Pratt High: Athletics: Baseball

Greenbacks Sweep Scott City;

PHS Baseball Wins Two 14-8 and 17-2

by Dennis Gonzales & The Pratt Tribune

April 21, 2008

The PHS varsity baseball team swept Scott City 14-8 and 17-2 Friday at Green Sports Complex. The doubleheader was originally scheduled for Scott City, but unplayable field conditions forced the transfer of the doubleheader to Pratt.

The victories balanced the Greenbacks' Mid-State Activities Association record to 4-4 and 10-4 overall. The 10 victories are a six-win improvement from 2006.

"They have a lot of confidence," said PHS head coach Pat Stivers of his Greenbacks. "It doesn't matter what sport they are playing. I think we just went out and played the way we are capable of tonight and got some wins."

Stivers felt better than he did three days before Friday's games. PHS was coming off a doubleheader loss to Larned.

"We hit the ball a lot better tonight," said Stivers. "We had a lot of hits, scored a lot of runs, and were pretty active on the bases. It was good to come back from Tuesday night's games and get a couple wins.

"It is 10 wins. Last year, we had a total of four. We feel pretty good about that (10 wins)."

Why the increase in wins?

"I think the fact they are a year older," said Stivers was one reason. "They took some bumps and bruises last year, but got familiar with the league, and the teams that we play non-conference. They know what to expect now and are a lot more aggressive this year."

Chris Nicholson provided a healthy dose of batsmanship in game one.

The PHS junior was 2 for 2, walked three times, and scored on four trips on the base paths.

Scott City led 1-0 dropping into the bottom of the first.

RBI singles by Brad Richardson, Skylar Angood, and Caleb Gillig helped PHS overcome their deficit and go in front 3-1.

The Greenbacks added three in the second inning then exploded for five in the third, stretching their lead to five, 11-6.

Richardson doubled twice, singled, and collected three RBIs.

Angood's third-inning home run was his third in three games. He also singled in two other at-bats. Jake Strecker doubled and singled.

Brady Batman earned the victory. He allowed seven hits, struck out five, and walked one in three innings.

Nicholson came on in the fourth and fanned four, walked one, and gave up four hits.

In game two, PHS used four base hits and five first-inning walks en route to a 9-0 lead. They added two runs in the second and third and four more in the fourth, invoking the mercy rule.

Richardson's two-run fourth-inning double was the mercy rule provocateur. Zach Pixler held the Beavers to three base hits over four innings. He was supported by nine base hits.

Richardson paced the Greenback offense with a single and two doubles. Jake Siroky singled and tripled.

Nine of 10 Greenbacks scored and eight of 10 produced a base hit.

PHS is off until Friday, April 25, when they host Russell.

Russell defeated the Greenbacks 5-4 in the first round of the 2007 KSHSAA 4A Russell Regional.