Douglas wins tourney opener

SPARKS - Five pitches into the game, Douglas' Luke Rippee showed Reed just what kind of day it was going to be.

Rippee homered on a 3-1 fastball from Jeremy Merlino, and also added a double and single to lead the Tigers to an easy 14-2 win in the opening round of the Joe DiMaggio State Tournament Wednesday at Reed High School.

The win moves the Tigers, who improved to 21-7, into a winner's bracket game today at 2 p.m. at Wooster High against the winner of the Sierra Spartans-Fallon game.

"I'd probably have to say it was my best game," said Rippee, who has spent most of the summer splitting time between the football, basketball and baseball teams. "I was just looking to hit the ball hard somewhere.

"I like hitting leadoff because you get more at-bats. Coach Walling (Rocky) was talking to me and telling me to be as patient as possible. I hit leadoff when I was younger, but I didn't like it much."

Tigers coach John Glover minced no words about the importance of the quick start, which led to a three-run first inning.

"It gets guys going," Glover said. "They get excited about the game. I think it's the first one this summer.

"Even the out Luke made he hit the ball hard in the right centerfield gap. He needs to do that; get our offense going like that."

After Rippee's homer, Jimmy Pierce singled and moved to second when Reed shortstop Ryan Hill dropped Chris Honer's line drive. Brandon Huff singled, scoring Pierce and sending Honer to second. A wild pitch moved runners to second and third, and Bryan Miller completed the first-inning barrage with a sacrifice fly to center.

The Tigers pounded Merlino for three more runs in the second, increasing their lead to 6-0.

Jake Stratten singled, moved to third on Rippee's liner up the middle and scored on Pierce's single. Rippee scored on Honer's infield out, and Huff singled home Pierce to make it 6-0.

The six runs was more than enough cushion for right-hander Chad Walling, who allowed single runs in the third and fifth innings.

Walling didn't have his usual good curveball, but he spotted his fastball and changeup well.

"He kept the ball down and threw a lot of strikes," Glover said. "He didn't have his best breaking ball, but he got through it."

Douglas exploded for eight runs in its last at-bat, sending 14 batters to the plate.

Bryan Miller drove in two runs with a fielder's choice and infield single. Rippee, Pierce, Huff, Kyle Luken, Walling and Stratten also drove in runs for the Tigers.

Pierce, Huff and Stratten also had three hits apiece to spark the Tigers' 16-hit attack. Luken finished with two hits.