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Mustangs open with split CHICO, Calif. - The Medford Mustangs American Legion baseball team opened their season with mixed results on Saturday against the Chico Nuts. The Mustangs faltered defensively in an opening-game 7-6 loss but bounced back with solid pitching and timely hitting to take a 7-3 win in the nightcap. Over both games, Medford totaled 20 hits but none were for extra bases. Travis Dunlap keyed a three-run first inning in Game 1 with a run-scoring single and added a two-run base-hit in the seventh as Medford rallied to within one run but could get no closer. Tony Conklin struck out nine and gave up six hits but five errors by the Mustangs resulted in six unearned runs. Dunlap had three hits and three RBI, while Rob Folsom and Matt Smith had two hits apiece. In the nightcap, Medford fell behind 3-0 heading into the sixth before a five-run outburst. The Mustangs used a bases-loaded walk, a run-scoring error and a Matt Skundrick two-run single to pull ahead for good. Clint Rodreick pitched the final three shutout innings to pick up the win. Skundrick led the Mustangs hitting attack with a 4-for-5 game to go along with four RBI. Shawn Backstrom added two hits. The Mustangs play a doubleheader today in Redding at 2 p.m. FIRST GAME Medford...............................................300 000 3 - 6 9 5 Chico...................................................000 610 x - 7 6 1 Conklin and Smith; Wood, Davis (6) and Fontana. W - Wood. L - Conklin (0-1). 2B - C: Garrettson. SECOND GAME Medford................................................000 005 2 - 7 11 2 Chico....................................................001 200 0 - 3 10 1 Skundrick, Rodreick (5) and Smith; MacLane, Blossky (7) and Stearns. W - Rodreick (1-0). L - MacLane. 2B - C: Smyth, Nemark. Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.