Document text
--> --> March 16: Four is enough for Grizz By Chris Miller Ashland Daily Tidings The Ashland girls softball team only managed to get three hits Friday afternoon against non-league rival Henley. In the frigid weather conditions, three hits were all the Grizz girls needed to win the game 4-1, after a four-run fifth inning. Henley drew first blood, scoring in the first inning, set up by a blooped single to short right field. The Hornets then completed a sacrifice bunt. A fielder's choice by AHS had Henley looking at a base-runner on third with two outs. The next batter hit a hard ground ball to Grizz third baseman Anna Harris, who committed one of the two Grizz errors, giving Henley the one-run lead. In the bottom of the first, Grizz lead-off batter Hanna Elliot walked on four straight pitches then stole second base. On a well-placed sacrifice bunt by Jenna Graven, Elliot advanced to third. That put base runners on second and third with only one out, but Ashland stranded both runners when Henley's shortstop made a diving grab in foul territory. Both the Grizz and the Hornets went in order in the second inning, with Henley's pitcher striking out the side. In the third inning both pitchers were hitting on all cylinders. Neither pitcher allowed a base-runner as the two girls combined for three strikeouts in the inning. Henley threatened to score its second run of the game in the fourth. The Hornets had a base runner on third, but Ashland's Elliot gunned down Henley's Houglum at first on a strong throw from right field. The Grizz again stranded a base runner at third in the fourth, when center-fielder Stephanie Hargis tried to bunt with two strikes and was easily thrown out at first base. Henley's half of the fifth inning went quickly. They went down in order, with AHS's pitcher Megan Beugli recording one of her seven strikeouts to go with only one walk on the day. AHS' fifth inning started out innocently enough, with Stefani Talbott placing a blooped single over first base. After a passed ball, Henley walked the next batter, Grizz third baseman Anna Harris. Ashland's next batter struck out, but Elliot came to the plate and ripped a line drive up the middle to load the bases for Graven's heroics. Graven hit a sharp grounder to Henley's shortstop, who threw for the force-out at home plate. Henley's catcher did not have her foot on the plate, and threw to first for the second out of the inning. After a short discussion between Henley's head coach and the home-plate umpire, Beugli came to the plate. The Grizz scored the go-ahead run on a passed ball third strike. Beugli beat out the throw to first, leaving two on with two out. Catherine Clason got on with an infield single, and good base-running by the Grizz scored two more runs. An inning-ending grounder by Angela Heine took the game into a wet sixth inning. Neither team mounted any scoring chances in the sixth, with the weather seemingly getting the best of the players. Henley had one last chance in the top of the seventh, and stranded one base runner. Henley finished the game with two hits, two errors, four walks, and a hit batter. AHS head coach Rich Beugli said although his team won the game, they need to work on their bunting. "We attempted to do the short game, but did not execute. It's something that we have to work on and have to get better at," he said. "We did not do a real good job of it today, otherwise it would not have been that close of a game." Beugli gave credit to Henley's pitcher, especially for her use of the change-up, but felt his team needed to do a better job making adjustments. Beugli said he believes the Southern Oregon Conference is one of the deepest in the state, and could send many teams to the state tournament. "To be successful, we have to make better adjustments at the plate, and we did not do that today," Beugli said. "We didn't really earn this one today as far as the offense is concerned. The defense did a great job though." Ashland next will take on Rogue River Monday on the road. The first pitch is scheduled to be thrown at 4 p.m. Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing