May 1, 2008

After taking a 10-1 whooping from the undefeated Forsyth Panthers here on Monday, the Ava Bears traveled to Hartville on Tuesday and beat the Eagles, 14-2. The win boosts the Bears’ record to 13-2 on the year. Last Friday the Bears defeated Hollister on the home field, 10-1. The Bears are scheduled to play Thayer here Friday afternoon in a conference game that was rained out back on April 10. The game will also be Senior Night, with the senior ball players to be recognized in a pre-game ceremony beginning about 4:15. Game time is 4:30. The Bears will play in the Ash Grove Tournament beginning Saturday, and will begin district play on May 10 at Marshfield. Jonathan Batcheller pitched for Ava in the Hollister game last Friday, allowing only two hits. Batcheller helped his own cause with a solo home run in the fifth inning, going 3-for-3 on the day with a double, two RBIs and three runs scored. Weston Loftin was 3-for-4 at the plate with two RBIs and two runs scored, and Adam Heriford was 1-for-1 with a double and two runs scored. Catcher Brandon Stanifer and first baseman Nathan Goodall each had an RBI in the contest. Loftin pitched for the Bears on Monday against Forsyth, and was relieved by Shelton in the sixth inning. Forsyth limited the Bears to just three hits, and Ava’s only run came in the first inning. Having hits for Ava were Matt Ritter, Trey Hathcock and Lee Tyra. Loftin had the Bears’ only RBI, driving Heriford home. Forsyth improved its record to 18-0 with the win over Ava. Batcheller and Stanifer made up the Ava battery at Hartville on Tuesday and allowed just three hits on the day. The Bears had the hot bat, blasting four home runs on the day. Ava scored 11 runs in the first inning, including a 3-run homer by Ritter. Goodall and Batcheller had solo shots in the second and third, respectively, and Heriford had a solo home run in the fifth to complete Ava’s scoring. Hartville scored one run in the bottom of the first inning and added one more in the third. Batcheller had a four RBI day with two runs scored. Ritter had three RBIs with a run scored and Heriford was 2-for-3 with three runs scored and three RBIs. Goodall and Loftin had two RBIs each on the day.