Bulldogs stop Panther rally to hold on for 7-6 baseball win

Bulldogs stop Panther rally to hold on for 7-6 baseball win

Mar. 24, 2001

Waiting for a pitch

CASEY SPITZER of the Dolores County High School varsity baseball team waits for a pitch during action Tuesday afternoon against Montezuma-County High School’s varsity at Webber Park Field. The Bulldogs won the exciting game 7-6.

BY JIM THOMAS
Journal Sports Editor

It came down to a dramatic finish between Montezuma-Cortez High School and Dolores County High School varsity baseball teams Thursday afternoon, March 22, at Webber Park Baseball Field in Dove Creek. The host Bulldogs stopped a rally which saw the Panthers score three times and leave the bases loaded in the top of the seventh inning. DCHS won the game 7-6.

"Playing a good team like that really helps us," DCHS head coach Ken Soper said following the game. "It was a tough game to win. I thought we played pretty well except I was not happy with our base running. We also made too many mental errors although we only had one physical error."

Between hailstones falling, Josh Knapp opened the seventh with a single up the middle. The Panthers loaded the bases when Kevin Wayman singled and Tony McComb hit a Texas League single. Matt Betts then cracked a two-run double. Then Brian Bonaface rapped a slow roller down the third-base line which scored a run. DC starting pitcher Terence Gardner then walked a batter to load the bases. But with two outs, a Panther batter watched two strikes called and then he swung and missed a curve ball.

Holding a narrow 5-3 lead going into the bottom of the sixth, the Bulldogs added two more runs with a two-out rally after the MCHS defense turned in a double play. Dallas Coker belted a triple to the right field fence and then Chris Kail brought him home with a single. He stole second and then went to third on a wild pitch. Kail scored on a called balk.

The game opened the game when the Panthers threatened by loading the bases with one out in the first inning. But they could not bring in any runs. Dolores County scored in the bottom of the frame when Kail hit a bleeder over the first baseman’s head. He stole second and then Keith Pierce brought him home with a double up the middle.

DCHS pushed three more runs across the plate in the bottom of the third to take a 4-0 lead. Casey Spitzer reached first after being hit by a pitch. He ran all the way around the bases on an over throw miscue after Brandon Neely put down a bunt. Kail scored on a single and Pierce drove home another run with a double.

The Bulldogs added one more run in the bottom of the third to go up 5-0. Joe Buffington singled but was picked off trying to stretch a single into a double. James Smith was hit by a pitch. He went to second on a wild pitch and then Spitzer brought him home with a single.

The first few innings, the game was played under threatening skies. But in the fifth light rain fell. But that’s when the Panthers finally got on the scoreboard with three runs. Travis Spruell rapped a single, zipped to second on a stolen base and then advanced to third on a passed ball. Knapp cracked a triple. Wayman, after getting hit by a pitch, stole second which put runners at second and third. Knapp scored on a wild pitch and then McComb singled in Wayman. Betts slapped a single but was thrown out at second. Gardner fanned a batter for the final out.

Gardner went the entire distance on the mound to pick up the win. He struck out 11 batters, walked two and hit a batter while scattering nine hits. Patrick Reed started for the Panthers and took the loss. He fanned five, hit two batters and allowed nine hits. Wayman pitched one inning for Cortez.

Incidentally, the Panthers beat DCHS by a run last year in Cortez.

The Bulldogs improved to 5-1 overall. The will travel to New Mexico at the end of Spring Break to compete in the annual Shiprock Invitational March 29-31. The Panthers will take some time off for spring break and then host rival Durango on April 3 for the Southwest League game of the season.