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Grizzlies fall to neighbors of the north Wire Reports Summertime teammates were springtime opponents when the Phoenix and Ashland softball teams tangled Wednesday at North Mountain Park. The non-conference affair pitted members of the Southern Oregon Bandits against each other, and it was the Pirates (1-1) who took bragging rights with an 8-0 victory. "Some of the girls were dreading going to play them because they're their friends," said Bill Shearin, Phoenix's second-year head coach. "But it's nice to get a win against a (Class) 4A team." Tiffany Ross shut out the Grizzlies (1-5) on three hits, punching out eight via strikeout while walking none. Jennifer Dunlap, Jamie Escobar, Kelsey Russell, Shannon Reed and Nicole Hammers ripped two hits apiece to power the Pirates' 11-hit eruption. Escobar drilled two doubles and accumulated two RBIs. "After the Crater game, the girls made a commitment to practicing harder," said Shearin, whose squad dropped a 4-3 decision to the Comets in opening the season March 19. "And it was evident (Wednesday) in the way they ran the bases, the way they swung the bats and also the fact that we cut down on all the errors." Conversely, Ashland was plagued by six errors as it continues to search for a consistent lineup. "I've used 19 different girls on varsity so far this year," said Rich Beugli, the Grizzlies' third-year head coach. "We're young. We'll get better. The kids are getting experience." The Grizzlies next play a doubleheader against Hillsboro, starting at noon on Saturday at North Mountain Park. SOU Softball At Tucson, Ariz., wrapping up its nine-game, six-day road trip Wednesday, the Southern Oregon University softball team lost to Hastings (Neb.) College, 2-1, before pounding Whittier (Calif.), 15-5. The Raiders, 13-2 overall and ranked No. 18 in the latest NAIA national poll, finished the road trip 7-2. Pitching ace Brandi Brown (12-1) suffered her first loss of the season in the opener, as Hastings scored the winning run thanks to an SOU error in the top of the sixth inning. Lisa Aitchison led off the bottom of the seventh with a double for the Raiders, but pinch-runner Molly Pendergast advanced no farther than third base. Against Whittier, Brown blasted three doubles in three at-bats and racked up four RBIs. SOU smashed 20 hits overall and sewed up the win in five innings thanks to the 10-run mercy rule. The Raiders return home to face Concordia in Cascade Conference play at noon Saturday and host No. 1-ranked Simon Fraser (Burnaby, B.C.) on Sunday in Ashland. The Concordia doubleheader represents the first two of 16 Cascade Conference tilts for the Raiders - eight at home and eight away. But Saturday's twin bill is the only home league action the Raiders will get in the first half of conference play. After that, their next CCC home doubleheader is April 26 vs. Eastern Oregon. LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. OTHER: Road Cams Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings 541.482.3456. 1661 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520. Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. - Advertisers -