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Glasscock foils Pirates' plans Photos by Drew Fleming Phoenix catcher Beth Nikodym, left, hangs on to the ball after a collision at home plate with Katie Smith. Freshman lifts Chiefs to split PHOENIX -- Phoenix High softball coach Rich Ficek slowed down his pitching machine this week thinking that his Pirates would be facing Rogue River's Jamie Artoff in a Skyline Conference doubleheader at Hagler-James Park. The Pirates saw Artoff, all right, but not until the second game. In the Skyline opener for both teams, hard-throwing freshman Katie Glasscock held the Pirates hitless for six innings, finished with a two-hitter and the Chieftains emerged with a 2-1 victory. Phoenix salvaged a split by beating Artoff, 8-3, in Game 2. "We weren't ready for her (Glasscock) and that was my fault," said Ficek, whose Pirates went into the twin bill with a 6-0 record. "We thought we'd be seeing Artoff in both games and she (Artoff) doesn't throw nearly as hard." Glasscock outdueled Phoenix freshman Tiffany Ross, who pitched brilliantly in her own right by allowing only three hits. Rogue River registered the game's first run in the fourth inning after Artoff and Allison Bailey singled. Bailey rounded first base after her hit and got into a rundown between first and second.In the meantime, Artoff scored. Back-to-back doubles by Glasscock and Katie Smith scored Rogue River's other run in the sixth, and it proved to be the game-winner. Phoenix finally got on the board in the seventh when Kendra Kohler reached base on a fielder's choice, went to second on a wild pitch, moved over to third on Beth Nikodym's single and scored on a passed ball. But the Pirates failed to do further damage off Glasscock, who picked up her first win of the season. "She's only 14 years old but she's tough as nails," Rogue River coach Dennis Artoff said of Glasscock. "She doesn't get rattled easily. "We played awesome that first game." In Game 2, Phoenix exploded for six runs in the third inning and was never threatened the rest of the way. Two errors, a walk, singles by Michelle McEvoy and Sutton Jackson and a double by Ross did most of the damage. Ross regrouped to win Game 2 and run her record to 6-1 on the season. "They got around on Ross better than any team we've faced," said Ficek of the Chieftains. "But she still pitched well in both games and easily could have won both. "The first game was just a great battle between two freshman pitchers, and we wound up on the losing end." McEvoy went 2-for-3 in the second game, as did Rogue River's Lacey Mack. The split left the Chieftains with an overall record to 5-1. FIRST GAME Rogue River ...........000 101 0 -- 2 3 0 Phoenix ................000 000 1 -- 1 2 1 Glasscock and Bailey; Ross and Nikodym. W -- Glasscock. L -- Ross (5-1). 2B -- RR: Smith, Glasscock. SECOND GAME Rogue River ..........000 003 0 -- 3 6 3 Phoenix .................006 200 x -- 8 8 1 Artoff and Bailey; Ross and Nikodym. W -- Ross (6-1). L -- Artoff. 2B -- RR: Frederick; P: Ross. Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA