Big Hits Sweep Tigers Past St. J-E

PRESCOTT - Coach Snedigar's game plan of zeroing in on the bats early in the season was certainly in play last Saturday as Zach Bartlow broke his bat in half while slapping a single to right field in the bottom of the sixth inning in game one of the Tigers' doubleheader against the St. John Eagles.

The Tigers rode that momentum all the way through these non-league match ups to defeat St. John-Endicott 7-5 and 18-0.

The Tigers were up 6-5 in the bottom of the sixth when Justin Zuger's single, combined with his stealthy base stealing, took him around the diamond to score the final run and take the first game.

Bartlow took to the mound for the second game, working into his rhythm, but he came around in the second inning, striking out two Eagles and sending the Tigers to the plate.

Lead- off batter David Brock took one for the team, sending him to first followed by two batters walking, loading the bases for Guillermo Hernandez's sacrifice RBI, followed by Bartlow's double that scored two, and the Tigers ended the second inning up 5-0.

The Eagles started off the third with one runner on and no outs, but Bartlow's strike out and double play, turned by Dalton Estes, ended St. John's hopes of scoring, and the Tigers were at the plate once again.

Matt Hamilton started the third with a single to right field. Working their way through the line up, the Tigers loaded the bases and Bartlow drove them all home with a Grand Slam to right field (that bat lived to see another day). The Tigers racked up eight runs in the fourth to take a 13-0 lead.

In the top of the fourth the Eagles were once again in scoring position, with two outs and runners on second and third but were sent to the dug out with another Bartlow strike out.

The Tigers added five more runs in the fourth with Estes and Tre Brannock each knocking out doubles, sending runners in and Hamilton's RBI to right field.

With the threat of the fifth inning, 10-run rule, the Eagles were in desperate need of lighting the score board but were denied by the Tiger defense with three up, three down. The Tigers swept the doubleheader 18-0.

If the Tigers combine their air attack and aggressive base running with their power of the bullpen in their match up against the Asotin Panthers Saturday,

March 26, it could definitely be worth the round trip.

Give yourselves plenty of travel time to make it to Asotin by 11 a.m. as the battle of the cats begins.