Lexington Herald-Leader (KY)
May 28, 2003
Section: Sports
Edition: Final
Page: D1
CREEK RUNS DRY AGAINST DUNBAR
BULLDOGS ROLL 8-4, GAIN DISTRICT FINALS
Mike Fields, Herald-Leader Staff Writer
If Tates Creek was going to topple top-ranked Paul Dunbar in the 43rd District baseball semifinals last night, the host Commodores needed strong pitching, timely hitting and sure-handed defense.
Instead, Tates Creek went 0-for-3 in those categories as Dunbar rolled to an 8-4 victory.
“We didn’t do anything right,” Commodores Coach Dom Fucci said. “We didn’t pitch, we didn’t field and we didn’t hit.”
Dunbar wasn’t flawless, but it steadied itself after a shaky first inning while Tates Creek seemed to wobble all night.
Dunbar (32-2) moves on to today’s district finals against Henry Clay (19-9). The winner and runner-up both qualify for the 11th Region at Woodford County next week, but Dunbar wants the district title.
“If we beat Henry Clay we’ll be 10-0 (against city teams) this year,” Coach Mickey Marshall said. “I don’t think that’s happened in a long time. We’re focused and ready to go.”
Dunbar ace Josh Ellis figured to be focused and ready to go last night. After a 6-0 regular season, he was intent on making amends for getting shelled by Lafayette in last year’s district semifinals.
But after Dunbar took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first off Tates Creek starter Jason Fielding, Ellis surrendered three hits and three runs in the bottom of the first.
“I didn’t want that to happen again,” he said, recalling last year’s district disaster.
“In the first inning I was trying to throw it as hard as I could, trying to blow it by them. After that, I started pitching instead of throwing, and everything started working.”
Dunbar had 16 baserunners in the first three innings, so scoring wasn’t a problem. It pushed across five runs on five hits in the third to break the game open. Craig Dunn, Dustin Morrow and Brett Hunt had RBI hits.
Tates Creek was sloppy on defense. It made five errors and a few mental misplays that were costly.
The Commodores’ pitchers (Fielding and Trent Fucci) allowed eight hits, five walks, hit a batter and balked in a run.
Tates Creek’s offense amounted to five singles, only two coming after the first inning. Ellis had nine strikeouts against nine different batters.
It all added up to the biggest win of the season for Dunbar.
“This was a big hurdle,” Marshall said. “The draw we got wasn’t very good, having to beat Bryan Station (Monday) and Tates Creek to get to the region.
“But like I’ve said before, we’re a team that needs to play. We’ve got tough kids who just love to play.”
Paul Dunbar 305 000 0 — 8 8 3
Tates Creek 300 010 0 — 4 5 5
Josh Ellis and Davis Stanley. Jason Fielding, Trent Fucci (3) and Jared Whitis. WP–Ellis. LP–Fielding.
Records–Paul Dunbar 32-3; Tates Creek 19-12.
District baseball
TODAY
43rd at Tates Creek
5:35 p.m. — Henry Clay vs. Paul Dunbar
Catholic edges West Jessamine 3-2 in 42nd District thriller, D6
FRANK ANDERSON, STAFF – Tates Creek’s Drew Rushing, left, was out when he tried to steal home in the first inning yesterday. Dunbar’s Davis Stanley made the tag.