Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Curley Wolves Fall In District Baseball Tournament; Finish Third

An off day offensively left Prescott's Curley Wolves in third place in the district baseball tournament.

The Wolves dropped a 5-2 decision to host Nashville Wednesday afternoon, with Ricky Hammrick suffering his second loss of the season.

Hammrick was on the hill for two innings, giving up three runs on three hits, while walking two of the 11 batters he faced.

He was replaced by Al Formby, who finished the game. Formby tangled with 24 Scrappers, giving up two runs on three hits, walking two and fanning 11.

The loss put the Wolves as the No. 3 seed in the regional tournament at Fordyce.

Only the top two teams from the regional will advance to the state tilt at Jonesboro next week.

Prescott Coach Steve Crow said this is unfair because basketball teams can send the top four teams to regionals. "We should have advanced four, like basketball, or not have a regional tournament," he said, "and advance the top two teams from each district as it has been in the past."

The regional tournament, he said, has made the season a week longer.

The game began with Hammrick getting tagged for three runs in the top of the first.

Howard singled, Fincher walked and Rowland's homer cleared the bases. Reeves smacked a one-out single and was stranded when the next two went down.

The Wolves rallied in the bottom of the first, starting with Ben Jones and Seth Collins getting free rides. Heath Ingram flied out that advanced the runners.

However, Jarrod Yates lifted a sacrifice fly to bring Jones home. Justin Jernigan walked to load the bases, but Formby's fly ended the threat.

Hammrick shut Nashville down in the top of the second, issuing a lone walk, while getting three others to fly out.

The Wolves narrowed the score to 3-2 with a run in their half the frame.

Brent Jordan was fanned and Tony Overton walked, as did Jones. Collins went down on strikes, before Ingram's single drove Overton in. Al Johnston grounded out to end the inning.

The third was quiet for both squads as neither could bring a runner across, even though both had men reach base.

The fourth was a carbon copy of the third, only both teams went down in order.

The Scrappers tacked two more on in the top of the fifth. Reed began with a walk, but Fincher was fanned. Rowland reached by way of error, while a ground out by Reeves brought Reed in. An error allowed Martin to reach first and score Rowland.

Walks to Johnston and Yates put runners in scoring position for Prescott, but the rest of the team couldn't buy a hit to bring them around.

Scoring ended with Nashville's two-run fifth, as pitching kept the bats cold in the sixth and seventh.

Formby's pitching was again a highlight, as he gave up three hits and two walks while striking 11 out in five frames.

Ingram went two for four with an RBI for the Wolves, while Johnston was two for three at the plate. Yates drove one in, while Jones and Overton both scored.

Now, however, it's win or go home for the Wolves as they entered regional play Monday afternoon. Prescott had a 2:30 p.m. date with the No. 2 seed from the 8AA.

Victories will allow them to play Tuesday and Wednesday. Tuesday's game is scheduled for 5 p.m., with the finals set for 7 p.m.