-3. San Juan scored one more in the third, but Spencer ended the inning with a put-out from her shortstop position. Pickett doubled in the bottom of the inning but the Bulldogs couldn’t bring her in, and San Juan led 8-3 after three. The Broncos were almost unstoppable in the fourth inning, scoring 11 runs. The Bulldogs didn’t score in the bottom of the inning and the game ended at that point. The Bulldogs have already played the top 2A teams in the state this season, including Manti, San Juan, North Sevier, and Juab. Manti are the threetime defending state champions, and North Sevier is currently ranked #1 in at least one statewide poll. The Bulldogs are on spring break this week, but jump right back into Region 12 action Tuesday, April 1st, with a road game in Salina against those pesky Wolves. Two days later, the Bulldogs head to Monroe to tangle with the South Sevier Rams. Lotsa Motsa Sports Calendar HEAP WEEK of the Drew despain Is Sponsored by: Tue Apr 1 Thur Apr 3 Sat Mar 29 Tue Apr 1 This week’s Heap of the Week goes to Drew Despain. Drew drives a blue/green 1994 Nissan Altima GXE. “It’s awesome!” HEAP of the WEEK Tue Apr 1 Wed Apr 2 Fri Apr 4 Sat Apr 11 Sat Apr 5 Boys Baseball Gunnison @ No. Sevier Gunnison @ So Sevier Richfield @ Gunnison Girls Softball Gunnison @ No Sevier Gunnison @ So Sevier Boys Soccer 3:00/4:00/5:30 3:00/4:00/5:30 3:00/4:00/5:30 3:30/5:30 3:30/5:30 So Summit @ Gunnison Gunnison @ Beaver Track Track @ Juab Tennis 1:00/3:00 4:00/6:00 Gunnison @ No Sevier 9 am 3:00 Pizza • Calzone Breadsticks • Salad Free Delivery (Limited Area) 528-3792 57 South Main • Gunnison Happy to Serve You |
