Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

PHS Baseball Squad Ends Season

Prescott's Curley Wolf baseball team did twice as good in 2000 as it did in 1999.

Coach Steve Crow said the 2000 Wolves won six games this year, but could have easily had a 13-5 record instead of the 6-12 mark posted.

The 99 crew was only able to win three games.

Of the 12 games lost, Crow said four went by the wayside by three or less runs, and three games were lost to teams the Wolves beat.

"We played a tough schedule," he said. "Three teams went to regional tournaments and four went to regional and state tournaments."

In addition, the Wolves were a young team this season. Five sophomores started, which was the youngest and most inexperienced team Crow has ever had.

The season ended with 21 on the roster and five of these will be lost to graduation. But, the squad will return four juniors and 12 sophomores to next year's team.

"We'll be young again next year," he said, "with only a few seniors. But we will be more experienced."

One of the most positive notes for the 2001 Wolves will be the starting pitching. The team will bring all of them back. This includes Josh Bullock, Ryan Burdue and Decolen Prater.

The entire catching staff returns for the 2001 season as does the entire outfield. Half of the infield will be back for next year, making the outlook bright for the Wolves.

Of those being lost to graduation this year, Gabe Morman and Ronnie Nolen will be the toughest to replace.

Morman had a .341 batting average with 15 hits, 14 RBIs and a .583 on base percentage.

Nolen hit .265, had 13 hits, 10 RBIs and was on base .476 of the time.

"Gabe and Ronnie will be hard to replace," Crow said. "Both made first team All-District.

"Gabe had a great year both at the plate and in the field. Ronnie was outstanding with his glove at first."

Crow said Andrew Fellows came on at the end of the year and contributes. He, too, will be lost to graduation and tough to replace.

"We'll have to have some players step up next year and fill their shoes," he said.

But the future for Wolf baseball does look bright.

Bullock will be returning for his senior year. In the 2000 season he led the team with most hits, 19, most runs, 17, most home runs, 2, most extra base hits, 6, most RBIs, 15, highest batting average, .365, and most pitching wins, 4.

Bullock was also named to the All-District team.

Returning players who will be counted on heavily next season, Crow said, are: John Fulmer, with his .306 batting average; Prater, .269, Keon Sockwell, .250, Matt Yates, .256, and Burdue on the hill.

"Chris Glass, Mark Jones, Brandon Tullis and Joey Wyman will have to improve in certain areas of their game," Crow said, "but will be expected to play a big part in our 2001 plans."

Others who will be expected to contribute next season include Toby Bullock, Trent Crow, Brandon Ellis, Chad Hughes, Eric Jackson and Cory Morrow. They will be relied on to start or provide much needed bench strength.

"Hopefully we'll have some ninth graders come in next year as sophomores and help," Crow said.

Next year will be a learning experience for most of the team. The players, he said, will have to stay focused on doing the little things right, but the Wolves should show much improvement.