Broken Arrow Ledger 4/3/07 By: Doug Quinn - Tiger baseballers win twice; push record to 15-4

Tiger baseballers win twice; push record to 15-4
By:Doug Quinn
04/03/2007

OWASSO - What Broken Arrow High School's big sticks
didn't do Saturday, the Tigers made happen at the
Nike/Pro Nine Classic.

BAHS's 3-4-5 hole hitters were a combined 6-for-9 with
five RBIs Tuesday as the Tigers run-ruled Claremore in
the opening game of the round robin at Stigall Field.

On Saturday, those big guns were silenced in a critical
ninth inning situation in a 7-6, extra inning loss to
Edmond Memorial.

In a 6-6 game, BAHS had the bases loaded with no outs
and the 3-4-5 batters coming to the plate.

The Tigers' Andy Wilkins, Adam Johnston and Nathan Pettus
were retired in order and Edmond Memorial won the game in
the bottom of the ninth.

On Tuesday, Claremore bore the brunt with Tiger coach
Shannon Dobson serving the first of a two-game suspension.

Dobson sat out Tuesday afternoon's games with South Broward
from Hollywood, Fla., after arguing with the umpires following the
loss to Edmond Memorial.

Even without Dobson, the Tigers beat the Floridians, 8-4, on the
strength four homers.

With Wilkins going 3-for-3 with a homer in the 3-hole, the Tigers (14-4) took care of business early
against Claremore.

Pettus, in the 5-hole, had an RBI single in a four-run first inning.

Johnston, dropped to the 7-hole in the batting order, responded by going 3-for-3, which featured an
RBI double to cap the Tigers' first inning.

"Not just those guys," said BAHS assistant Jimmy Ashley, who handled the on-field duties, "but
everybody came focused and ready to play."

The 11-hit barrage backed the three-hit pitching of senior Kevin LeMoine, who covered the five
innings with five strikeouts and one walk.

"Kevin really settled down and did a nice job after we got them those four runs," Ashley said.

Burgess' second homer of the season was a monster blast over the left-field scoreboard after John
Swyden walked and Wilkins doubled.

Johnston, the designated hitter, delivered a two-out double to score Pettus, who had singled.

The Tigers continued their assault on Zebra starter Hunter Hines with an RBI single by Burgess in
the second, a run-scoring double by Derek Williams in the third and Wilkins' team-leading sixth
homer in the fourth.

"We did a good job of keeping that focus after the first inning," Ashley said. "It's tough to maintain
that intensity level when you get an early lead like that."

Tigers 8, South Broward, Fla. 4

Derek Edmisten may have gotten out of BAHS coach
Shannon Dobson's dog house.

The senior right-hander, only a year and three days
removed from Tommy John surgery, allowed the Bulldogs
seven hits over six innings.

Edmisten gave up four runs, only one earn because of four
BAHS errors, and pushed his record to 2-1.

Played at Tiger Field, South Broward is playing three
spring break games this week in the Tulsa area.

The game was not part of the tournament in Owasso.

But, Edmisten was stinging from rocky start last Friday night
when he gave up four first-inning runs to Joplin, Mo.,
and didn't get out of the second inning.

"After the talking to I got from coach Dobson, I have to prove
myself all over again," Edmisten said.

He passed the test with flying colors with two strikeouts
and one walk.

BAHS supported Edmisten with eight hits off South Broward starter and loser Mike Liddell.

Four of those hits against Liddell were homers by John Swyden, Spencer Barnett, Andy Wilkins and
Nathan Pettus.

Barnett's first homer of the season was a two-run job in the second inning that staked BAHS to a 3-1
lead.

Edmisten gave up just one extra base-hit, a double to Anthony Coletti in the sixth.

"I was able to keep the ball down," Edmisten said. "Plus, I was hitting my spots."

Game Notes

* BAHS plays Blanchard Wednesday at 3 p.m., Sand Springs Thursday at 8 p.m. and Union Friday at
8 p.m. at Owasso.

* Seven different Tigers had hits against Claremore.

* Kevin LeMoine got his first victory and had pitched only 3 1/3 innings previously.

* Claremore's lone run was unearned in the third inning.

* In the fifth inning, BAHS's Spencer Barnett and Claremore third baseman Alex Coplon collided on
the base path between second and third. Barnett reached third base but Coplon left the game.

* Against South Broward, Barnett was 3-for-3 while eight different Tigers had hits.

* Crawford Haskell relieved South Broward starter Mike Liddell and pitched five shutout innings on
two hits.

Nike/Pro Line Classic

At Owasso

BROKEN ARROW 9, CLAREMORE 1

Claremore         001 00 - 1 3 2

Broken Arrow    412 11 - 9 11 3

Hines and Grauer; LeMoine and Burgess.
W - LeMoine (1-0). L - Hines.
HR - BA: Burgess (2), Wilkins (6).

BROKEN ARROW 8, SOUTH BROWARD, Fla. 4 (Non-Tournament Game)

South Broward    011   002   0 - 4 7 1
Broken Arrow      125   000   X - 8 10 4

Liddel, Haskell (3) and Corrivegu; Edmisten and Rymel.
W - Edmisten (2-1). L - Liddel.
HRs - BA: Swyden (3), Barnett (1), Wilkins (7), Pettus (3).

©Neighbor Newspapers 2007