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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Menu Guide Wedding Weather Subscribe Contact Us July 8, 2005 Pilots pin down first DH sweep Dodds bails himself out by delivering the game-winning single in a wild nightcap By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings WES DODDS, LEFT, AND TYSIN SENESTRARO share a high five during Thursday’s doubleheader sweep over Eagle Point. The Pilots won the opener 6-2, then survived a furious Eagle Point rally to take Game 2, 11-10, in extra innings. Photos by Orville Hector | Ashland Daily Tidings Wes Dodds’ arm made it exciting. His bat made it right. Dodds singled home the winning run with one out in the eighth inning Thursday, giving the Ashland Pilots an 11-10 win over Eagle Point at North Mountain Park. The American Legion A Area 4 victory, which saved Ashland the embarrassment of blowing a 10-1 lead, clinched for the Pilots their first doubleheader sweep of the season and represented another big step toward respectability. With 14 games left on their schedule, the Pilots (6-12, 5-9 Area 4) have already tripled their win total of last season. “I was kind of disappointed in myself, so I was just hoping (for a hit) and I did it, so it’s all good,” said Dodds, who surrendered five runs on five hits in the sixth and seventh to allow Eagle Point to send the game into extra innings. Ashland took the opener 6-2 and looked well on its way to a resounding victory in the nightcap after scoring nine runs in the first two innings. Eagle Point clawed its way back, however, scoring eight runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh while holding the Pilots scoreless. David Charlton, the Eagles’ No. 9 hitter, capped the remarkable rally with a sacrifice bunt in the seventh that scored Derek Grieve, tying the game at 10. Down but not out, the Pilots used a double-play in the top of the eighth to smother another Eagles’ threat and regain the momentum. Gus Gaviglio catches a foul ball as an Eagle Point base-runner looks on. Gaviglio pitched four strong innings in the Game 2 victory. In the bottom of the inning, Eagle Point’s Nick Staller jump started Ashland’s game-winning rally by walking Ben Morris and Aaron San Nicholas. Gus Gaviglio’s sacrifice bunt moved them to second and third with one out. In a strategic move, Staller then intentionally walked Robby Bruce to load the bases and bring up Dodds. The two battled to a full count, pinning the game on a single pitch. It was a down-the-pipe fastball, which Dodds ripped past Staller and over second base to score pinch runner Sam Gaviglio from third. “I don’t really remember what was going through my mind; I just kind of swung the stick and got a hit,” Dodds said. Dodds finished 3-for-4 at the plate and was one of four Pilots with multiple hits in the game. Bruce went 2-for-4 with a two-RBI double, San Nicholas was 2-for-3 with two walks and Tysin Senestraro was 2-for-4 with an RBI double. Drew Horsely (1-for-3) also doubled to drive home a pair of runs. For Eagle Point, Staller went 2-for-5 with two doubles and three RBIs and Jonathan Harvey went 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored. Grieve batted 2-for-4 with two extra-base hits, including the two-RBI triple that set up Charlton’s sac bunt in the seventh. Eagle Point starter Matt Collier struggled on the mound, giving up seven earned runs on seven hits before being pulled in favor of Austin Owens after the third inning. Owens held Ashland scoreless on three hits before Staller, who was tagged with the loss, entered in the seventh. For Ashland, Gus Gaviglio started and scattered six hits over four innings, allowing one earned run in the process. He gave way to his brother, Sam, in the fifth. Eagle Point scored three runs against the younger Gaviglio on two hits, a walk and an error. Dodds (1-0) entered in the sixth. “We let them come back, but we finished it,” Bruce said. “We are going up and we have not stopped. I think we’re improving, and when you think about it that’s what summer ball is for.” In Game 1, Ashland showed how far a good defense can carry a team, while Eagle Point showed how far a bad ‘D’ can drag a team down. The Pilots turned four double plays — easily a season best — while Eagle Point committed eight errors. Ashland starter Tyler Killeen was solid in five innings of work, giving up two runs to pick up his second win of the season (2-2). Sam Gaviglio pitched the last two innings in relief and held the Eagles scoreless. San Nicholas, Senestraro and Staller each had two hits to lead the Pilots’ offensive attack. San Nicholas’ RBI single in the third gave the Pilots the lead for good, while Staller drove in two with a double. “I think we’re getting more experienced,” Senestraro said. “Our younger guys are getting more playing time and they’re learning a lot more from our older guys. We’re learning a lot and I think that’s how we’re becoming a better team.” FIRST GAME Eagle Point 101 000 0 —2 5 8 Ashland 021 201 x —6 6 0 Grieve and Harvey; Killeen, S. Gaviglio (6) and Bruce. W — Killeen (2-2). L — Grieve. 2B — A: Senestraro, San Nicholas; EP: Staller. SECOND GAME Eagle Point 010 132 30 — 10 14 3 Ashland 451 000 01 — 11 12 4 Collier, Charleton (4), Staller (7) and Grieve; G. Gaviglio, S. Gaviglio (5), Dodds (6) and Bruce. W — Dodds (1-0). L — Staller. 2B — A: Senestraro, Bruce, Horsley, Ferrero. EP: Harvey, Staller (2), Grieve, Hulla. 3B — EP: Grieve. DailyTidings.com Home Page Archives | Revels | Classifieds | Real Estate Guide | Weather | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2005 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Deep Muscle Stimulator Ceramic Piggy Banks FREE Entertainment Guide Women's & Men's Slippers Accelerate Weightloss Products Backpacks Generic Viagra Vegas Travel Guide Search Engine Optimization Sportsbook Absinthe Supply Student Loans Hotel & Airline Reservations African Safari Hammocks Helzberg Diamonds Online Casinos Community Bonus Casino King of Spirits ink cartridges Mortgage Calculator Security Systems Mailing Lists Click Here Advertisement .:Advertisements:. Site Search: RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams