Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Curley Wolves Out Of State Baseball Tournament

Prescott's Curley Wolf baseball team will not be playing in the state tournament for the first time in three years.

The Wolves were eliminated from the regional tournament by conference foe De Queen 5- 1, Tuesday, May 5, after whipping Lake Village 19-2 the day before in opening round action.

PRESCOTT 19

LAKE VILLAGE 2

Game one of the regional tournament, held at Fordyce, saw the Wolves demolish the Beavers 19-2 behind the pitching of Al Formby.

Formby spent four innings on the hill, giving up one hit, two walks, no runs and fanning nine of the 16 batters he faced. He was replaced on the hill by Ben Jones, who pitched two frames. Jones tangled with 10 batters, giving up two runs on two hits and walking one.

The game was called because of the 10-run rule after six innings.

Prescott jumped all over Lake Village's pitching in the first inning, scoring a trio of runs.

Jones got things started by walking, as did Heath Ingram, Al Johnston made it easy by going deep for the fourth time of the year.

Jarrod Yates fanned, but Justin Jernigan and Formby both singled. Brock Jordan went down on strikes and Seth Collins grounded out to end the inning.

Formby gave up the only hit allowed in the first inning, fanning the other three batters he faced.

Prescott's bats were quiet in the top of the second, though Tony Overton and Ingram singled. The two were stranded as Jones, Johnston and Yates all flied out.

Formby fanned three batters in the bottom of the inning, with the fourth reaching by way of error.

The lumber was limbered up in the top of the third as the Wolves struck for six runs.

Jernigan walked, scoring on a Formby single. Jordan grounded out, but Collins belted a one-bagger. A fielder's choice by Overton brought Formby in, while Collins was left untouched at second.

Jones grounded out, but Ingram smacked an RBI single as did Johnston. Yates also swatted a single which brought Johnston in. The inning ended with Jernigan being fanned.

Formby gave up the first of two walks in the bottom of the third, but recorded two more K's and still kept Lake Village at bay.

Neither team mounted much in the way of offense in the fourth, though both managed to get runners on.

The fifth, though was different, as Prescott added two to its total to take an 11-0 lead.

Jones grounded out to start the inning, with Ingram walking. Jones belted a single to bring Ingram across. Yates singled, but Jernigan went down on strikes for the second out.

Formby was hit by a pitch to load the bases, with Johnston scoring on a wild pitch. Jordan's fly ball ended the threat.

With Formby off the hill, the Beavers found a short-lived offense as they scored twice in their half of the frame.

Morgan grounded out, but Farris reached on an error. A fielder's choice forced Farris at second, but let Rowe reach first safely.

Cingolani singled, but a doubly by Scucchi brought Cingolani and Morgan in.

This didn't set well with the Wolves as they brought the heavy-hitting mentality to the plate in the top of the sixth, scoring eight times in the inning.

Collins got the track meet started with a single. Overton followed with a one-bagger of his own. An error allowed Jones to reach, while Collins and Overton scored.

Johnston walloped his second homer of the game and fifth of the season, this one a three- run shot. Yates was victimized and hit by a pitch, as was Jernigan.

With two on, Formby grounded out for the first out of the frame. A double by Jordan brought the other two runners across.

Collins, in his second at-bat of the inning, got his second single of the frame. Overton lofted a sacrifice fly to score Jordan, but Jones fanned to end the attack.

Jones gave up a walk in the bottom of the inning, but retired the other three he faced.

The win was Formby's 10th of the year, which breaks Ross Cowling's record of nine set last year. This is the most victories in a single season by a Prescott pitcher.

Ingram was two for two at the plate, scoring four times. Johnston had the big bat of the game, going four of five, scoring four times with nine RBIs in the game with the two round- trippers.

Formby was three of four at the plate, with Collins going three of five.

PRESCOTT 1

DE QUEEN 5

The winds of fortune blew a different direction in the semi-final game of the regional tourney as the Wolves went down 5-1 to De Queen.

This ended Prescott's season with a 13-5 record, while the Leopards continue and went to 26-2 with the win.

Formby suffered his third loss of the year, going six innings, giving up eight hits, five runs, walking three and fanning three of the 30 batters he tangled with.

The Wolves fired their only offensive shot in the top of the first.

Jones walked, but Ingram grounded out. Johnston went down on strikes, but reached first when the catcher dropped the ball.

A wild pitch from home to first allowed Jones to score. Yates was fanned to end the inning.

Martin flied out for the Leopard's in the first, but J. Mobbs singled. Powell was fanned, but Ward reached on an error, allowing Mobbs to score. Ward was caught stealing to end the attack.

The Wolves threatened in the top of the second as Jernigan walked and Formby singled to put runners at first and second.

Jordan lined into a twin-killing, with Collins being hit by a pitch. Overton went down swinging to end the threat.

Formby hit one batter, but retired the other three in the bottom of the second.

The top of the third saw Prescott send three to the plate, and all three return to the dugout empty handed.

The final offensive salvo of the game came in the bottom of the inning as the Leopards scored four times.

Stewart singled, Martin flied out, but Mobbs belted a single to score Stewart. Powell was out two with a fly ball.

De Queen began a two out rally at this point with Ward's single driving Mobbs in. Gibbs singled and peach Walked. A single by T. Mobbs brought Ward in.

An error allowed Taylor to reach and brought Gibbs in.

The fourth inning was quiet as neither team did much at the plate.

The Wolves went down in order in the top of the fifth, but De Queen threatened in its half the inning.

Pearce walked and got greedy trying to score when Taylor singled. However, he was gunned down at the plate.

Prescott managed to get two on in the sixth, but was unable to bring them around the horn.

The Leopards got a runner on with a walk, but left him stranded as well.

It was three up and three down in the seventh for the Wolves as they saw their season end prematurely.

In many games, according to Coach Steve Crow, Formby's pitching and the Wolves' defense would h