March 18: Grizzlies stay hot at the plate

Ashland Daily Tidings

ETNA, Calif. - The Ashland baseball team went out with a bang at the Etna Tournament Saturday, scoring seven runs in the second inning and out-hitting Trinity 12-2 in a dominating 11-2 victory.

The Grizzlies, who bounced back from their first loss of the season, improved to 3-1 overall.

Sophomore left-hander Chad Hegdahl pitched a two-hitter through four innings to pick up the win, and Mike Allen, Torrance George and Ryan Decker each pelted two hits to lead Ashland's red-hot offense.

Through four games the Grizzlies are averaging 12 runs per game and have been held below seven just once - in Friday's 3-2 loss to Etna.

The Grizzlies all but clinched the victory in the second, when George, a senior catcher, drove in Ashland's seventh and eighth runs with a double. Ashland's breakout inning also featured an RBI double by junior outfielder Bryan Clevenger and two-run single by senior infielder Titus Weston.

The Grizzlies next take on the Henley Hornets, Tuesday at Henley.

Ashland Boys Tennis

At Pleasant Valley, in a dual match that hinged on just a few points, the Ashland boys tennis team fell 5-4 to Pleasant Valley on Saturday.

The Grizzlies picked up three singles victories and one doubles win but it was Jacob Doty's narrow loss at No. 4 singles that proved to be the difference.

Doty won the first set against Randall Cunningham but couldn't finish him off, eventually falling 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 in a heartbreaking 7-5 tie-breaker.

The non-league loss dropped Ashland to 2-1 overall. The Grizzlies, who are 1-0 with a win over Klamath Union in the Southern Oregon Conference, next travel to South Medford on Thursday.

No. 2 singles player Evan Schleining, No. 3 singles player Tyler Coke and No. 5 singles player Ross Mather each picked up victories for the Grizzlies. Ashland's lone doubles win was by Miles Rooklyn and Brandon Curry at the No. 3 spot.

Mather came back from a set down to beat Jeremy Smith 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, and Rooklyn and Curry toughed out a 6-3, 6-7, 7-5 win over Ryan Magnuson and Bryan Schwartz.