BULLDOGS, GENERALS STAY HOT (April 23, 2003)

Lexington Herald-Leader (KY)
April 23, 2003
Section: Sports
Edition: Final
Page: D1

BULLDOGS, GENERALS STAY HOT
WINNING TEAMS WILL PLAY TODAY AT APPLEBEE’S PARK
Mike Fields, Herald-Leader Staff Writer

Cold weather has done nothing to cool off Paul Laurence Dunbar’s red-hot baseball team.

The Bulldogs, who posted six consecutive wins in relatively frosty Florida over spring break, beat Bryan Station 9-2 in the first game of a city double-header in breezy, bone-chilling conditions at Lafayette last night.
In the second game, the host Generals rode terrific pitching to a 4-2 victory over Henry Clay. Tommy Warner had 10 strikeouts while working five shutout innings, and Jon Hollingsworth added four K’s in two innings of relief.

Lafayette, despite graduating 12 seniors off last year’s region finalist team, improved to 10-2.

Dunbar, however, has the best record in town. The Bulldogs are 13-1 and have won 10 in a row.

“It’s been cold, but we’ve been winning,” said Dunbar junior Robby Ward, who hit a grand slam in the first inning last night.

The Bulldogs, ranked fifth in the state, may be surprising some people, but not Coach Mickey Marshall.

“We had a great summer and beat a lot of good teams,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of leadership and camaraderie with this group. This is a fun bunch.”

They had a bunch of fun in the first inning last night. Bryan Station starter Dwayne Coy surrendered three walks — two with the bases loaded — and Ward’s opposite-field grand slam.

“When I hit it, I thought it was lower, more of a line drive,” Ward said. “I was running hard, but then my coach told me to slow down and trot. I didn’t realize it was a home run.”

Staked to a 6-0 lead, Dunbar made it stand up by using three pitchers — starter Matt Byzet, Brett Hunt and Dustin Morrow.

“We have a lot of pitching depth, a lot of hitting and a lot of senior leadership,” Ward said. “I think we’ll be pretty good the rest of the year.”

Ward has played sparingly this season, but after collecting a pinch-hit the day before, Marshall decided to use him as the designated hitter last night.

Ward, who also had a run-scoring single, hoped his performance pays off.

“I really want to play at Applebee’s,” he said, referring to Dunbar’s game today against Lafayette at the Legends’ ball park.

The Generals hope to end the Bulldogs’ winning streak, just like they handed Henry Clay its first loss of the season last night.

“It’s been a team effort all year,” Lafayette Coach Chris Langston said of his team’s strong start. “The pitchers have been doing their job, and the hitters have settled down and been going with the pitches.”

Warner, a junior lefthander, had 14 strikeouts in a five-inning no-hitter against Calloway County over the weekend. He was almost unhittable against Henry Clay. He gave up only three singles. He hit two batters, but walked none.

Lafayette pushed across three runs in the third. After Tim Bauman and Michael Curtis singled, Henry Clay intentionally walked Czack Roe to load the bases. Jared Patrick made the Devils pay by stroking a two-run single.

Roe eventually scored on a fielder’s choice.

Henry Clay got two runs in the seventh, with Ben Eubank, Stanley Marcinek and Alden Crissey stringing together hits.

But Hollingsworth didn’t buckle, and ended the game with a strikeout.

Paul Dunbar 610 110 0 — 9 8 0

Bryan Station 002 000 0 — 2 5 2

Matt Byzet, Brett Hunt (4), Dustin Morrow (6) and Kevin Paddock. Dwayne Coy, Brent Worrell (6) and Brian Bland. HR–Robby Ward (PD). 2B–Rob Scott (PD), Ryan Ellis (BS), John O’Dea (PD). Records–Paul Dunbar 13-1; Bryan Station 4-7

Henry Clay 000 000 2 — 2 5 2

Lafayette 003 001 x — 4 7 1

Brooks Morgan, Chris Craycraft (6) and Terry Mullinx. Tommy Warner, Jon Hollingsworth (6) and Scott Churchill. 2B–Jared Patrick (L); Ben Eubank (HC). Records–Henry Clay 5-1; Lafayette 10-2.

Today

At Applebee’s Park

5 p.m. — Lafayette vs. Paul Dunbar

7:30 p.m. — Bryan Station vs. Tates Creek

Dunbar crushes Madison Central Pitcher keys 15-0 win in softball, Page D5

JOSEPH REY AU – Ryan Holmes of Bryan Station slid into second, beating a throw to Rob Scott, left, and Craig Dunn during the fourth inning of Dunbar’s 9-2 win. Bryan Station had five hits.
JOSEPH REY AU – Junior Robby Ward hit a grand slam during the first inning last night, helping launch Paul Dunbar to a 9-2 win over Bryan Station.