Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Blue Jays Defeat PHS For First Time; Curley Wolves Handle Go-Devils

Prescott's Curley Wolf baseball team split its last two games, dropping a 6-4 decision to Nevada, but trouncing Gurdon 19-7.

PRESCOTT 4

NEVADA 6

For the first time since Nevada began its baseball program, the Bluejays managed to defeat Prescott.

The Jays relied on a solid game on the hill from Key, who went the entire contest, and timely hitting.

Nevada took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second and never trailed in the contest. It was 3-0 after three, before the Wolves got on track and scored a trio of runs in the bottom of the fourth. However, at this time, they were down 4-3.

The Jays added two insurance runs in the top of the seventh, while the Wolves were able to cut the gap with a run in their half the frame.

Key faced 28 batters, allowing three hits, four runs, two walks but recording a dozen strike outs.

Ben Jones took the loss for Prescott. He spent three frames on the hill, facing 13, giving up five hits, three runs and a walk, while fanning two.

He was replaced by Formby, who finished the game. Formby went up against 16 Jays, gave up four hits, three runs and struck eight out.

Neither squad was able to get a runner on base in the opening inning, as both pitchers were dead on.

However, in the second, the Jays sent six up, with two circling the bases.

T. Evans opened with a single, advancing on Key's one-bagger. Jarvis also singled, driving Evans in. Mason followed by grounding out, but Key was able to score on a throwing error. The next two batters were sat down.

But, it was one, two, three and back to the field for the Wolves, as they had apparently left their bats elsewhere.

The Jays stretched their lead to 3-0 in the third after Gulley opened with a single, but was gunned down trying for second. Evans had a one-bagger, completing the circuit when Kretz grounded out.

Three went to bat for Prescott, with the trio returning to the pines after nine strikes.

Key took one deep for Nevada's fourth run in the top of the fourth, with the next three batters being retired in order.

Then, the Wolves managed to get on the board. Al Johnston opened inning with a walk before Jimmy Stockton grounded out.

Jones reached on an error, which allowed Johnston to score. Yates went down on strikes, before Ross Cowling singled.

Jones scored when Formby belted a single, while Cowling followed him home on a wild pitch.

This cut the lead to 4-3, and the Wolves felt they had a chance to take control of the game.

However, the fifth was a clean slate for both sides, as neither could generate any offense.

Nevada went down in order in the sixth, but the Wolves had their chances to score.

Stockton and Jones were retired before Yates doubled with Cowling up. Unfortunately, he was stranded when Cowling went down on strikes.

The Jays added two in the top of the seventh, as mistakes cost the Wolves.

Mason was fanned, as was Lowe. But, Lowe reached first on a missed third strike. Gentry grounded out, leaving Lowe left at first with two down.

Then the big blow was delivered as Gulley smashed a two-run homer. Evans followed with a single, but was caught stealing.

Williams reached on an error for Prescott in the bottom of the inning, scoring on a double by Duke.

The Wolves pummeled Nevada 12-5 in the junior varsity contest.

PRESCOTT 19

GURDON 7

After Prescott fell to Nevada 6-4 on March 17, the Go-Devils felt their wrath Friday, March 21 in the Prescott Tournament.

The Wolves put together two big innings, the second and fourth, in a game called because of the time limit.

At no time was this game in doubt. The Wolves opened with three runs in the top of the first, then gave up two to Gurdon.

Then came the five-run barrage, putting Prescott up 8-3. Another trio of Wolves circled the diamond in the third, pushing the score to 11-4, before the massive assault occurred in the fourth, when eight players scored.

Cowling, now 2-0, got the win, going the distance, facing 26, giving up five hits, seven runs, four walks and fanning nine.

Antonio Gatlin was the losing pitcher for Gurdon.

The contest opened with Formby reaching on an error. Cowling went down on strikes, before Duke walked and Yates loaded the bases when he was hit by a pitch.

Williams walked, driving Formby in. Stockton laid down a bunt, sacrificing himself for a run when Duke scored. Yates went home on a wild pitch.

Gatlin followed Formby's path, reaching on a Prescott miscue. Josh Griffin was fanned, but Justin Griffin also reached on an error.

Prescott's third error of the frame allowed Gatlin to score. Paul McMillan singled, bringing Justin Griffin in, and ending scoring in the frame.

The Wolves smacked four singles, a double, recorded a pair of walks and had an error by Gurdon to score five times in the top of the second.

Jones started with a single, with Webb reaching on an error, which brought Jones in. Formby singled, driving Webb in.

Cowling was the first out, before Duke walked and Yates singled Formby home. A double by Williams brought Duke across the plate, with Yates scoring on Stockton's single.

But Gurdon didn't go quietly. The Devils managed to score on a wild pitch after Gatlin singled and advanced on a grounder by Josh Griffin.

Still, the Wolfpack assault continued in the third, starting with a double from Webb.

For a short while, it looked as if the Devils would escape with a scoreless inning as Formby and Cowling both flied out. Then, though, Duke reached on an error, with Webb scoring. Yates followed with his first homer of the season.

The Devils, though, continued pecking away, loading the bases when Thomas walked, McMillan singled and White walked. Crain smacked a grounder, bringing Thomas in.

Six strikes later, the Devils returned to the field on defense.

Prescott's offensive flood rushed down, sweeping away everything in its path in the top of the fourth as eight runs crossed the plate.

The destruction began with Stockton getting a single. Johnston followed with an RBI triple. Jones and Webb walk to fill the bags.

Formby hits into a fielder's choice, scoring Johnston, and allowing Formby to remain on first.

Cowling got on board due to catcher's interference, bringing Jones in. Duke reached on an error, scoring Webb.

Yates singled, driving in Formby and Cowling. Williams batted into the second fielder's choice of the inning, scoring Duke, and also making it safely to first.

Stockton also hit into a fielder's choice, with Williams being picked off at second.

In his second at-bat of the frame, Johnston smacked a sacrifice fly, bringing Yates in.

Again, the Devils refused to roll over and play dead, as Gurdon's offense managed to send three around the base paths.

Gatlin started the inning with a walk. Justin Griffin reached on a fielder's choice be