Page 2B THETHE TOWNS TOWNS COUNTY COUNTY HERALD HERALD August August 14, 2019 14, 2019 Towns County Sports Towns County’s Leader In Sports ooolgofk[gmflq`]jYd\f]lÛÝÛ<¤eYadÛl[`]jYd\³oaf\klj]Yef]l Softball: Lady Indians look ahead NASCAR 2019 after two tough losses to start 2019 season By Gerald Hodges/the Racing Reporter “Happy” Harvick’s Fuel Gamble Pays Off BROOKLYN, MI - Kev- in Harvick gained his second Cup Series race of the season by taking a fuel gamble in the closing laps of Sunday’s 200- lap event. “I wasn’t sure we had enough fuel to take us to the end, but we came here to win, and just thought, ‘what the heck’,” said Harvick. “I may have driven the winning car, but it took a lot of people to get this win. There was a lot of strategy and teamwork that went into it.” Harvick’s other win of the season came at New Hamp- shire in July. The race’s last caution came during lap 149 after a spin out by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. On the restart, the Penske Rac- ing Ford’s, driven by Joey Lo- gano, Brad Keselowski, Ryan “Happy” Harvick’s Fuel Gamble Pays Off Blaney, and Paul Menard were 901, 3. Custer-824, 4. Allgaier- at Daytona, DiBenedetto re- running 1-2-3-4, while Harvick 773, 5. Cindric-746, 6. Bris- placed Jeffrey Earnhardt in the was fifth. coe-703, 7. Gragson-702, 8. No. 4 JD Motorsports Chevy Senior catcher Sophia Shook at the plate during the home opener vs George Walton. Photo/Lowell Nicholson Harvick passed Menard, Haley-658, 9. Annett-657, 10. during the first caution due to By Chad Stack three hits in a row by throwing The Lady Bulldogs Blaney, and Keselowski with- Nemechek-613. Earnhardt suffering a fractured in 15 laps. By lap 173, he had Towns County Herald the runner out at first base for scored four more runs to take HILL WINS MICHIGAN collarbone in a motorcycle ac- caught Logano and was able TRUCK RACE cident during the week. For the Staff Writer the first out. a 9-0 lead in the fourth. Sophomore Hannah Henson served as lead- to pass him for the lead on the Here are the results of second race he joined the Mo- Wecer and junior second base- next lap. Saturday’s Truck Series race torsports Group, where he start- off batter in the bottom of the Neither of the Penske The Lady Indians played man Jayce Young were able fourth, hitting a single before at Brooklyn, Mich. 1. Austin and-parked the No. 46 Chevro- cars had enough fuel to take Hill, 2. Sheldon Creed, 3. Ty- let for 12 races and raced the hard but dropped their season to help in stopping the Lady stealing second base during them to the end of the race, opener 10-1 at Gilmer County Bulldogs’ offense by fielding ler Dipple, 4. Brett Moffitt, 5. rest with the No. 40. He scored Shook’s at-bat. Shook hit a and all had to pit for a splash Austin Self, 6. Bayley Currey, two top-15 place finishes at on Tuesday, Aug. 6, under first- two more outs to end the first ground ball and was thrown of fuel. Menard wound up 15th, 7. Grant Enfinger, 8. Stewart Road America and Mid-Ohio. year Head Softball Coach Clay inning down 3-0. out at first, but not before put- while Logano was 17th. Pole- Friesen, 9. Roy Ciccarelli, 10. DiBenedetto finished a career Livingston. Henson picked things ting Henson in scoring position sitter Keselowski led the most Matt Crafton. high 21st in points. Junior Kennedi Henson up on the mound in the sec- at third. laps (66), but finished 19th, The Truck Series Chase In 2016, he made his started on the mound Tuesday ond, successfully fielding, then After junior first base- with Blaney 24th. field is set. Grant Enfinger return in the Xfinity Series but only pitched a couple of throwing out the first two bat- man Abby Mauldin grounded Runner-up Denny Ham- clinched the regular-season driving the No. 10 Camry for innings, as Livingston tried to ters who attempted to bunt. out for the second out, sopho- lin led twice and had enough championship. The first of sev- TriStar Motorsports at Fontana, ease her back into a starting role With two outs, the Lady more shortstop Rylie Livings- fuel to go the distance, but en playoff races for the cham- where he started 33rd and fin- after she missed most of last Bulldogs battled and were able ton stepped to the plate and lacked the speed necessary to pionship will start next week at ished 40th after starting and season due to injury. to get three hits and two runs drove Henson in with an RBI overtake Harvick. He was able Bristol. 1. Moffitt-2022, 2. En- parking. At the Fall Texas race Behind home plate, se- to take a five-run lead over the single for the team’s first run to close the gap but didn’t have finger-2019, 3. Friesen-2014, 4. he crashed into the outside wall nior Sophia Shook, who is also Lady Indians, who didn’t gen- of the game. the needed horsepower. Hill-2012, 5. Chastain-2012, 6. in turn 4 ending in a concussion the team’s “onfield captain and erate any offense in the bottom The team’s only other se- “It was a good day for Crafton-2011, 7. Sauter-2009, and not racing in the Cup race us, but we got behind Kevin 8. Ankrum. the following day. leader,” has continued to grow of the second. nior, Jessica Taylor, was thrown and wasn’t able to get a run on and develop into a solid catcher The junior pitcher closed out at first for the third out to Even though Enfinger “I’m fighting for my him,” said Hamlin. “I think if won the regular season title, he for the Lady Indians, Livings- the top of the third, fanning two life,” he continued. “Everybody close the inning after hitting a we could have gotten to him, did not win any races, which knows. They see the headlines ton said. batters and fielding another ground ball. we could have raced for the dropped him to second in the and all the mess in the media. “Sophia and Kennedi bunted ball for the throw-out The young Lady Indians lead. We gave too much away playoff standings. Confusing, I’m just fighting for my life and have also been our leaders at at first. continued to battle in the bot- on that last restart.” but that’s the way NASCAR set my ride is all I live for so I hope the plate so far, having been The Lady Indians started tom of the fifth but were unable Kyle Larson was third, it up. I can stay with this team for a involved in all of our run pro- to develop some offense in to generate any more offense, followed by Martin Truex Jr., DIBENEDETTO STILL long time. duction,” he said. the bottom of the third when falling to the Lady Bulldogs Daniel Suarez, Kyle Busch, HAS WINNING HOPES “I’ve known forever that The Lady Indians only freshman third baseman Jenna 11-1. Ryan Preece, William Byron, Matt DiBenedetto, driver this is what I’m meant to do, scored one run against the Durham got a base-hit single. “The most positive thing Chase Elliott, and Alex Bow- of the No. 95 Leavine Family this is what I live, eat, sleep and Lady Bobcats that Tuesday Durham was thrown out as about this team is the character man. Toyota still has the dream of breathe. I know Victory Lane is after Shook reached base, with she tried to steal second base, of these girls,” Livingston said. Jimmie Johnson contin- reaching Victory Lane in one coming, I hope they keep me sophomore right fielder Alyssa however, during junior Kenzie “We played two very good ues to struggle and is now 18th of the NASCAR Cup Series around on this team for a long Moss knocking an RBI single Livingston’s at-bat. teams this week. We have had in points with just three races races. time to come so I can take them to bring Shook home. left in the regular season. He Dibenedetto’s sixth-place to their first victory.” Livingston struck out some solid play in the field from scraped the outside wall during Moss went 4-for-5 at the for the second out, and Young Alyssa Moss, as well as some finish at Watkins Glen was his Racing Joke: After the lap 16 and finished 34th. fourth top-ten of the year. Phoenix race, Kevin and his plate Tuesday in Gilmer but connected but was unable to good at-bats from Abby Maul- Top-16 leaders with three did not see any at-bats during “That was another good wife decide to stay over for an beat the throw to first for the din and Jenna Durham. races to go before the Chase run man,” he said at The Glen. extra day. The next morning the home opener against region third out. “I know myself as well as begins: 1. Kyle Busch-892, 2. “That was so much fun. It’s al- Kevin goes to a nearby stable, opponent George Walton Acad- Starting the top of the Coach (Chris) Vardo and Coach Logano-872, 3. Harvick-822, 4. ways fun driving through the rents a horse and takes a ride emy on Thursday, Aug.