Bulldogs win opening playoff game 5-1; Lady netters in state semifinals By Bruce WhettenDouglas Dispatch Tuesday was a good day for DHS sports. The Douglas Bulldogs baseball team looked impressive in their 5-1 win over the Gila Ridge Hawks of Yuma. While that game was going on the Douglas Lady Bulldogs tennis team recorded its second straight shutout of the state playoffs beating Florence 5-0 to advance to the state semifinals Thursday in Phoenix. Second seeded Douglas will now face six seed Phoenix Country Day School Thursday at 4 p.m. in one state semifinal match while No. 1 seed Miami battles four seed Buckeye in the other. The two winners will meet Saturday at 5 for the state championship. In the Lady Bulldogs win Tuesday Kim Cormier won her singles match 6-2,6-2. Tanya Nunez was a 6-2, 6-4 winner; Argentina Morales a 6-0, 6-0 winner; Erika Romero a 7-5,6-0 winner and Marissa Aguirre a 6-0, 6-0 winner. Douglas’ coach Ken Cormier said this upcoming match with Phoenix Country Day School will be his teams most challenging opponent this season. “It’s going to take everyone’s best effort if we hope to beat them,” he said. At Copper King Stadium the Bulldogs were looking to get that first round monkey off their back after having lost in the first round of the playoffs the last three years in a row; 2008 was the last time the Bulldogs got past the first round only to lose to Catalina in the second. Christian Dorame’s two run home run in the fourth Tuesday gave Douglas a 4-1 lead. Xavier Altamirano pitched a complete game giving up one run off three hits while fanning nine and walking two. After allowing Gila Ridge to load the bases in the top of the seventh Altamirano struck out the next batter to end the game. The Bulldogs now begin a new double elimination format of the state playoffs. Douglas will face Liberty Thursday at 4 at Surprise Stadium in Surprise. Should the Bulldogs win Thursday they will play at 6:30 p.m. Saturday against the winner of No.1 Sunrise Mountain vs. No. 8 Sunnyslope. Should the Dogs lose Thursday they will play the loser of that same game at 7. The state championship game is scheduled for 7 p.m. May 15 at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. |