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| Wallace pounds Jeff Davis in conference opener | 2007-03-31 |
| For 7 1/3 innings, Wallace pitcher Dave Mason was in complete command. In the Govs conference opener against the Jeff Davis Warhawks, Mason hadn’t given up a hit. That was about the only drama in this one-sided affair. | |
 With one out in the top of the seventh, Mason gave up a single to Ryan Gray. The suspense was over, but the Govs got the most important thing—a win. Gray was quickly erased on a double play and the Govs easily won the game 9-1.“I knew I threw him the wrong pitch,� Mason said of his pitch to Gray. “I threw him a change-up and that was what he was looking for. I should have thrown him a fastball.� As for whether or not he knew he had a no-hitter going, Mason said, “Oh yea. It’s hard not to know. I just tried to block it out of my mind as much as I could.� Mason was in complete control of the game. He only threw 67 pitches in the contest, getting out of three innings by throwing eight pitches or less. He struck out one and walked two in the contest. “It was one of those days when I didn’t feel I had anything special,� he said. “I threw the ball and they just couldn’t hit it. Mainly, it was my defense that did all the work.� Mason got all the run support he needed in the first inning. With two outs, Michael Precise stroked a single to center field and promptly stole second base. Ernesto Gonzales then connected for an RBI single to center, and Andrew Starr followed with an RBI double. That gave Wallace a 2-0 lead and they never looked back. “That’s the easy way to get things done,� Wallace coach Mackey Sasser said. “You jump on top early and that takes all the pressure off everybody. Then a solid pitching performance really makes for a good day.� The Govs added two more runs in the third inning, three runs in the fourth, and a run each in the seventh and eighth innings. Most of the damage was done by the first five hitters in the batting order. Precise led the way, going 4-for-4 with two RBIs. Gonzales was 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Andrew Starr was 3-for-5 with two doubles and three RBIs. Jon Eaves was 2-for-5 with a double, while Cody Shields was 2-for-3 with a walk and was hit by a pitch. The only RBI that didn’t come from the first five in the order came from Brett Chamberlain who hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning. The Warhawks didn’t score until the ninth inning. Their one run was unearned, as it came as the result of an error off reliever Andrew Hockenbury. Wallace is now 13-3 in the Southern Division, 21-12 overall. The conference series against Jeff Davis will conclude Saturday with a double-header beginning at noon on the Wallace campus. • It was an especially good day for Wallace pitcher Dave Mason. Not only did he come close to a no-hitter, but his father, Dr. Larry Mason of Decatur, TN was present to witness the event. • Former Wallace pitcher Tyler Starling was in attendance at the game. Starling has aspirations of becoming a coach in the future. • Three Wallace pitchers combined for a good day on the mound. Mason, John Travis and Andrew Hockenbury did not allow an earned run in nine innings of work. • Cody Shields father says he refuses to take any credit for Cody’s new haircut. In his words, “If he wants to look like a 6’4� chicken, that’s his business.� Special thanks to Brett Birdsong for game notes, who was also warming up to pitch in the game. Nathaniel Frazier is Sports Information Director for Wallace baseball and covers the Govs for the Dothan Eagle. He can be reached at NFrazier@DothanEagle.com . | |
| © Wallace Community College |
