Vicksburg’s Price tosses two-hit gem in win over Ouachita|[03/16/07]

Published 12:00 am Friday, March 16, 2007

MONROE – Stanton Price gave the Vicksburg Gators an unusually strong start to the Ouachita Tournament on Thursday.

The standout junior pitcher tossed a two-hit shutout and the Gators defeated home-standing Ouachita Parish, 2-0.

&#8220That’s the first time since 2002 that we’ve won our first game here,” Creel said after the briskly played contest. The two teams had just five hits between them and each pitcher issued only two walks.

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Price said control was the key.

&#8220My velocity wasn’t as good, but all my pitches were working,” he said. &#8220I was able to hit my spots.”

OPHS (4-11) coach Brian Carter was impressed.

&#8220I thought he had good velocity and with him being left-handed, he threw really well. He controlled our running game because we couldn’t get people on,” Carter said.

The Lions’ first hit came on a leadoff single by Ryan Gebhardt in the third inning. Gebhardt was later erased by the first of two double plays turned by the Gators’ infield.

OPHS’ best chance to get on the board came in the fourth when two runners reached with one out. Price, though, coaxed No. 4 hitter Brent Cupit to foul out to catcher Tanner Woodson. He then ended the inning by striking out Kale Reynolds on a 3-2 slider.

&#8220All four of his pitches were working, but the slider was really sharp,” Creel said. &#8220He could locate and that just makes everything look better. We really needed a good outing from him because we’re using this tournament to prepare for next week.”

On Tuesday, the Gators travel to archrival Warren Central. Both teams are tied for second place in Division 3-5A behind Madison Central.

Vicksburg broke the scoreless tie in the fifth when Bowen Woodson led off with a single to right. He stole second and then went to third on Eric Coleman’s bunt. Coleman reached on an error when Copeland couldn’t field the bunt.

Tanner Woodson then brought Bowen Woodson home on a chopper to short. Coleman ran aggressively to third base but was thrown out.

In the sixth, Price drew a one-out walk. Courtesy runner Delmon Robinson took advantage of a two-base throwing error by the OPHS catcher to roll into third, and he then scored on Kurt Cooksey’s hard-hit fly ball to deep center to make it 2-0.

Price retired the side in sixth. The first Lion up in the seventh, reached on an infield error.

Bowen Woodson, however, came back and made the next play, starting a 5-4-3 double play to give Price two outs in the seventh.

&#8220He’s made good plays there all year. I wasn’t worried about the error. He came back and started the double-play on the next one,” Price said of Woodson.

&#8220We had a boo-boo there in the bottom of the seventh but I was glad they hit it right back to him because he made the next play,” Creel added.

Bowen Woodson also was the only player to have two hits in the game.

Vicksburg is scheduled to play Neville today at OPHS at 4:30. They have two games on Saturday at West Monroe against West Ouachita and West Monroe.