Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Curley Wolves Sting Hornets

Blevins found out how good the Curley Wolves are on the baseball diamond.

And, it was no April Fool's joke when Prescott stomped the Hornets flat 20-2 on April 2 to run their record to 4-1 in a game called after four and a half innings because of the 10-run rule.

Ben Jones evened his record at 1-1, pitching three innings, facing 14, giving up three hits, two walks and both runs. He also fanned six in the game.

Al Formby mopped up, finishing the other two frames, taking on seven batters, giving up one hit and recording four strike outs.

Chopper Moore took the loss for the Hornets, as he went one inning. Moore pitched to 14 different Wolves, giving up seven hits, four walks and 10 runs. He also struck two out.

Brad Smith completed the game for Blevins, facing 21 hitters, giving up eight hits, three walks and 10 runs, with three K's recorded.

Jones set the side down in order for Blevins, and then the game got ugly.

Al Johnston walked, went to second when Jimmy Stockton singled. Heath Duke was fanned, before Jared Yates belted an RBI single scoring Johnston.

Stockton scored on a wild pitch, with Yates touching the final base when Formby doubled. Williams walked and Jones singled, driving Formby in.

Wild pitches brought Williams and Jones around the rest of the base path, while Cowling went down on strikes. Jason Webb stepped up and took a pitch the distance as the ninth batter of the inning.

Johnston, in his second at-bat, walked again. This was followed by Stockton's second single of the frame, which, again scored Johnston. Duke walked this time, and scored, along with Stockton, on more wild pitches.

Yates doubled, but was left when Formby flied out. Still, though, Prescott held an insurmountable 10-0 lead.

Five Hornets went to the plate in the top of the second, with one managing a single, one walking, two being struck out and one flying out.

Just to be nasty, the Wolves added four more in their part of the inning.

Williams walked to start things off, and scored when Jones singled. Cowling singled and scored, along with Jones, when Webb doubled.

Johnston smacked a sacrifice fly, bringing Webb in, before Stockton reached on an error. Duke lined out to the pitcher, and Stockton was doubled off at second.

Jones must have felt sorry for Blevins in the top of the third as he allowed two Hornets to score. The inning began, however, with Salisbury striking out.

Smith then walked, before Juan Moreno doubled. A single by Moore drove both in.

Jones' sympathy ended, as Jenkins grounded out and Eckhart was fanned.

The bottom of the inning was quiet for Prescott, as there was no threat of scoring.

With Formby on the hill, replacing Jones, the side went down in order.

On the other hand, the Wolves rounded out their scoring with six more runs.

Cowling grounded out to start the fourth. This was followed by consecutive homers by Webb and Johnston. Stockton was out two as he fanned.

It has long been said the hardest out to get is the third and final one. This was the case for Blevins in the bottom of the fourth.

With two down, Duke singled and Yates walked. Formby walked to load the bases. Williams belted a single, bringing Duke and Yates home.

Jones singled in Formby, and Williams touched home on a wild pitch. The bloodletting ended when Cowling struck out.

Other than a Moreno single in the top of the fifth, the side was fanned by Formby.

Prescott's junior varsity team remained unblemished on the season as the Wolves smashed the Hornets 10-2.

In that game, Hammrick homered and Brock Jordan recorded two hits.