Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Prescott Baseball Squad Opens Play Monday

Last year was a season of firsts for the Curley Wolf baseball team.

The Wolves finished 15-7 overall, and 3-3 in league play, playing a school record 22 game season.

It was the first time the Wolves had won 15 games, a new school record, the first time they won a tournament (the Gurdon Classic) and the first time the Wolves were able to beat the Junction City Dragons on the diamond.

The 1996 Wolves won the consolation bracket of the Fouke Tournament, and made it to the 7AA district tourney finals with a second win over Junction City, Nashville and Stamps before falling to De Queen in the final game.

The Wolves then went to the Class AA state tourney for the first time ever, winning their first game (11-2 over Mena).

The team finished with a ranking of 7th by a state newspaper. The Wolves also averaged nine runs per game during their 1996 campaign.

Graduation took the "heart" of the team with it, as the meat of the lineup moved on to the next level.

Barrett Yates, who went 9-3 on the hill, pitching 57 2/3 innings, graduated. He gave up 55 hits, fanned 65, walked 43 and only allowed 43 runs to score. He had a batting average of .354, with 23 hits, three doubles and a trio of round-trippers. Yates drove in 21 and walked 13 times.

Montra Montgomery also exited the team after he transferred from Houston last year. He had a .386 average, with 27 hits, eight doubles, 11 walks and 23 runs batted in.

The Wolves also lost Jerome Fulks, who had a whopping .419 batting average. Fulks also recorded 26 hits, 15 walks and 22 RBIs.

The team will also be missing Charlie Rockett, who had a .305 average, with 18 hits, two homers, 12 walks and 16 RBIs.

All four players were named to the AA All-District team.

Though the Wolves lost some good players, there are a number returning who will make sure the team picks up where it left off.

Those returning include five starters, one part-time starter and 12 of 20 players from the '96 crew.

These include Al Johnston, a junior who played first last season because of shoulder problems. Plans are to move Johnston to the outfield this season to utilize his speed. In '96, he had a batting average of .313, with a .500 on base percentage, with four doubles, a triple, two home runs, nine walks and 14 RBIs.

Coach Steve Crow plans to use Johnston as the lead-off man this year.

Jim Stockton, senior, will hold down second base. Crow said he's a solid fielder and a good contact hitter. In '96, he hit .238, with a .462 on base percentage, with three doubles, eight walks and nine batted in.

Ben Jones also returns. This junior will see time on the hill and at short for the Wolves.

Crow said Jones has All-District potential and was the No. 3 man in the lineup last season, and brought a good glove to the squad.

This year, Crow said, Jones will be counted on heavily for his arm. In '96, though, he hit .369, with a .519 on base average, with two doubles, a triple, two homers, 14 walks and a dozen RBIs. On the hill, he was 1-1, going 22 2/3 innings, striking out 24, walking 27, allowing 21 hits and 22 runs.

Senior Jamie Williams spent most of the '96 campaign as the team's designated hitter because of football injuries, though he did see some action at third -- the hot corner.

This year, Crow said, Williams may be moved behind the plate, where he played as a sophomore.'

His '96 stats showed a .273 batting average, with 15 hits, four doubles, one round-tripper, 17 RBIs and a .446 on base percentage.

Another senior coming back for the '97 campaign is Ross Cowling, who saw time on the hill as well as in the field.

According to Crow, Cowling is expected to step up his game and be the team's ace pitcher, though he is an above average outfielder.

In 48 innings as a pitcher last season, Cowling had a 3-2 record. This includes 65 K's, 38 walks, 37 hits and 29 runs allowed.

Offensively, Cowling's numbers show a .238 batting average, while getting on base .525 percent of the time. He had 10 hits, three doubles, a triple, 16 walks and drove in 17.

Jason Webb was a part-time starter at first, but went into a slump at the end of the year.

Crow said Webb has the potential to be one of the team's leaders offensively.

Last year, Webb hit .222, with a .442 on base percentage. He had eight hits, scored 11 times, recorded two home runs, with 14 RBIs.

Other players returning from the '96 team include: Tucker Baker, junior, infield; Brent Jordan, junior, catcher; Brock Jordan, junior, outfield; Shane Mowery, junior, catcher; Shane Pipkin, senior, outfielder; and Carlos Vanhook, junior, outfielder.

Crow said Brent Jordan could see a lot of playing time this season, while Vanhook is expected to compete for a spot in the regular lineup.

Newcomers to the Diamond Wolves include: Doug Flenory, junior, P; Al Formby, junior, P; Ricky Hammrick, junior, P; Cowin Hopson, senior, C; Justin Jernigan, sophomore, IF; James McGough, sophomore, IF; Tony Overton, sophomore, IF; Brock Searcy, senior, IF; Evan Webb, sophomore, OF; Jarod Yates, sophomore, IF; Doug Young, sophomore, OF; and Ryan Ellis, junior, OF.

Crow said Flenory, Formby and Hammrick are expected to contribute to the team's pitching staff, while Hopson could contend for the starter's role.

He said Jernigan, Overton and Searcy could add some depth to the infield, while Yates is expected to be a serious contender as a starter, and could help the pitching staff as well.

How good the team will be remains to be seen, Crow said, but he hopes to build on the success of the '96 squad.

"We have enough returning talent to be competitive," he said, "and put an exciting team to watch on the field."

The '97 Wolves have the largest quality pitching staff the team has ever had, five, and will rely early on the pitchers' ability and defense until the bats warm up.

Baseball fans will see a style of play similar to the St. Louis Cardinals, as Crow plans to use the bunt quite a bit, hit and run, and use the team's speed on the bases.

This year's crew also has more depth than the '96 Wolves. Crow said there are 10 quality players, with nine others who could start or make noise to be starters.

"If the team makes up its mind to work as hard as last year's," Crow said, "and dedicate itself, good things will happen.

"We get great support from parents, the booster club and local baseball fans."

While Junction City is no longer in the 7AA division, the team to beat in '97, Crow said, will be Fouke. The Panthers return two outstanding players who were on the Texarkana American Legion team during the summer.

However, the Leopards of De Queen, last year's district champs, are the ones to be ready for as they return to defend their title.

According to Crow, Nashville has been working for two years to reach the '97 campaign. Because of the Scrappers' sen