Fr e e Pr e ss Page 8 Colby Free Press Monday, June 1, 2009 H SSpp o o r r t t ss Eagles finish second at state tourney Colby High School baseball team loses to Hayden 4-0 in championship

By Andy Heintz Hayden had runners on first and that he was able to field and toss Colby Free Press second and no outs. The next to first for an easy out. The next [email protected] batter hit a sacrifice bunt that ad- batter cracked a single between vanced the runners to second and first and second that allowed the SALINA — The Colby High third. Hayden’s next batter hit a runner to score from second, giv- baseball team ended an incred- sacrifice grounder to senior Cade ing Hayden a 2-0 lead. ible season with a 4-0 loss to To- Carter at shortstop, allowing the Schlick came in to pitch the top peka Hayden in the Class 4A state runner on third to score to give the of the seventh, but ran into trouble championship game Saturday at Wildcats a 1-0 lead. early in the inning. The first bat- Dean Evans Field in Salina in a In the bottom of the fourth, ter he faced walked, but Schlick game that could have gone either Krzycki belted a line-drive single was able to pick him off at first. way. up the middle with one out. Senior The next Wildcat, however, ham- The game was close – 1-0 until Eric Blanton followed by hitting mered a line-drive single to right the sixth inning – but the Eagles a hard grounder to the Wildcat’s field. The next batter hit a ground made enough little mistakes and shortstop, who was unable to field ball that took a huge hop and went missed enough opportunities to the ball cleanly. Unfortunately for over the head of Carter at short. allow the Wildcats to come away Colby, senior Stephen Dinkel hit The trouble continued for the with the win. The Eagles’ starter, a ground ball to the pitcher, who Eagles, as the Wildcats next hitter junior Preston Krzycki, went six threw it to the Wildcats’ second smoked a grounder past the out- innings before being replaced by baseman. He fired it to first base stretched glove of Krzycki, now senior Stephen Dinkel. for a double play. playing second. It rolled out to the Krzycki got into a little bit of The Wildcats got on the score- outfield, where it was misplayed trouble in the top of the first, as the board again in the top of the sixth. by right fielder junior Chaz Wing- Wildcats had runners on first and Hayden’s first batter hit a grounder er. One run scored on the play and second with two outs. He man- down the third-base line. Schlick another runner advanced to third. aged to make the next batter hit a made a terrific diving stop, but he The Wildcats scored another run ground ball to senior Levi Schlick. was in no position to throw out the to increase their lead to 4-0. who beat the runner to the third- runner at first. The Eagles ended the season base bag for the final out. Dinkel replaced Krzycki on the with a 24-2 record. The game remained scoreless mound. He got the first batter he until the top of the fourth, when faced to hit a weak ground ball Clutch plays help team defeat Ottawa Cyclones By Andy Heintz chance,” said Rasmussen. hit a grounder to the Schlick, who Colby Free Press Later in the inning, Dinkel whipped the ball to Carter for one [email protected] scored on a passed ball while se- out and Carter fired it to Arnberger nior Cade Carter was at bat to in- in another attempted double play. ANDY HEINTZ/Colby Free Press SALINA — The Colby High crease the lead to 3-1. The umpire ruled the runner was Junior Brandon Rasmussen swung at a pitch during the Colby High Eagles’ game against Hayden Eagles strung together a tremen- The Cyclones threatened in the safe again, however. High in the Class 4A State Championship game Saturday evening in Salina. dous game to defeat Ottawa High top of the sixth. The first batter Ottawa was not ready to wave 3-2 in the state Class 4A baseball pounded a double off the center- the white flag, though, as their semifinals Saturday at Dean- Ev field fence. The next Cyclone hit next batter cracked a double to ans Field. a sacrifice bunt to advance him to right center field, allowing the run- Senior Levi Schlick turned in a third. Schlick stayed clutch under ner to score all the way from first. tremendous effort on the mound, the pressure, getting a huge strike- That cut Colby’s lead to 3-2. With giving up two runs in seven in- out on the next hitter. After walk- the tying run on second, Schlick nings. ing a batter, he managed to get the managed to get the next hitter to Ottawa jumped out in front 1-0 next hitter to slap a ground ball to punch a ground ball to third that in the second when a Cyclone bat- Rasmussen at third. He fielded it was backhanded by Rasmussen. ter singled to drive in a run. The cleanly and fired a throw to- se He fired a throw to Arnberger to score remained there until the bot- nior Brent Arnberger at first that give the Eagles the victory. tom of the fourth, when Colby got bounced before it got to the bag. Colby defeated Towanda-Circle things going on offense. Arnberger scooped the ball out of High 6-2 in the first round of the Senior Eric Blanton jump started the dirt seconds before the runner tournament. With the Eagles lead- the inning with a line drive single reached base to end the inning. ing 3-2 in bottom of the fifth, Arn- to left field with Schlick on first. The top of the seventh was not berger lifted a sacrifice fly to the Senior Stephen Dinkel followed, without drama, with the Eagles outfield, allowing a run to score slamming another liner to left to clinging to a 2-run lead. After from third and extending Colbys’ load the bases. Junior Brandon walking the first batter, Schlick lead to 4-2. Kryzcki followed Arn- Rasmussen came through with a managed to get the next Cyclone berger by nailing a double over clutch single over the head of the to hit a ground ball to Krzycki. the right fielders’ head, driving in Cyclones’ shortstop, driving in He tossed it to Carter on second two runs and increasing the lead Schlick and Blanton to give Colby for the first out of the inning, and to 6-2. Dinkel started the game a 2-1 lead. Carter fired the ball to first base for the Eagles. He pitched an out- “I knew I had to get a hit, be- to almost pull off a double play. standing game, lasting all seven cause it might be our team’s only Moments later, a Wildcats batter innings. Rockies fail to sweep Padres, lose final game of series 5-2 DENVER (AP) — Adrian Gon- nings before running into trouble The game was scoreless until zalez may be on a torrid in the fifth. He allowed consecu- the third. With one out, Tony Gw- pace, but even he isn’t that im- tive one-out singles to Troy Tu- ynn Jr. singled to left and David pressed with his totals. lowitzki and Torrealba, but pinch- Eckstein doubled down the right- “I’ll see where the numbers are hitter Seth Smith looked at strike field line to put runners on second at the end of the year because May three and Tulowitzki was caught and third. Gonzalez then drove Are you looking means nothing,” he said. stealing at third to end the inning. De La Rosa’s 0-2 fastball over the Gonzalez hit his major-league Black and Gaudin agreed that 390-foot sign in left to give the leading 20th home run, Chad Gau- was a turning point in the game. Padres a 3-0. din struck out a season-high nine “At that time it’s 4-0,” Black “He was trying to throw a fast- and the beat the said. “In this park, 4-0 is like ball up,” Gonzalez said. “I was 5-2 on Sunday. 1-0.” able to get on top of it. I was able Brad Hawpe and Yorvit Torreal- Gaudin allowed two runs on to stay behind it and hit a home for a good job? ba had two hits each for Colorado, seven hits and didn’t walk a batter run.” which lost for the first time under in 6 2-3 innings. They made it 4-0 in the fifth The Colby Free Press is looking Must have good communication interim , who “I was locating my fastball and when ’s two- for a full-time advertising skills, and excellent customer replaced the fired on getting ahead of hitters,” said Gau- out double off the left-field wall Friday. din, whose career high in strike- scored Hairston, but the Rock- executive to sell advertising for service skills with attention to Gonzalez’s 20 home runs by outs is 11. “When you do that it ies escaped further damage when Nor’West Newspapers. The work detail. Send a letter and resume June 1 are the most in franchise allows you to expand the zone and Gonzalez was thrown out at home week would be 40 hours with to Steve Haynes, publisher, at history. The previous record was get guys to chase.” trying to score from first. 17 by Greg Vaughn in 1988 and Gaudin didn’t walk a batter for Hairston led off the seventh with occasional evening and weekend 155 W. Fifth St., Colby, Kansas., Nate Colbert in 1970. the first time in seven starts this his seventh homer to make it 5-0. duties. Computer skills with 67701 or s.haynes@nwkansas. “What he does at the plate is year. The Rockies broke through in very impressive. It doesn’t sur- “You could tell right from the the bottom of the inning. Garrett Excel, Photoshop, inDesign, and com. This could be the job you’ve prise me,” San Diego manager first two batters the fastball had Atkins and Hawpe led off with Acrobat helpful but not necessary. been looking for. EOE M/F/H said. “I’ve seen it too some life to it,” Black said. “A singles, and Atkins moved to third often.” lot of times when you have life on Ian Stewart’s fly out to right. Scott Hairston also homered you might not have the command, Hairston dropped Tulowitzki’s and Heath Bell recorded his 15th but he had the command and the routine fly to center, allowing At- save in 16 chances for the Padres, life.” kins to score from third, and Yor- who salvaged the final game of the Colorado starter Jorge De La vit Torrealba singled to drive in three-game series. Rosa (0-6) gave up four runs on Hawpe and make it 5-2. Gonzalez and Hairston backed six hits in five innings. He struck Greg Burke relieved Gaudin up a strong pitching performance out five and walked three. and got the last two outs to end the from their starter. Gaudin (2-3) “He elevated fastballs,” Tracy rally. struck out eight through four in- said. 155 W. 5th • Colby, KS 67701 • 785-462-3963

8 Sports CFP 6-1-09.indd 1 6/1/09 1:32:49 PM