Big Hits

In the first game of two Monday night, the East Jessamine softball team took a little while to get going offensively. Searcy kept the Richmond Model hitters just as sluggish at the plate as she struck out 14 in seven innings of work. East finally got rolling when Mckayle Staton got an RBI-hit, followed by another from Kenzie Katzman. The two runs held up thanks to Searcy's effort on the mound and the Jags won game 1, 2-0. In the second game, the Jaguars welcomed Casey County and got the victory, 8-2. Bethany Davis took over pitching duties and held the Rebels to two runs.

Amanda Wheeler was comfortable at the plate on Monday. It showed. Wheeler produced a two-run double in the third inning that broke open a close encounter and led George Rogers Clark to a 7-0 shutout over Paris at Cardinal Heights. While the win pushed Clark to 12-2 on the season, it was the team's first victory against a district foe. "Anytime you can beat a district opponent, that's what you want to do," Clark coach Jackie McCloud said afterward. Wheeler, one of the team's two seniors, finished with three hits, to go along with three RBIs.

JEFFERSONTOWN - The George Rogers Clark High School softball team finished the season on a high note by winning the Lady Charger Classic over the weekend. The Lady Cardinals (24-11) won three games in the tournament and welcomed the return of Morgan Woosley. Woosley, who had missed the last three weeks because of a foot injury, returned to the lineup and went the distance on the mound in two of the three games played. Clark coach Jackie McCloud likes the way his team is playing heading into the postseason.

Derek Riddle pitched a complete-game shutout to give Casey County its second impressive win in two days, a 3-0 victory over Pulaski Southwestern Thursday night at Somerset. Riddle allowed Southwestern (1-2) only five hits and didn't walk a batter as Casey (2-1) followed a win over defending 45th District champion Danville by beating the defending 12th Region champion. The Rebels scored the only run they would need in the second inning when Kyle Long walked, stole second base and scored on Josh Swango's single to right field.

Mercer County had most of the big hits Saturday, while Boyle County had some big misses. The combination of those two things made for a big win for the Mercer baseball team in the first of two scheduled meetings this season between these neighbors. The Titans scored eight of their runs in the first four innings, the last four coming on a grand slam home run by Russell Sims, to defeat Boyle 8-2 on Saturday. Several of Sims' teammates had big hits as well as Mercer (10-4) rebounded from its first-ever loss to 46th District rival East Jessamine three days earlier.

OWENSBORO - Just when Garrard County was on the verge of its biggest softball win ever, victory slipped away. Garrard took a 4-0 lead in the second inning over No. 6 Allen County-Scottsville here today in the state tournament before the Patriots rallied to win 5-4. "We started strong, but even with the 4-0 lead we got tight," said Garrard coach Jeff Meadors. "We made some mental mistakes when they made their push at us. "I don't know if it is our youth or what, but our focus can wander at times.

HARRODSBURG - What do you get when you mix clay and water and add just a little sunlight? You get Jeff Meadors' kind of ballgame. The Garrard County coach didn't mind that the Golden Lions played on an off track Thursday night at Mercer County because the field conditions allowed them to play the kind of game he prefers. Bunts and ground balls died quickly on the sticky, clay-based infield, which was still saturated by days of rain, and Garrard took full advantage of that in a 9-3 win over Mercer.

It wasn't the smoothest game, but Boyle County accomplished what it set out to do. The Rebels got on base any way they could and manufactured enough runs to beat Danville 4-2 Thursday at Troy Trumbo Field. Boyle (4-5, 1-0 45th District) had just four hits, but also picked up two walks, had two batters hit by pitches, and reached base on two Danville errors. "We were really focused on coming in ready to play and getting on base however we could," Boyle's Amber Mills said.

Each time senior first baseman Renee Chiu came to bat, Danville had runners on base. That was good news for the Admirals, but bad news for host Boyle County Friday. Chiu singled three times and drove in four runs to lead Danville to a 10-0 win in six innings over rival Boyle (2-6). Winning pitcher Chelsea Wallace, who did not allow a hit until the fourth inning, also drove in two runs with a first-inning single and a fourth inning sacrifice fly that was misplayed into a two-base error.

There were big runs. There were big passes. There were also big stops. And big hits, too. Danville put all of its big-play capability on display Saturday night, and it was all simply too much for duPont Manual. The Admirals attacked from all sides on offense, and their defense kept Manual from doing the same as they cruised to a 22-7 victory in the Bob Allen Pigskin Classic at Admiral Stadium. The game was no blowout, but Danville was never threatened because Manual's offense was seldom in position to score.

Mercer County had most of the big hits Saturday, while Boyle County had some big misses. The combination of those two things made for a big win for the Mercer baseball team in the first of two scheduled meetings this season between these neighbors. The Titans scored eight of their runs in the first four innings, the last four coming on a grand slam home run by Russell Sims, to defeat Boyle 8-2 on Saturday. Several of Sims' teammates had big hits as well as Mercer (10-4) rebounded from its first-ever loss to 46th District rival East Jessamine three days earlier.

Nothing has come easy to Boyle County so far in the 12th Region Tournament. And the Rebels found themselves in another squeaker Monday, getting an RBI single for Heather Hasty in the bottom of the sixth inning that stood for a 1-0 win over Pulaski County in the semifinals at Millennium Park. Now all Boyle (29-11) has to do is beat a Mercer County team for the third time this season to claim its first regional title. Boyle junior Hannah Miniard held the Maroons (15-24) to two hits and struck out 14 and walked one. She struck out at least two batters in six of the seven innings to earn the win. “She pitched a fantastic game, and now we've got get ourselves ready to go for tomorrow,”Ã?

The Boyle County Rebels knew what they were missing. Boyle struggled to string wins together in the first half of the season largely because it struggled to score runs, but that has started to change now. Big hits and big innings have led to a spike in the Rebels' offensive production, and they got both on Tuesday, scoring seven runs in the second inning to defeat Anderson County 8-2 at Rebel Field. Runs have been coming in bunches lately for Boyle, which has won six of its last eight games, and the Rebels say it's not a moment too soon.

NICHOLASVILLE - Jacob Tamme couldn't quit smiling here Monday. Everything from the weather to the golfers to the sponsors to the celebrity players to the Keene Run Golf Club was near perfect for Swings for Our Soldiers, a fundraising event for Homes for Our Troops organized by Tamme and his wife, Allison. “Luckily we have a lot of people who put in a lot of time and effort into making this happen.¿It is a good deal of work but it is all worth it to raise money for this organization.

HARRODSBURG — There’s nothing wrong with knocking the walls down if you can do it, and Mercer County’s hitters have proved they can do it. But during the postseason run that has carried them into the state baseball tournament for the first time, the Titans have also discovered the value of plays that are less impressive but no less important. The Titans hit a number of balls off the wall or over it during five postseason games in which they scored 60 runs, but they were also adept at moving runners around the bases with small plays such as bunts, ground balls hit behind the runner or sacrifice flies.

Chris Cook remembers going to watch those Boyle County teams that won five straight state titles when he was a kid - and he remembers Jacob Tamme best of all. “Jacob was one of my biggest role models growing up. I said after winning the state championship, I watched Jacob win a state championship all four of his (years in high school) and I saw him get player of the game and it was always a dream of mine,” said Cook, a senior who was the MVP of this year’s state title game.

He signed autographs. He smiled and posed for pictures. He shook hands. He talked and answered questions. If Kentucky coach John Calipari is getting tired of connecting with UK fans, it sure didn’t show here Tuesday during his three-hour camp at Danville High School as part of his satellite camp tour in nine cities. “The thing that you find out here is that the people want you to shake hands and sign autographs and they don’t always want to have to come to Lexington to do it,” said Calipari.

Let me be the first to admit that when Gary Moyers approached me about using Twitter and having a special vaughtsviews.com Web site, I wasn't sure I even understood what he was talking about. Now all I can say to him is thanks. And the same to all of you who now either go to the site or follow my tweets on Twitter. Yes, I have gone over the 1,000 followers mark. It's a modest milestone compared to the mind-boggling numbers University of Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari has or those many professional athletes and celebrities have amassed.

OWENSBORO - Just when Garrard County was on the verge of its biggest softball win ever, victory slipped away. Garrard took a 4-0 lead in the second inning over No. 6 Allen County-Scottsville here today in the state tournament before the Patriots rallied to win 5-4. "We started strong, but even with the 4-0 lead we got tight," said Garrard coach Jeff Meadors. "We made some mental mistakes when they made their push at us. "I don't know if it is our youth or what, but our focus can wander at times.

Just when the good times were rolling at the University of Kentucky, the Kentucky athletics program has taken some big-time hits in the last week. Senior defensive end Jeremy Jarmon was suspended for his final season for taking a banned substance in an over-the-counter diet supplement he bought. The NCAA is investigating the Memphis basketball program for violations involving a suspect college entrance test score and $2,260 in free travel to road games for an associate of a player during the 2007-2008 season when John Calipari was the Memphis coach.