Published: April 30, 2008 11:47 pm            

Still rolling: Navarro makes it 46 regular season wins, topping Hill 5-1

The Navarro Bulldogs have now won nine of their last 10 games with another victory Wednesday at Graham Field.

Navarro’s hurlers came one inning from combining for a no-hitter, but still came away with a 5-1 win over Hill College.

After Travis Dirk, Brain Shore and Jeff Asby made it though the first eight innings without allowing a Rebels hit, Hill put an end to the shutout in the ninth against Michael Medrano.

“Getting the no-hitter would have been fun,” coach Whoa Dill said. “But (Medrano) hung in there, only gave up a run and we still got the win.”

Dirk’s five hitless-innings and four strikeouts earned him his third win of the season.

With the Bulldogs’ shortstop Brock Holt still out of the lineup with a shoulder injury, Zach Grichor has stepped in.

Moving from third base, Grichor put on a high-light defensive performance, assisting in two double-plays against the Rebels.

“He was unbelievable,” Dill said. “We are very lucky to have two great shortstops here that play in the left side of the infield.”

Grichor was recently signed as a shortstop by the University of South Alabama.

After a scoreless first inning, it was Jaron Shepherd who got it started for the Bulldogs in the bottom of the second, driving in Caleb Marx with a single to left field.

Justin Howard provided another run in the third with an RBI-single to score Grichor from second base.

After a Kyle Livingstone single allowed Howard to reach third base, Ross Hubbard brought Howard across home plate on a sacrifice fly to center field.

Ahead 3-0, Navarro (46-8, 25-3 Region XIV) piled on two additional runs in the sixth inning.

The first run came on a squeeze, scoring Mark Mayfield from third on a sacrifice bunt by Grichor.

The final Bulldogs’ run of the afternoon came with the bases loaded and two outs, as Hubbard drove the ball to right field, scoring Shepherd. Howard tried to make it a three-run inning, trailing Shepherd, but was unable to get under the tag at home plate.

The first hit of the day for Hill came on a lead-off double by Mike Sadler. Darwin Lucero followed Sadler with a hit of his own.

It was finally Trey Horn that ended Navarro’s chance for a shut-out, driving in Sadler with an RBI-single.

Navarro will play its final game of the season Saturday against Tyler Junior College in Tyler.



Navarro 5, Hill 1

Hill 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 — 1 2 2

Navarro 0 1 2 0 0 2 0 0 x — 5 10 1



WP: Travis Dirk (3-0)

LP: Jeff Sciba

Leading hitters: N: Jaron Shepherd 2-4 R, RBI, SB; Caleb Marx 1-3 R; Ross Hubbard 2-2 BB, 2RBI; Kyle Livingstone 2-3 2BB, SB; Justin Howard 1-3 SB, BB, R, RBI; Zach Grichor 2-3 BB, R, RBI. H: Mike Sadler 1-4 2B, R; Trey Horn 1-1 RBI.

Records: Navarro 46-8, 25-3 Region XIV

        

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