Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1977-1989 | View Entire Issue (April 20, 1983)
Peterson feels pitching key to success By Doug Vaughan Of The Print April showers have brought less- beautiful things than May flowers to the Clackamas Community Col lège baseball program as the rainy season has caused the Cougars to get off to a slow start, losing six of their first 11 games. “We are just starting to get in shape. With all the rain-outs it is hard to keep everything up,” Coach Gene Peterson said. The rain is gone for the moment and just in time for the Cougar club to heat up their quest for a Regional tourna ment berth. To qualify the Cougs, Treasure Valley Com munity College of Ontario, Oregon, and North Idaho of Cour d’Alene will play a total of 12 games throughout the season, and the two teams with the best records will advance to the tournament. Peterson has not seen enough of either team to make a prediction of the Cougars’ chances for a playoff spot. To be a success this year Peterson is looking for con sistency in his pitching staff. So far he feels they have had bright spots along with bad moments. ‘.‘We are improved over last year. We did not have very much pitching last year,” Peter son said. “This year we have had some pretty good freshman come in, so we’ve got some depth (in our staff).” The ace of the starting rotation is Eric Bower, who has only allowed six runs in three appearances. Bower is follow ed by Jeff Sheer and Jim Altr- inger, both considered “hard throwers” by Peterson. Safe or out? A Cougar pitcher covers home plate after a wild pitch in a recent game against Lewis and Clark. Photo by Duane Hiersche Bower is also the leading hitter for the Cougars hitting .416 early in the season. The main source of power for the Cougs comes from outfielder Clay Baggerly,' who’s .450 average and two home runs in the Yakima Community Col lege Invitational earned him a spot on the all-tournament team. Inconsistency has also plagued the Cougars. “We need to be a little more ag gressive. We have to pop that ball when we have guys on Buckley eyes Regionals base. We haven’t been doing that. You are not going to win if you can’t hit the ball with guys on base,” Peterson said. Peterson said that most of the games this year have been determined by a couple of runs. With the Cougs’ base running style and more consis Clackamas is coming, off a tent play from his team, Peter 16-18 record from last year, son is looking to put more and are trying to build a name marks in the win column. for themselves. One area that The most recent road trip Peterson feels will help them for the Cougars was not so pro win some games is their speed ductive as they came back .with on the bases. three losses in a three game “We run quite a bit-we weekend at North Idaho. Even are quick,” Peterson said. thopgh they lost all three “When we run well it only games, Peterson was still im helps us. It allows us to steal pressed with his team’s perfor mance. and hit and run a lot more.” “We played quite well. I don’t know how we could have played better those two games,” Peterson said. The two games the coach referred to were the first and Men win 8-0 over “top comp” By Rob Conner Of The Print “It was a good one for us,” said Dave Buckley, men’s ten nis coach, of his team’s im pressive 8-0 win over North Idaho College of Couer d’Alene last Sunday. number one seed. I don’t see how they (the other coaches) could stop it, because we must go by common opponents,” the coach added. Number one Cougar John Storm won straight sets of 7-6 and 6-4. “He won but he can play better,” Buckley said. “It gave us an. idea of In the thriller of the day, where we stand,” Buckley said. Sophomore Byron Sullivan The day before North Idaho fought back from a 4-1 deficit won a tournament which in in the third set to win the match cluded Mt. Hood, Blue Moun .6-4, 5-7, ana 6-4. “Byron was tain, and Skagit Valley. By battling allergies all day and it determining common op was good that he was able to ponents, Buckley feels the come from behind like he did,” Cougars will be in good shape Buckley said. for theRegionals. Oregon City’s own Tom “John (Storm) and Tom Hercamp started the day slow, (Hercamp) should be number dropping his first set 3-6 but one seeds because they each finishing strong at 6-4 and 6-2. Fourth and fifth men Bob beat guys who won in the tour nament on Saturday,” Buckley Martin and Steve Gorman each stated. “We have a good collected straight set victories chance at getting everyone in a 6-1 and 6-1. “Martin and Gor Wednesday April 20, 1983 man played well, but not great,” Buckley stated. In doubles action Storm and Sullivan played their “usual” first set, losing 4-6 but rallied to win in an impressive fashion with 6-1 and 6-2. “That’s the way they should play all the time,” Buckley said, pointing to the two set scores on the stat sheet. Clackamas’ second doubles team of Mike Wofford and Bob Martin posted straight sets"victory at 6-3 and 6-3. “He (Wofford) is a big asset to our team. He doesn’t play singles and people don’t realize what he means to us,” Buckley said. “I was happy with the way we played, but we can even play better,” Buckley said. “I’m looking forward to the Regionals,” the coach added with a grin. third games, which they lost 3-0 and 7-6, respectively. The second game was a 11-3 triumph for North Idaho. “We got a couple bad calls the first game and were only beat 3-0,” Peterson said. “The third game we went into the ninth (inning) with a 6-1 lead and had two double play balls bounce over our infielders’ heads.” The Cougs received ex cellent performances from Chris Mayfield and Tony Meuller as each contributed heavily to the Cougar scoring rallies as well as putting in strong defensive efforts. The team will continue play today at the College in a seven inning game against' Lewis and Clark. FREE 10 Speed Bicycle Specials on Bicycles & Accessories at the TRADE FAIR Oregon City High School Auditorium April 23 & 24 I ALAN’S BICYCLE STORE I 1007 Seventh St., Oregon City, 655-4112 .. ........................................................................................................................■■■■■............ niiiiiint Page 7
