Bats

bobp@herald-mail.com These have been the times of Kyle Gross' life. Over the last year, they have been of the trying, rough and bad variety. On Thursday, the Hagerstown Suns' right-handed starter finally received a new shipment of minutes. "I had a good time," Gross said after his four-inning start in the nightcap of the Suns doubleheader with Greensboro. It was close to a prime time for Gross, who flashed his best performance in two seasons in Hagerstown with a starting stint that led to a 4-3 victory over the Bats and salvage a doubleheader split.

koelble@herald-mail.com The welcome mat was rolled out for Kevin Alexander on Sunday and he made the most of his return to the lineup as the catalyst to a 5-3 Hagerstown Suns' victory over Lake County. Out for two months following a freakish hand injury suffered in pre-game drills, Alexander led a 12-hit attack as the Suns (12-9, South Atlantic League second half) opened a four-game series against the Captains (13-9, second half) and their ace lefty, Kevin Ramsey. Alexander singled to ignite a two-run third inning, stole second and scored on a single by Kevin Kelly, who eventually crossed the plate on a single by Brian Munhall.

koelble@herald-mail.com WILLIAMSPORT - Dougie Sims stands 4-foot-5 and weighs 73 pounds, plays left field and bats ninth for East Frederick. It isn't difficult to pick out the "short straw" on the team of 11- and 12-year-olds. Hitless in four previous at-bats, Sims smashed a grand slam in the top of the sixth inning that propelled East Frederick past Hughesville 16-12 in the losers' bracket final of the Maryland Little League Tournament on Wednesday. East Frederick, which watched Hughesville take a 12-8 lead with an eight-run fifth inning, moves into the championship bracket against South Caroline tonight at 6, hoping to avenge a 3-2 loss in the opening round.

The Hagerstown Community College softball team took first place away from the Catonsville Cardinals on Tuesday, sweeping them 9-1 and 6-3 in a Maryland JuCo Conference doubleheader. The first game was stopped after five innings because of the eight-run rule. HCC (24-4, 14-2) now has a two-game lead over Catonsville (17-3, 11-3) in the conference standings. If HCC wins both games of today's doubleheader at Prince George's, it will clinch the regular-season title in the conference.

The Hagerstown PONY 'A' All-Stars were one out away from clinching the section title Sunday against Chambersburg American. Now, they're one more day away. Zach Boone's pinch-hit, two-out, three-run homer in the top of the seventh inning gave Chambersburg new tournament life as it beat Hagerstown 8-7 to force a final game today at 7 p.m. at Funkhouser Park. Hagerstown led 7-5 as Chambersburg came up to bat in the top of the seventh. Kyle Patterson and Andrew Reed both drew one-out walks before Boone was sent to the plate as a pinch hitter with two outs.

How quickly a game can turn on one swing of a bat. Struggling to muster offense in a tied game, Federal's Aaron Dopson gave his team a much-needed boost when he crushed a two-run home run in the third inning against Maugansville on Thursday at Federal Little League. Federal went on to win 18-5 in five innings in the Maryland District 1 9-10 All-Star Tournament losers' bracket. "That home run was a spark that got this team going," said Federal manager Charlie Wood. "It really got the bats started.

By RICHARD F. BELISLE Staff Writer WAYNESBORO, Pa. - "Witches Brew," a play starring third graders at Summitview Elementary School, has been dropped by the teachers who were putting it on because a school parent doesn't think it is appropriate, Schools Superintendent Robert Mesaros said Friday. Mesaros and James Hasson, acting principal of Summitview, said the teachers were not ordered to cancel the play. The teachers decided to drop the play on their own "because they didn't want a side show," Hasson said.

Hancock remained in the hunt for Maryland District 1 9-10 Tournament crown as it ousted National 12-4 in the opening round of losers' bracket play Monday evening. Hancock will host Conococheague on Tuesday night at 6 in the second round of the losers' bracket. Playing as the home team, Hancock was in a 3-0 hole after the top of the first inning but chipped away, grabbing a 4-3 lead in the third inning and never relinquishing it. “This is definitely a better feeling than on Saturday (a 13-2 loss to Federal)

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. -- Jefferson High School's baseball coach and friends of Andrew Michael Rotruck were still in shock Wednesday over the news that the 18-year-old former player had been killed Tuesday in a two-car accident south of Cumberland, Md. Rotruck, of Charles Town, was killed about 3:10 p.m. when the 1992 Ford Escort he was driving north on U.S. 220 went off the road and struck a guardrail, according to Sgt. T. Gregory of the Maryland State...

Nick Evans is finding success by realizing the rules of personal physics. Opposites don't necessarily attract, but they don't have to detract either. The Hagerstown Suns first baseman has enjoyed an upswing in his season since he began feeling at ease with two totally opposite emotions. Being aggressive and being selective. Taking up yoga would be a little easier. "I spent a lot of time getting myself out," Evans said. "I was swinging at bad pitches and taking myself out of my at-bats.