remain unbeaten in Area

By STEVEN G. WATSON

Sports Editor

The Charles Henderson baseball team reached a milestone Monday with their 6-0 shutout of Eufaula, but the Trojans aren’t quite satisfied yet.

Notching their seventh win in a row that kept them unbeaten in the month of April, CHHS improved to 23-8 on the year. That win total tied all-time record at the school for most wins in a single season set by the 1985 Trojans.

"That record was set by coach Hogan 15 years ago so it’s very significant," CHHS head coach Steve Garrett said. "We’ve got a lot of guys contributing right now. I have a ‘good’ problem right now and that’s who to play where and when to play them."

The win over EHS was a one-hit shutout by junior starter Kevin Stephens.

Stephens went all seven innings striking out seven and taking advantage of some spotless defense by the rest of the Trojans to pick up the win.

"Stephens did an outstanding job on the mound," Garrett said. "I was going to bring in a lefty to get the last six outs, but he said he wanted to go and I let him. He did the job."

The Trojans brought the lumber to go with the defense as well. They hit for five extra-base hits including two triples and a couple of round-trippers by Jared Kelly – something Garrett was proud to see, but not surprised about.

"We have known from the first time we saw Jared swing a bat that he has a beautiful swing," he said. "It’s just all about confidence and in the last few games he’s gained some. And if you bring that ball where he likes it, he’ll hit it a long way."

Kelly had a two-run jobber in the second to put CHHS up 3-0 and also had a solo shot in the fourth to lead off the inning putting them up 6-0.

The senior went 2-for-3 with three RBI’s while Will Jones also had two hits with a double. B.J. Gralheer and Clint Pugh both had triples and Scott Stetson and Jason Barron accounted for the rest of the Trojan hits.

Now the showdown has been set.

CHHS will face off against Carroll this Thursday at 5 p.m. at "Hogan’s Hole" on Frazier Field. The Trojans have only lost one game on the CHHS campus all season long and won the previous meeting with the Eagles 10-9 in an ninth-inning heart stopper at Carroll.

A Trojan victory will clinch the Area 4 Title. A Carroll win forces a tiebreakers to be played on Friday.