Apr 24, 2008

The Ava High School Bears are sitting on a 10-1 season record, and only have to get past Thayer on May 2 to protect an undefeated conference season. Although Coach Rex Sawyer remains cautious, his Bears are in line to win their fourth straight SCA title. The Thayer game is one of several that had to be rescheduled this spring because of all the rain. That game will be played next Friday at 4:30, and will be Senior Night. The Bears traveled to Salem last Thursday and defeated the Tigers in South Central Association action, 9-1, behind a strong pitching effort of Jonathan Batcheller, who got the win, along with Weston Loftin and Trae Shelton, who pitched the seventh inning. The Bears defeated Cabool 8-1 in SCA play on Monday, and defeated Mansfield 7-6 in non-conference play Tuesday. Ava was the visitor in that game although it was played on the Ava diamond. Batcheller started for Ava at Salem and was relieved in the third by Loftin. Batcheller helped his own cause offensively, with a two-run homer in the sixth. Batcheller was 3-for-4 on the day with a double, a home run, and four runs batted in. Brandon Stanifer was 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored; and Trey Hathcock was 2-for 3 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Adam Heriford had a double, two RBIs and two runs scored, and Loftin was 1-for-3 with a double. Heriford started for the Bears at Cabool on Monday and got the win as the Bears held a 5-0 lead in the fourth inning. Cabool scored its only run in the bottom of the fourth. Loftin was 3-for-4 at the plate with a double and two RBIs. Stanifer was 1-for-3 with two runs batted in. Heriford was 1-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. Ava went into the seventh inning trailing Mansfield 6-4 on Tuesday but battled back for the 7-6 win. Coach Sawyer said his team showed a lot of character in battling back late in the game. Heriford belted a three-run home run in the second inning to put the Bears up 3-1 after two. Ava added another run in the third on a solo home run by Batcheller, but Mansfield would answer with three runs in the bottom of the fifth and two more in the sixth to take a 6-4 lead. But the Bears rallied for three in the top of the seventh inning, then held Mansfield scoreless in the bottom of the inning for the win. Heriford had three RBIs on the day. Batcheller was 3-for-4 with a home run and a double, drove in one run and scored twice. Matt Ritter was 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Stanifer was 1-for-3 with a double. The Bears are scheduled to travel to Seymour today (Thursday), play Hollister here on Friday, Forsyth here on Monday, travel to Hartville on Tuesday, April 29, and play Thayer in the rescheduled game on May 2. The Bears will play in the Ash Grove Tournament May 3-6, and will begin district tournament action on May 10. This schedule could be changed because of rain.