JetHawks can't hide from Ports

By DAVE RASBACH
Valley Press Staff Writer

LANCASTER - Just over 3,000 fans broke away from school or work to watch Monday afternoon's game between Lancaster and Stockton in The Hangar's first-ever "Hide From Your Boss Day."

After their 7-3 loss, the JetHawks might want to find a place to hide from Lancaster manager Rick Burleson.

For the second consecutive game, the JetHawks (7-11) seemed a little lifeless, and just when they were getting back in the game, they had the carpet ripped out from under them.

Lancaster trailed 5-0 after Stockton scored two runs in the top of the fourth inning.

But the JetHawks tried to claw back into the game in the bottom half of the inning. Jayson Bass drew a leadoff walk and stole second and third base. Mike Burrows also walked, before teaming with Bass to produce Lancaster's first run of the game.

Burrows stole second, and Ports catcher Chris Walther bounced his throw to shortstop Doug Bearden on the play. The error allowed Bass to score.

Matt Sachse and Joel Ramirez also walked to load the bases, before Anton French laced a two-out single to center field. The hit drove in Burrows and Sachse, while Ramirez tried to get to third on the play. But an excellent throw by Greg Schaub beat Ramirez to third base on a disputed call that ended the inning.

"I was standing up and saw him make (the call)," Ramirez said. "It kind of killed the rally."

It also seemed to kill Lancaster's offensive momentum. The JetHawks managed only two hits and didn't advance anybody past first base the rest of the game.

Reliever Russ Koehler kept Lancaster in the game by pitching 3 1/3 shutout innings. He allowed only one hit and struck out two.

"We were still in the game (after the fourth)," Burleson said. "Koehler did a nice job of keeping us in it."

But once Koehler left, Stockton managed to tack on two insurance runs in the eighth. After getting the first out of the inning, Brian Fitzgerald surrendered four consecutive singles. Ramon Vazquez and Ramirez turned a nice double play to hold the Ports to only two runs.

"We couldn't get anybody out in the eighth," Burleson said. "That's when I think we had a big letdown."

Jason Bond (1-1) had his least productive outing of the season. He struggled out of the gate, allowing Stockton three runs on two hits, a walk and a two-base error by Sachse in the first inning.

"Too many things were going through my head," Bond said. "I think I had a lack of focus, and that led to my problems in the first."

Bond recovered with a scoreless second and third, but Stockton got to him for two runs in the fourth, much to the dismay of the crowd, which was enjoying a beautiful afternoon at The Hangar.

Among those in attendance for the first-ever weekday afternoon home game in JetHawks' history were approximately 65 members of the Lancaster West Rotary Club, which held its weekly meeting at the game, and 500 students from Desert Christian High School.

"I always wanted to break away and make it to an afternoon game when I was younger," said G. Simi, president of the Rotary Club. "Now I've got my chance."

The Desert Christian students had to earn their way to the game. They were allowed to either sell a box of candy to earn their ticket or participate in a project to make Easter baskets for the Children's Center of Lancaster, make a small donation and buy their tickets at a reduced price.

In all, approximately 300 students from the middle school and 200 from the high school were expected to make the trip.