Rebels warm up against PA
Published 12:00 am Thursday, April 1, 2004
NATCHEZ &045; The plastic bag of ice Douglas Davis held underneath his pitching elbow and the crisp spring night were about the only things that went cold for Adams County Christian School on Tuesday.
You could have stuck the Rebels in an igloo full of popsicles, and AC still would have melted the place down.
Led by David Trisler’s 4 for 4 evening, every Rebel picked up at least one hit, and Davis handcuffed Parklane to three hits in a five-inning 14-2 MPSA 2-AAA victory.
&uot;If I could bottle that up and sell it, I’d be a zillionaire,&uot; AC head coach Gill Morris said. &uot;There’s nothing like victory. It’s the sweetest feeling for an athlete. Hopefully we can carry it over to Thursday and get the sweep. If we go over there flat, it’ll be a struggle.&uot;
The Rebels (8-3, 2-2) showed no ill effects Spring Break, banging out 15 hits, including five extra base knocks, two of which were homers that are still on their way to the 10th planet Sedna.
Davis retired the first and last four batters he faced on his way to striking out six.
The Meridian Community College signee had the whole repertoire working, including some nasty change-ups in the latter innings that left Parklane (8-5, 0-4) hitters shoveling their jaws from the batter’s box.
&uot;(Davis) looked so confident and that’s so much about pitching,&uot; Pioneer head coach Ken Jackson said. &uot;He got loose those last innings. I knew the longer he was out there, the more comfortable he’d be.&uot;
Davis needed just five pitches to get out of the first, but it was the way he bared down in the second after loading the bases that was the possible difference in a win and a loss.
After Davis staked himself to s 2-0 lead with an RBI double in the bottom of the first, he issued a one-out walk to Judd Honea and allowed a single to Michael Watts to start the second.
&uot;I tried to make sure to throw strikes, get some ground balls and get out of it,&uot; Davis said.
After dismissing Pioneer first baseman Warren Smith on strikes for the second out, Davis walked eighth man Brantley Ray to load the bases.
However, he induced catcher Bubba Boggs into a fielder’s choice to end the threat, much to the dismay of Jackson, who thought Watts beat the AC shortstop Jamie Morris’ throw to David New at third.
&uot;We had them loaded in the (second),&uot; Jackson said. &uot;We had a chance to cut into the lead. We didn’t get the job done. I give a lot of credit to Davis. Also, I’ve seen them play six or seven games, and that’s the best they’ve hit the ball.&uot;
Davis’ dodging was just the shot in the arm the Rebels’ offense needed against Parklane starter Blake Robinson. Ray Simpson led off with a single before Morris moved him to second with a sacrifice bunt.
Leadoff man Dustin Case’s single put runners at the corners, and first baseman Glenn Williams knocked Simpson in with a fielder’s choice that retired Case.
Designated hitter Timmy Foster’s two-run blast deep into the woods behind the left field fence cleared the bases to make it 5-0.
&uot;We hit the ball from top to bottom,&uot; Morris said. &uot;We were due. We’ve had guys pick us up, but as far as putting it together, we haven’t swung that well all year.&uot;
Parklane made it 6-1 in the third when Brett Hicks doubled and scored off a Robinson single.
However, Williams got the run back with his second RBI with a single in the bottom half.
Then Trisler collected one of his two doubles, and two of his four RBIs with a shot that careened off the base of the fence in centerfield, making it 9-1.
&uot;This was a real important series. We came out ready to play,&uot; Trisler said. &uot;It was contagious. Everybody wanted to get up there and hit and they did.&uot;
The only Rebel flub of the night allowed Parklane’s final run. With two Pioneer hitters already reduced to jello on Davis’ strikeouts in the fourth, Boggs went fishing on a pitch that rolled to the backstop.
As Boggs booked it for first, Watts, who led off with a walk, raced for third when AC catcher Joseph Dunlap’s throw brought Williams off the bag.
Watts trotted across home plate when Williams unfurled an ill-advised chunk across the diamond, attempting to get Watts at third.
It never mattered, as David New led the Rebel fourth off with a smash deep into the night, and AC ran three more across home plate.
&uot;The whole team hit the ball well one through nine,&uot; Jackson said. &uot;They did the things to win the game. The got bunts down, moved runners over &045; they did everything.&uot;