The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page 20

Monday SEPTEMBER tO, 1990 THE TENNESSEAN 7C Nashville keeps up battle to bitter end "I was proud of the way we battled JJIU-ILJHIM Jl WW, I ryg WPWWWWWM IJMII III jj IWIMPWM W- 55 tonight, said reliever cnarue Mitcn-ell, who was rushed to the mound in the first inning when starter Rodney Imes gave up five runs. "When we came back to tie the game at 6-6 in the sixth inning, I thought we'd win it We didn't, but we didn't quit" Nashville's struggle to get back in the game was noted in the winning clubhouse, too. "I knew that when It was 6-0 and we were up that they were going to come back," first baseman Russ Mormansaid. "I just didn't think that they'd get that many runs that fast" Nashville Manager Pete Macka-nin refused to make excuses even though losing pitcher Milton Hill had LARRY TAFT Spurts Writer It was a game of offense, explo sions, momentum change and disappointment Most of all, however, the season-ending game for the 1990 Nashville Sounds epitomized their baseball season. For when the final out was made in their 8-7 loss last night, the Sounds were still battling, just as they had throughout the game, just as they had since dropping three consecutive games to open the season.

"This has really been an incredible year," said Keith Lockhart, whose sixth-inning grand slam tied the game 6-6. "We lost tonight, but we battled back. And that's what we've had to do all year. We trailed Buffalo so long. We fought back and stayed with them and never said die.

That's one thing I'll always remember about the guys on this team." Memories are all the Sounds, since they were beaten by the Omaha Royals in Game 5 of the American Association best-of-f ive championship series. The club's ability to come from behind in desperate situations came to the fore throughout the final month of the season as the Sounds had to fight to overtake Buf flao in the American Associaion East, then had to fight to get a tie on the last day of the season and finally had to endure an 1 8-inning playoff game in Buffalo for the Eastern Division title. been to the mound seven times in nine days. "You can look at it two ways," Mackanin said. "You could say he'd worked a lot of innines and didn't have his best stuff, but if you do that it takes away from what umana aia.

"You could say that a pitcher is supposed to win, even when he doesn't have his best stuff. Either way, we lost the game and I'm disap i mi i in i I. i i- riimm-t-nrir pointed." With the club having begun its sea iii- I ll II II 1 1 in hi ift JllHi i i I iillVliMil lull inl.itiRTf- awi.Vil IIMiiil Mill .1 -mwUk llrtlTnt Wlif WH son AdiII 6. most players are ready for a vacation. Two players won't be taking a break just yet however, immediately after the eame.

second baseman Billy Bates and left-hander Chris Hammond were called up to the major leagues by the parent Cincinnati Reds. Eme It? If it does, then vote for your school! 1-Sepi. BiSteber Staff Nashville pitcher Charlie Mitchell, who prepped at Overton High School, lingers in the dugout after the Sounds lost to Omaha last night. Sounds run out of time 1st Prize: $500 and a trophy 2nd Prize: $250 and a trophy 3rd Prize: $100 and a trophy The undaunted Royals came back fTT 'Prizes will be awarded to the winning schools' student council. with two runs In the top of the seventh orhpn Paul 7nvpllfl sineled with one out and Morman hit a Milton Hill A fastball over the left-field wail ror his second home run.

That gave the Royals an 8-6 lead. "I guess I've just run out of gas," said HilL oitchina for the seventh OFFICIAL RULES time in nine days. "I feel badly. I let the club down when it needed me the most but I did the best I could." Nachville tattled back in the bot tom of the seventh, picking up a run School Spirit, co The Tennessean, 1 100 Broadway. Nashville, TN 37203.

Ballots may be delivered to the Front Counter of The Tennessean 8:15 am. 4:45 p.m.). and ballots may be deposited in official Tennessean ballot boxes at some schools. All ballots must be received before 4:45 p.m. on Monday, October 1, 1990.

Frizes will be presented by Tennessean staffers and members of the Y-107 Zoo Crew. All secondary schools in The Tennessean's reoriership area are eligible. Contest begins Sept. 1 and continues through Sept. 30.

Official ballots will publish daily. Facsimile or photo copies not accepted. Ballots will be tabulated on a percentage basis, comparing the number of votes to the size of the 1990-91 student enrollment. First second and third-prizes will be awarded to high schools in enrollment classes AAA, AA and A. Mail ballots to: Sensational on Adam Casiiias' KM tnpie ana slicing the lead to 8-7.

But Casiiias was left stranded at third when Denny Gonzalez hit a deep fly to left field, and neither team scored again in the game. Nashville, in fact was retired in order the final two innings by Jay Bailer, who gave up just one hit in 2 Innings. Encarnacion got the victory while That led to a quick exit by Imes as Sounds manager Pete Mackanin turned to Charlie Mitchell, who had hurled seven shutout innings in Tuesday's 18-inning victory at Buffalo. And while he could not duplicate his performance of Tuesday night he was outstanding, allowing one run while scattering four hits over 5 innings. "It was pretty much the same feeling as in Buffalo, but the pressure didn't seem as much because we were behind, and we weren't in extra innings." said Mitchell, a Nashville Overton product.

"But I knew that I had to keep them from scoring, keep us close and hope we could get some runs." Nashville came back to tie the score, however, with the most explosive rally of the year. Billy Bates reached on a one-out drag bunt to first and Skeeter Barnes followed with a home run to cut the deficit to 6-2. That sent starter Darryl Smith to the clubhouse early only to have his replacement Gene Walter, walk the first two batters he faced on eight pitches. Luis Encarnacion came in and walked pinch-hitter Jerome Nelson to load the bases. But after Chris Jones popped out for the second out of the inning, Keith Lockhart delivered one of the biggest hits of the season, ripping a 1-0 pitch over the right-field wall for a grand-slam home run that tied the gameat6-all.

"You never want to get shut out or lose the last game of a championship series like we were getting beat" Lockhart said. "I wasn't thinking home run; I was just praying to get a hit to keep the rally going." SPONSORED BY: Hill suffered tne loss. Tm sure that rm going to remember this loss more than any other came this season." said Nash ville Manager Pete Mackanin. "We Tte TENNESSEAN came here to win it all, and we didn't I thought we could have. "TVp or three overriding thoughts about this series.

In the first game, we gave up an unearneu ruu nnri if In the third came, the 20-inning game, we gave them an un earned run inai cost us a game we should have won because we left so mnnv nennle on base. SENSATIONAL SCHOOL SPIRIT ballot form "And then tonight after we came i i i back on them to ne tne score tin me sixth inningl we let them taxe me momentum back awav from us in the seventh. That was the most im-nortnnt limine of the same, and we i Name of School. I I County let almost everything we had gained with the rally sup away rrom AAA AA A 1. Maplewood 1.

Goodpasture 1. Nashville Christian 2. Hendersonville 2. Battle Ground Academy 2. Ezelle-Hardinj 3.

Smyrna 3. White House 3. Franklin Road 4. Whites Creek 4. Page Academy 5.

Lavergne S. York Institute 4. ML King 6. Stratford 6. Smith County 5.

Friendship Christian 7. Hunters Lane 7. Hume-Fogg 6. JoByms 8. Ann'och 8.

Fairview 7. St Cecilia 9. Hillwood g. Hickman County 8. HuntUnd 10.

Pearl-Cohn 9. Columbia Academy 11. Beech 10. Comersville 12. Warren County 11.

Moore County 13. ML Juliet 12. Donelson Christian 14. Gallatin 13. East Robertson 15.

Hillsboro 14. Bedford Community 16. Coffee Co. 15. McEwenHigh 17.

Franklin High 18. Overton 19. Oakland It's vour choice School Enrollment Classification (Check One) AAA AA A MAIL BALLOT TO: Sensational School Spirit, The Tennessean Promotion 1 100 Broadway. Nashville. TN 37203 You can spend the rest of your life wishing yog tad hah or spenu wiui uair, yuui uwu iuui uu, HAIR TRANSPLANT tne cure tor rcuaness.

FINANCING AVAILABLE 2605 Elm Hill Pike 871-9182 i.