Lexington Herald-Leader (KY)
May 15, 2003
Section: Sports
Edition: Final
Page: D3
Memo:HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL
DUNBAR DOES IT AGAIN WITH 7TH-INNING MAGIC
TATES CREEK BEATS LAFAYETTE 6-2
Mike Fields, Herald-Leader Staff Writer
“It’s always fun at the ball park,” a giddy Paul Dunbar baseball coach Mickey Marshall said after his Bulldogs scored three times in the bottom of the seventh inning to beat Henry Clay 4-3 last night.
It’s certainly fun if you’re Dunbar, ranked No. 1 in the state and winner of 27 of 29 games.
A couple of weeks ago the Bulldogs spotted Henry Clay a 2-0 lead and rallied to win 3-2 in their last at-bat. They repeated the magic last night.
“They give me a heart attack almost every game,” Dunbar senior Craig Dunn said of his team. “But it’s like we feel more confident in the seventh than we do early. Our bats always seem to wake up late in the game.”
Dunn provided the big hit last night, a two-run single that tied it 3-3.
Unranked Henry Clay aided the host Bulldogs’ comeback as Blue Devils reliever Ben Webster walked five batters (one intentionally) in the seventh. He issued the last one to Brett Hunt with the bases loaded, forcing in the winning run.
“We say as long as we have an out left, we have a chance,” Marshall said. “The kids believe that, and they play like they believe it.”
Matt Byzet started on the mound for Dunbar, and gave up two runs in the fifth as Stanley Marcinek and Alden Crissey provided run-scoring hits for Henry Clay. The Devils added a run in the top of the seventh thanks to another RBI by Crissey.
But the 3-1 lead wouldn’t last, and Robbie Reeves picked up the win for Dunbar.
In last night’s opener, unranked Tates Creek whipped No. 11 Lafayette 6-2. It was the Commodores’ second win over the Generals in two weeks.
Tates Creek, which used its speed on the basepaths to race past Lafayette 10-5 two weeks ago, took advantage of its quick feet in the rematch.
“We’ve got a lot of guys who can run,” said senior centerfielder Kevin Tillery.
Tillery provided the spark last night, collecting a double, two singles, two runs and a pair of RBI. He showed his speed when he scored from second on a squeeze bunt by Jamie Black that chased home John Michael Crawford from third.
Tates Creek got strong pitching from Jordan Kadel, who worked into the sixth before giving way to Scott Hollen. They gave up only two hits and walked two.
The Commodores were flawless in the field, making all the routine plays look routine. They also turned a key double play.
“We just played a solid game,” Coach Dom Fucci said. “Real good pitching, real good defense, timely hitting, and we moved runners around.”
Czack Roe pitched well for Lafayette. He gave up four hits and three runs through five innings before surrendering three walks and a hit in the sixth.
Lafayette is in the state poll and the Commodores are not, but Tillery said the rankings mean nothing.
“That stuff doesn’t have any purpose until the end of the year,” he said. “That’s when you prove you should be ranked.”
Henry Clay 000 020 1 — 3 8 2
Paul Dunbar 000 001 3 — 4 4 0
Morgan Brooks, Ben Webster (6) and Sam Reed. Matt Byzet, Robbie Reeves (4) and Davis Stanley. WP–Reeves. LP–Webster. 2B–Alden Crissey (HC), Collin Cowgill (HC)
Records–Henry Clay 14-8; Dunbar 26-2.
Lafayette 010 001 0 — 2 2 1
Tates Creek 001 023 x — 6 5 0
Czack Roe, Jay White (6) and Scott Churchill. Jordan Kadel, Scott Hollen (6) and Ross Taylor. WP–Roe. LP–Kadel. 2B–John Shelby (TC), Drew Rushing (TC), Kevin Tillery (TC), Michael Curtis (L).
Records–Lafayette 17-10; Tates Creek 15-10.
by FRANK ANDERSON STAFF – Tates Creek’s John Crawford, left, scored the first of two runs on a suicide squeeze bunt by Jamie Black. Kevin Tillery, who was on second base, also scored on the play.