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Ashland sweeps away South By JASON LEAVITT ASHLAND - The way the Ashland Grizzlies are playing baseball right now, there might be reason for future opponents to watch out. Strong pitching, timely hitting and solid defense that hasn't produced an error in five straight games led the Grizzlies to a doubleheader sweep of South Medford on Saturday, 9-0 and 4-2. Ashland (12-6 overall) improved its Southern Oregon Conference record to 5-3, just a game behind the first-place Panthers (9-9, 6-2 SOC). "We're in pretty good shape right now," said Ashland coach Doug Stover. "We've split doubleheaders with the top three picks in the league and now they (the Panthers) are 6-2, so we are doing great." In the first game, Ashland's Jayson Schroeder and Nick Ehlers combined to shut out South, allowing only three hits in seven innings. Schroeder used a wide array of off-speed pitches, keeping South's hitters off balance. "I threw a lot of junk, but I was able to spot my fastball at the right time and our defense made great plays when they hit the ball," Schroeder said. Ashland put a couple of runs on the board early, taking a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the third, when it tacked on three more runs. In the third, South Medford ace Matt Skundrick gave up a leadoff single to Titus Weston before retiring Bill Rowe on a fielder's choice. He walked Mike Allen, and Schroeder reached first on an error to load the bases. After striking out Nick Danis, Skundrick's control hurt him when he walked Charles Dotterer to force in a run. His next pitch hit Ryan Decker, forcing in another run, and Ashland was able to add one more before being retired. South Medford picked up its play in the second game of the twin bill, only to have the Grizzlies secure the win. Second baseman Ryan Heil took the first pitch from Ashland's Allen and laced it to center for a single. Jimmie Maddox then dropped in a short fly ball to center field, but Heil was thrown out trying to advance. Allen struck out Skundrick and got first baseman David Henneman to ground out. Ashland came up in the bottom half of the inning and promptly scored a run on a two-out single by Allen. The Grizzlies held their 1-0 lead into the bottom of the third inning before breaking the game open. J.D. Christensen started things off with a single to left. Senior Arin Rouse then took Clint Rodreick's offering to the base of the center-field wall for a triple. After Weston lined out to left, Rowe connected on his sixth home run of the season, a shot that towered over the right field fence. "I wasn't thinking home run when I went up there after going 0-for-5," Rowe said of his previous at-bats. "But I knew when I hit it that it was gone." That proved to be all the run support Allen would need as the junior kept South Medford in check until the top of the sixth when the Panthers finally were able to score their first runs of the day. Henneman beat out an infield single with one out. Allen appeared to have the inning in control after striking out catcher Matt Smith, but he walked Jon McCollum and, with runners on first and second, Kevin O'Shea ripped a pitch to center field that fell in for a two-run double. Allen got into some more trouble with another walk, but he settled down and struck out the last batter. "I got the two outs and then lost my handle on my fastball," he said. "I was pretty upset about it, but I stayed in there and got the out that we needed." Stover, on the other hand, had total confidence in his pitcher throughout the entire game. "Mike focuses really well," said the coach. "He has a mound presence, and he knows if he gives up a hit, his defense will cover." FIRST GAME South Medford......................................000 000 0 - 0 3 4 Ashland.................................................023 130 x - 9 7 0 Skundrick, McCollum (5) and Smith; Schroeder, Ehlers (5) and George. W - Schroeder (3-1). L - Skundrick. 2B - A: Allen, George. SECOND GAME South Medford......................................000 002 0 - 2 9 1 Ashland.................................................103 000 x - 4 8 0 Rodreick and Smith; Allen and Cook. W - Allen (4-1). L - Rodreick. 2B -SM: O'Shea. 3B - A: Rouse. HR - A: Rowe (6). Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.