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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Sports
Friday, July 21, 2000
Midland pitcher blanks Pecos LLers
PECOS, July 21, 2000 -- Curveballs were again a problem for the Pecos
Little League All-Stars on Thursday in Shamrock, just as they were a week
earlier in San Angelo. But in that game, they were able to put the ball
in play enough to come away with a victory and the District 4 title. This time, Midland pitcher David Harp was able to shut the door
on any Pecos rallies, while his Northern teammates were the
ones to put the ball in play and capitalize on mistakes, as they defeated
Pecos by a 7-0 score in the Region I sectional semifinals.
The win moved Midland, the District 3 champions,
into Saturday's title game, while Pecos will play tonight to stay alive in
the double-elimination tournament against the winner of last
night's late game between Dumas and Levelland.
Harp allowed six hits in six innings; three by leadoff batter
Cody Hernandez. But he only walked one while striking out 12 Pecos batters
in the game. Meanwhile, Pecos pitcher Edward Valencia didn't have a
bad game, allowing seven hits on the night, but he walked four batters
and hit another, which helped Northern take a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning.
Valencia had walked Justin Whittenberg to open the game,
and Josh Groner then singled and wound up on third when the ball
went through Carlos Vela's legs for a two base error. Valencia survived
leadoff singles by Wes Shumskie and Brandon Williamson in the
second and retired six straight batters before Chris Garnto dropped a
Jordan Coulon pop up to open the fourth inning.
Shumskie followed with a double and Coulon scored on
Williamson's infield single. Pecos then missed a chance at a double play on a
Kyle Williams fielder's choice to third, as Garnto's throw got past Isaiah
Rayos at second base, and the failed to get an out on a Whittenberg grounder
to shortstop, allowing Shumskie to score.
A wild pitch scored Williamson and made it 5-0, and Northern
would get their final two runs on a bases loaded walk and a steal of home
by Zach Pitts, the lone time Midland was able to steal home in three
attempts Thursday.
Harp, meanwhile, struck out the side in the first to offset hits
by Hernandez and Eddie Vela, stranded Hernandez on second again in
the third inning after a one-out hit, and survived a two-out single by
Garnto and a walk to Jonathan Garcia in the fourth, before Northern's
five-run outburst.
Tonight's game will be a 7 p.m. start, as will Saturday's
championship game. If Pecos is able to win tonight and beat Midland Saturday,
the deciding game would take place Sunday afternoon, with the
winner advancing to the state tournament in Waco.
Nicklaus' British Open career may be over
By TIM DAHLBERG
AP Sports Writer
ST. ANDREWS, Scotland, July 21, 2000 — Moments after Jack Nicklaus stood
on the Swilken Bridge to bid a probable farewell to the British Open, Tiger
Woods promptly birdied two of his first four holes Friday in his bid for
a career Grand Slam. Woods, a shot off the lead after the first round, teed off in
perfect conditions at midafternoon, just after Nicklaus got cheers
and applause as he finished a 1-over 73 that will miss the cut on a
course where he won the Open twice.
"St. Andrews always has a special place in my heart," the
60-year-old Nicklaus said after stopping on the bridge on 18
to dof of major titles, wasted no time in following his opening 67 with
a strong start, making a 12-footer on the first hole to get to 6 under
for the tournament.
He added a tap-in birdie at the par-4 fourth hole after hitting an
iron shot to within a foot of the hole.
With a late tee time, Woods knew what most of his top
competitors had done on the sun-kissed day. The early players averaged
under par on the Old Course.
Four holes into his second round, he was a shot behind
Open newcomer Davi took off his hat and waved it to the crowd, then
motioned for his son to join him on the bridge.
Couples, winless in two years and not a factor in recent
major championships, made four birdies on the front side and appeared
headed for the early lead in the clubhouse until his ball landed in a
gaping greenside bunker on No. 16 and he made double bogey.
Van de Velde, meanwhile, shot a 68 and was 5 under heading into
the final two rounds as he sought to atone for the triple bogey on the
final hole at Carnoustie last year that cost him the Open.
With barely a hint of breeze, and sunshine that made it feel more
like Southern California than the edge of the North Sea, players
continued their assault at the home of golf, where even 112 deep bunkers
didn't disrupt scoring.
"The course was there for the taking," Couples said.
Before hitting a shot Thursday, Els knew he had a tough task ahead.
"You see Tiger 5 under and you haven't even started the round,
you know you got your work cut out," Els said.
Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, Publisher
Division of Buckner News Alliance, Inc.
324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 915-445-5475, FAX 915-445-4321
e-mail news@pecos.net
Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium.
Copyright 2000 by Pecos Enterprise
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