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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels April 26, 2004 Ashland battles, but comes up short vs. EP By Jennifer Squires Ashland Daily Tidings For a program looking to make its way up the standings, sweeping the Eagle Point Eagles amounted to a reasonable, and essential goal. Turns out, it wasn't. Ashland High Sophomore utility player Bailey Hasty connects during the first game of a doubleheader against Eagle Point, Saturday at North Mountain Park in Ashland. The Grizzlies were swept by the Eagles, 2-0 and 3-1. Satsuki Doi | Ashland Daily Tidings Instead, Saturday's twinbill event became another in a long line of 'if only' losses Ashland High has suffered to Southern Oregon Conference foes this month. The thing is, this time around, the Grizzlies (8-9, 1-7 SOC) feel like they defeated themselves. "They didn't beat us," said senior Grizz pitcher Amanda Bolsinger of the Eagles. "I think we gave them the game. I'm not saying their not a good team, but we should have won." Ashland fell 2-0 in Game 1 and 3-1 in Game 2, although each contest could have gone the other way if the Grizzlies would have connected at the plate. "We struggled offensively," said fourth-year Grizz head coach Rich Beugli. "The pitcher did a nice job keeping us off balance, but we helped her out." Ashland tallied just seven hits on the afternoon - three in the first game and four in the second - and never saw their lead-off runner make it on base. I think, hitting-wise, we don't have the same confidence," Bolsinger said. "The swings aren't what they should be. We don't have the same focus." Getting off on the wrong foot Although the Grizzlies were riding high on their win in Game 2 against Roseburg last week, it was Eagle Point came out swinging. The Eagles opened Game 1 with two hits in the first inning that turned into two early scores. Six innings later, that was all they needed. The scoreboard never changed again. "It doesn't matter how many runs you give the other team," Bolsinger said. "If you have zero, you're still going to lose." Senior outfielder Amanda Cardoza recorded two of Ashland's three hits in the first contest, but the Grizzlies couldn't take advantage of the opportunities. In the fifth, Cardoza walked to start things for Ashland. Sophomore Bailey Hasty singled and all of a sudden, Ashland had runners on second and third with no outs. Things were looking up. But it didn't go that way. Eagle Point handed the Grizzlies three quick outs before Ashland could get on the board. "We didn't get it done," Beugli said. "It hurt." Aside from those two runs in the first, Bolsinger handled things from the mound. She retired the last 11 batters she faced. A painful game While the Grizzlies struggle through another subpar year, it doesn't seem to be for a lack of effort or sacrifice. "I've got some girls banged up," Beugli said, explaining that seven Ashland players visited the trainer before Saturday's doubleheader. "It's tough when you're battling through injuries to put on a cherry face when you go out there." Senior pitcher/first baseman Aimee Jeska played with an injured shoulder that occurred when she slid into third base against Roseburg last weekend. By the end of the fifth inning in Game 2, she had had enough. "She hasn't been able to fully practice all week," Beugli said. "The trainer probably wouldn't even let her play." Jeska pitched five innings, walking just two batters but giving up two runs on wild pitches. Bolsinger returned to pitch the final two innings for the Grizzlies. In the sixth, she gave up a hit against the first batter, who was later tagged out stealing second, then struck out the next two Eagles. "I actually pitched better the last two innings than my first game, I think," Bolsinger said. In the bottom of the sixth, Ashland found a way to move junior Alysse Carlson around the bases and get back in the game, 2-1. Carlson singled to left field, then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Sophomore Emily McLaughlin sent a long ball to left field that brought Carlson home. That would be it for the Grizzlies, though. In the seventh, Eagle Point added an insurance run. Ashland stranded batters on first and second to close out the game. "When you don't execute, good things don't happen," Beugli said. "That really killed us." DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams