July 1, 2006

Pilots top Summit in extra innings

Cotts, Halverson, Killeen clutch in tourney victory

Staff reports

At Redmond, Jake Halverson’s single up the middle brought home the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning as the Ashland Pilots rallied to beat Summit in American Legion A baseball action Friday night.

Summit took a 4-3 lead into the eighth, but Ashland fought back thanks to two clutch hits by Halverson and Sheldon Cotts. Tyler Killeen reached base when he was hit by a pitch and eventually scored on Cotts’ drive to left.

The nonleague victory snaps the Pilots’ three-game losing streak.

Killeen started on the mound and struck out seven in six innings of work before being pulled in favor of Gus Gaviglio, who was credited with the win to improve to a team-best 4-1.

Ashland head coach Don Senestraro said Killeen, who entered the game 1-2 with a 6.34 ERA, pitched his best game of the season.

“He pitched good enough to win,” Senestraro said. “He was in command of the game.”

Ashland, which improved to 6-7, faces both Clackamas and West Albany on Saturday and an opponent to be determined on Sunday.

Big Al’s

Registration’s are now being accepted for the 31st annual Big Al’s Tennis Tournament, to be held July 14-16. The entry deadline is July 7.

The tournament, billed as one of the largest outdoor events in the Pacific Northwest, includes 26 divisions and limits players to one singles and one doubles event.

Entrants must be available to play from 7 a.m. on July 14 to 5 p.m. on July 16.

USTA members can register online at www.pnw.usta.com by using the tournament identification number: 600102206. Registrations can also be accepted by e-mail (bigalstennis@yahoo.com) or by filling out a registration form which can be found at Ashalnd Racket Club, Rogue Valley Swim and Tennis or Southern Oregon Tennis Club.

Proceeds from Big Al’s go to Supporters of Tennis for Ashland Youth, the Southern Oregon University tennis team and the Ashland Parks and Recreation Department.