Bulldogs blow away Hurricanes, Win 7-3
Prickett pitches complete game

In the third game for the 2009 season, the JV Bulldogs encountered the Hightower Hurricanes. Jr. Matt Prickett took the mound for the Bulldogs.

On a day that had high winds out of the north, the Hurricanes were blown back out to sea. The JV Bulldogs continued to hit and score runs while Jr. P Matt Prickett kept the Hurricanes in check.

Starting in the first innings, the Bulldogs went to work. Scoring only the first of their 7 runs but were posed to do more. 3B Anthony DeJesus picked up where he left off from the day before with a single. After RF J.T Mabushsir walked and 2B Gavin Torres was hit by a pitch, the Hurricanes SS dropped a pop-up that scored the Bulldogs first run. The Bulldogs were ready to score more but the Hurricanes were able to get out of the innings with the bases loaded. At that point, P Prickett, went to work striking out the first batter and retiring the Hurricanes after facing four batters.

In the second inning, the Bulldogs continued their assault on the Hurricanes. So. C Matt Gutierrez (Gutty) got things started with a single. DH Tyler Morvant moved Gutty to second with a walk. Two outs later, DeJesus came to bat. On a well hit ball to second, DeJesus reached first on a 2 RBI error. At the end of two the Bulldogs had 3 runs on the board.

In the bottom of the second, Prickett continued to manage the Hurricanes. With 2 Ks and a FO, Prickett was out of the second facing only 4 more batters.

The Bulldogs were ready to go back to work in the third. 1B So. Taylor Cobb was hit by a pitch and moved to second when So. Cale Winans hit a hot one at the Hurricanes 1B which could not make the play. With runners on first and second, Gutty was hit by a pitch which loaded the bases for Morvant. Morvant came through with a single driving in 1 run leaving the bases loaded. SS Rocky Branagan came up to bat and drove in another run on a fielder’s choice. The Bulldogs had scored 2 more runs and now lead 5 - 0.

In the bottom of the third inning, the Hurricanes started to swing their bats. To start the inning, the Hurricanes hit 2 doubles and had one hit batter however, the Hurricanes only managed to bring home 1 run. With 1 out and base runners on second and third DeJesus managed to knock down a sharply hit ball to third then gun down the runner at home plate for the second out. The Bulldogs finished off the inning with a fly out to 2B Gavin Torres.

In the top of the fourth Mabushshir start things off with a walk. Torres came to bat and hit yet another extra base hit, a double to deep left, that pushed Mabushshir to third. With men on second and third, 1B Taylor Cobb punched a ball into right field for a single that drove in two more runs. The inning ended with the bases loaded after a couple more singles from Winans and Morvant

In the fourth, Prickett returned to form facing only four more batters. At the end of four, the Bulldogs had built a 7 -1 lead.

With a pitching change in the top of the fifth, the Bulldogs offense was finally shut down but still had a solid lead.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Hurricanes tried to make a charge. The Hurricanes opened the inning with a single. After a stolen base and then a sacrifice ground out, the Hurricanes had a runner on third with only 1 out. 1B, Diehel came up to bat for the Hurricanes and hit one deep into left field for a double scoring a run. The following two batters reached on a single and a walk leaving the Hurricanes with the bases loaded and only one out.

With the wind blowing hard out of the north the Bulldogs caught a break. The next Hurricane batter hit a high fly just behind third base. SS Rocky Branagan called off 3B Eric Yelding but misjudged the ball in the wind and dropped the fly. Since the third base runner was unable to get a lead off the bag, the ball was picked up and thrown to home where Gutty stepped on the plate easily beating the base runner for the second out. The bases were still loaded but no runs had been scored. Prickett then finished the inning with a K. Score after 5 innings, Bulldogs 7, Hurricanes 2.

The Bulldogs could not manage to score in the sixth but there was only enough time for the Hurricanes to bat. The Hurricanes tried to make another surge but could only manage 1 more run and leaving the bases loaded. Same as the fifth, Prickett finished the sixth with a K. Final score Bulldogs 7, Hurricanes 3.

Bulldog Offensive Highlights:

• 7 total hits
• 2B Gavin Torres: 1 double, 1 hit by pitch
• 1B Taylor Cobb: 1 single, 2 RBIs
• DH Tyler Morvant: 2 singles, 1 base on balls, 1 RBI

Bulldog Defensive Highlights:

• Anthony DeJesus knocked down sharply hit ball to third and gun down runner at home
• Matt Prickett pitched a complete game only giving up 3 runs, 7 Ks and 6 hits

Bulldog Pitching Stats:

• Starting Pitcher: Matt Prickett (1-0), 6 innings, 7 Ks, 6 hits, 5 errors, 4 BB/HP, 2 earned runs

Winning Pitcher: FBA Matt Prickett (1-0)
Losing Pitcher: Hightower Hurricanes - Poutous
Extra Base Hits: Bulldogs: double – 2B Torres

Score by inning:

Submitted by: Greg Prickett