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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels July 16, 2004 Pilots slammed hit new low By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings The Ashland Pilots hit a new low as their frustrations reached a new high in an Area 4 doubleheader against North Jackson Thursday. The visitors from Eagle Point won both games handily, 9-0 and 20-4, at the Ashland High junior varsity field, dropping Ashland's American Legion A baseball team to 2-18-1 overall and 2-15-1 in league play. The Pilots haven't won since July 1, a span of eight games. "I don't even know what to say right now," first-year Pilots coach Hank Munn said. "I've Ashland pilots second baseman Aaron Decker tags out North Jackson's Ryan Augino at second base during Thursday's first game. Denise Baratta | Ashland Daily Tidings never been so frustrated in my life, so I don't know. I don't want to say anything." The Pilots were outplayed in every phase of the game, but especially on defense, where the Royals shined - except for a brief lapse early in Game 2 - and the Pilots slumped. An Ashland throwing error on a routine grounder gave North Jackson two runs in the first and helped the Royals build a 7-0 lead, and two more Ashland errors in the fourth helped the Royals tack on eight and go up 19-3. Ashland's pitching staff struggled as well, as three Pilots - starter Griff Sollinger, Tysin Senestraro and Ben Morris - allowed 18 hits, including four for extra bases, in the second game alone. Afterwards, Munn was livid, but declined to get into specifics as to why. When asked if his team was putting forth the effort, he said: "Not at all times. Unfortunately, no." Munn then asked not to be interviewed, explaining: "I'd be afraid that I'd say something wrong right now." His players were equally frustrated. Pitcher Aaron San Nicholas, who was tagged with the loss in Game 1, said the team's role as a feeder program for the high school varsity program has undermined the Pilots' own goals. "I don't think it's that good," he said. "Especially with Robo [AHS coach Jason Robustelli]. He's a coach that likes to win and if you don't bring intensity then it sucks. I don't think (the intensity) is there at all right now. I think (we're) just being laid back more and not really caring." Ashland catcher Robby Bruce said the Pilots' problems begin and end with practice time: The Pilots haven't had much of it, he said, even though they desperately need it. "It's just not happening," he said. "The effort's there, but we don't have any practices. We haven't had a practice since before the season. So, I took the initiative and I made a practice yesterday that a lot of the guys went to just for hitting. There's a lot of frustration because � a lot of the teams, even the (Babe Ruth) all-star team that's playing right now in the tournament, are taking 200, 300 hacks a day. We do maybe 20 before the game." Ashland is not in the Area 4 playoff picture, but has six games left - all at home - to try and cast a positive light on what has so far been a miserable season. The Pilots host doubleheaders against South Medford on Saturday, North Medford on Monday and Central Point on Tuesday. Ashland's last win was at Central Point, where the Pilots rolled to an impressive 16-5 victory. It's been downhill for the Pilots ever since, but Bruce says it's important to go out strong. "Everybody wants to win," he said, "but right now we just want to end this on a high note." 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