Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

PHS Baseball Team Destroys Competition In Tournament

So far, Prescott's boys of summer have been on a tear.

Two tournament games, played in the Gurdon Tournament, have resulted in two blowouts by the Curley Wolf baseball team.

The squad opened tournament action March 4 against Benton Harmony Grove. The end result was a 13-1 six inning beating by Prescott. The game was called at the end of six because of the 10-run rule.

Ross Cowling was the Wolves's ace on the hill, going all six frames, facing 24 batters, recording seven K's, giving up four walks, four hits and one run.

In the opening frame, Barrett Yates walked to give the Wolves a runner. He stole second to get in scoring position. Jimmy Stockton flied out and Ben Jones went down on strikes.

Montra Montgomery drove Yates home with a single, and stole second. Charley Rockett reached first on an error, but the Wolves end the first when Jason Webb flied out.

Benton recorded back-to-back singles, but the third man in the order grounded into a double-play, which went from Cowling to Jones to Webb. The cleanup batter grounded out to retire the side.

Cowling opened the second with a single for the Wolves. Shane Pipkin replaced him on the path, but was caught in a twin-killing as Jerome Fulks flied out.

John Cornelius singles and stole second, bringing Yates back up to the plate. Yates drew a free ride, but Stockton flied out to end the inning.

Benton tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the second as Turbyfill singled and went to second on an errant pick-off attempt. He scored on back-to-back groundouts. The fourth batter of the inning walked, while the next man went down on strikes.

The bottom fell out for Benton in the top of the third as Prescott sent five men around the bases.

The frame opened with Jones ripping a solid single and stealing second. Montgomery and Rockett both walked to load the bases. Webb reached on an error, earning an RBI as Jones scored.

Cowling followed with a double, driving in Montgomery and Al Johnston, who had replaced Rockett as a pinch runner.

A balk scored Webb from third and advances the other runners. Fulks' single drove in Pipkin, who was running for Cowling.

Cornelius lined out, and Fulks was caught napping at first in the twin-killing.

Yates, in his second at-bat of the frame, reached on an error and stole second. Stockton walked, but Jones went down on strikes to end the assault with Prescott leading 6-1.

Cowling had an easy inning with Benton in the bottom of the third as the side went down in order, with the first two striking out.

However, Prescott went down one, two, three in the top of the fourth as Montgomery flied out, Rockett struck out and Webb grounded out.

The fourth was no kinder to Benton as Russell walked. The next man up flied out, and Russell was doubled off as Montgomery fired a missile from centerfield to Webb. Troutman singled for the Cardinals, but was gunned down by Rockett trying to steal.

Prescott recorded two more runs in the top of the fifth as Cowling opened by flying out. Fulks singled and reached second on a sacrifice bunt by Cornelius.

Yates stepped up to the plate and drove one out of the park for his first home run of the season. Stockton grounded out to end the frame.

The Cards drew another blank in their part of the inning, though two members of the squad reached base, one on an error and the other on a walk.

The Wolves feasted on Cardinal pitching in the top of the sixth with another five runs.

Jones opened the deluge with a single and stole second. He went to third on a wild pitch. Montgomery walked and swiped second. Rockett singled Jones in.

Johnston, replacing Rockett on the bases, stole second, as Benton could not catch Prescott runners. Matt Wingfield, in his first at-bat, drew a walk, as did Cowling.

Cowling earned an RBI with his walk as Montgomery scored with the bases loaded. A wild pitch made it easy for Johnston to score from third.

Carlos Vanhook, in his first appearance at the plate, walked. Brian Vanhook, also in his first showing, was fanned.

Yates drew a walk, scoring Wingfield. Williams went down swinging. Jones then walked Pipkin, who had replaced Cowling on the bases, in for an RBI.

The inning ended when Montgomery flied out.

Cowling faced four men in the bottom of the inning, walking one, fanning two and getting the other to fly out.

This win put Prescott in the next round to play Delight on Tuesday, March 5.

While the game ended, for all intents and purposes, in the bottom of the third inning, Delight had to get in its last two at-bats.

The Wolves offense sent 14 runners circling the bases in the bottom of the third as Prescott feasted on Bulldog pitching.

Matt Wingfield was the winning pitcher, going four frames, facing 20 batters, fanning five, walking four, giving up two hits and two runs as Prescott recorded a 25-4 victory to go 2-0 on the young season.

Charlie Rockett saw two-thirds of an inning on the hill, facing seven, fanning two, walking five, giving up no hits, but allowing two runners to score.

Cowling mopped up with one-third of an inning, striking out the only man he faced.

The first 'Dog to bat reached on an error. The second flied out. Silva reached on a fielder's choice, with Jackson forced at second. With two down, Eoff grounded out to end the frame.

The Wolves, taking advantage of their opportunities, saw Yates reach on an error and steal second. Stockton then walked to put runners on first and second.

Two wild pitches later, Yates strolls home giving Prescott a 1-0 lead.

Delight was error prone in the first as Montgomery reached on a 'Dog mistake, which allowed Stockton to score. Montgomery then stole third as the Wolves continued being a nine-man crime wave on the base paths.

A throwing error by the Delight catcher allowed Montgomery to score, and make it 3-0 Wolves.

Rockett went down on strikes and Cowling flied out. Fulks singled, but was stranded as Webb went down on strikes.

Delight's first two batters went down on strikes. However, Wingfield suffered a momentary lapse of concentration as he walked the next three in a row, before giving up a single, which only drove in one run. A second runner crossed home plate, but was called out because he failed to touch the bag at third.

The Wolves added a run to their growing total in the second as Wingfield opened by grounding out and Cornelius flied out.

With two down, Yates singled and again stole second. A balk put Yates on third. Stockton singled Yates in, but was gunned down trying to stretch a single into a double.

Delight was blanked in the third, though getting runners to second and third. A fielder's choice and two K's shut the 'Dogs out.

The 'Do