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 CPRD Girls Make Return
Date To State
For seven members of the Commerce Parks and Recreation Department
14-under softball team, a trip to the state tournament is nothing
new.
Last year, the 12-under girls' softball team from Commerce went
to Lumpkin County as the district champions and returned with
the state trophy.
A year older and an age group higher, the Commerce 14-under team
claimed the District 7 title Saturday by beating Lumpkin County
10-7 in the finals.
Commerce made quick work of its district foes, winning all three
of the games it played.
Commerce opened with a 13-1 win over Union County in its first
game. Opening with a 4-1 lead after two innings, Commerce scored
nine runs in the next three to end the game by the run rule.
Lumpkin County made a late run at Commerce in the winner's bracket
final with two runs in the seventh. But Commerce's offense had
plated four runs in the first two innings, while the defense
shutout Lumpkin for six innings.
Commerce served as a good host for the next few games, not participating
while the loser's bracket was finalized.
Lumpkin County downed Dawson County to win the loser's bracket
final and set up a rematch.
Commerce appeared ready to run away with the finals win, scoring
eight runs in the first two innings, taking an 8-2 lead.
However, Lumpkin County scored five runs in the top of the sixth
to cut the lead to 9-7. Commerce added one run in the bottom
of the sixth to pad the lead.
The local all-stars would not need it, though. Lumpkin had runners
at first and second with the tying run at the plate in the top
of the seventh. But the Commerce defense responded one last time
to end the game.
Brittany Whitfield led Commerce with a .667 batting average over
the three games. Stephanie Rainwater was one of the three batters
to best .600 at the plate with a .636 mark. Jena Fields and Lauren
Mize also had hot bats with averages of .625 and .600, respectively.
Leftfielder Lauren Lance and shortstop Ashley Evans were the
defensive stars of the tournament., making several plays in the
field to stop opponents' rallies.
Commerce advances to the state GRPA tournament July 13 in Adel
at the Cook County Recreation Department fields.
The CPRD hosted the boys' 16-under baseball tournament last year
and the this year's girls softball.
Before last year, the recreation department had not hosted a
tournament in at least the past seven years, according to CPRD
program director Ricky Woodruff.
 District tourneys up
and running
The Banks County Recreation Department
all-stars will continue play in their district tournaments this
week.
The 9-10 girls' softball all-stars will open their tournament
Thursday against Union County at the Dawson County fields. That
tournament is scheduled to end July 11.
The 11-12 girls' softball team will also open against Union County
in Blairsville onThursday at 6 p.m. That tournament championship
is set for July 10.
The 9-10 boys' baseball tournament will begin its district this
Wednesday at 6 p.m. against Lumpkin County #2.
The title game is scheduled for July 8.
Banks County's 11-12 boys' baseball all-stars will begin Thursday
at 8 p.m. against Rabun County in Dawsonville. The tournament
is set to end by July 13.
This week's tournaments will wrap up district for the BCRD all-stars
this season.
  Jackson County drops first district tourney
The Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department all star teams
endured a pair of losses in their first district tournament appearance
of the season. The 13-14 boys' baseball team coached by Darren
Glenn was eliminated from their district competition 15-5 by
Barrow County, after losing to eventual tournament winner Forsyth
County 11-1 in their first game.
The remainder of Jackson County teams will participate in district
tournaments this week.
Jackson County features a pair of teams in both the 9-10 and
11-12 boys' tournaments. With only four teams in each tournament,
chances are good that Jackson County teams will qualify for the
finals, which begin Saturday at 2 p.m.
Both the 9-10 and 11-12 girls' softball teams begin district
play Saturday at 10 a.m. in Madison County. Both teams will face
Barrow County in the opening round. Finals are set for Monday,
beginning at 6 p.m.
District tournament champions advance to the state level. State
tournaments are scheduled for July 19-22 in Dublin (9-10 boys),
Lee County (9-10 girls), Thomson (11-12 boys) and Glenn County
(11-12 girls).
Ryan Crane back
in action this weekend
Jefferson teenager Ryan Crane will join his racing counterparts
Saturday at Montgomery Motor Speedway in Montgomery, Ala., for
the eighth stop on the 2000 NASCAR Slim Jim All Pro Series.
After seven of 17 races, Crane is 13th in the series' overall
standings, and third in the race for rookie of the year.
"I think we still have a good shot at rookie of the year.
And if we have a good run, we can pull inside the top 10 [in
series points]."
Slim Jim drivers have taken two weeks off since their last appearance,
at Kentucky Speedway in Cincinnati, Ohio. Crane picked up his
best finish of the year in that event, crossing the line seventh
after running second with less than 10 laps remaining.
Saturday's event will mark Crane's first race at Montgomery,
but the 17-year-old picked up some valuable practice time on
the half-mile facility last week.
"It's a pretty fast track," Crane said. "The Southern
All Stars ran there a few weeks ago, and turned in some pretty
fast laps. We've never raced there before, but we went last Wednesday
and did some testing, so we've got a good idea about the track.
We're really looking forward to it. Goodyear has a new tire out
that we tested, and we'll debut that tire at Montgomery."
Crane is one of only three drivers on the tour who sport Goodyear
tires.
 Raiders tie with Marist
to end summer season
In the last week of play, the Madison County Red Raider Summer
League team continued their winning ways with a victory against
Stephens County, 6 - 5.
The 2000 Raiders finished summer league play with a record of
17-8-3.
Chad Youngblood, Adam Nash, Eric Power and Kurt Cooper contributed
two hits. Jonathan Pou, Joseph Hardigree, Andy Coile and Stephen
Seagraves had a hit apiece. Nash was the winning pitcher.
The Raiders traveled to Augusta this past weekend. The Raiders
were hot once again against Woodward Academy. Power, Coile and
Nash each had two hits, with Youngblood, Seagraves, Hardigree
and Cody Threlkeld each adding a hit. After eight innings of
play, the Raiders were defeated 7 - 6. Threlkeld took the loss.
On Saturday, July 1, the Raiders went up against a very powerful
Parkview squad. The Raiders pushed only two runs across the plate
and were defeated 11 - 2. Pou had two hits, Coile, Power and
Hardigree each added a hit.
In the second game on Saturday night, the Raiders defeated Glynn
Academy of Brunswick 6-5. Pou, Coile, Nash and Threlkeld scored
two hits and Youngblood and Seagraves each had one.
Chad Youngblood picked up the win.
In the fourth and final game of the tournament on Sunday morning,
the Raiders tied with Marist 4 -4.
After four innings, with the Raiders behind 4 - 0, Madison County's
bats heated up to score four runs to tie the game.
In the sixth inning, after strong defensive play, the Raiders
were able to hold Marist with bases loaded and only one out.
Youngblood and Nash each smashed two hits and Pou, Power, Hardigree
and Seagraves each had a hit. Nash picked up the win.
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