The Jackson Sun from Jackson, Tennessee • 21

I I PAGE 1C Special coverage of West Tennessee's return to minor-Ieaguo baseball 3jM yj. i ii in i- run. 1 rin ilrn MmiiiinYm 1, vt i.T?T":'" i Victory caps I I fl Pi f7 1 I A ll Ml Yti ffiW A gut wrenching 1 -1 I I I i sssw 1 1 II I A must reflect that the mmmmm 111 heavens smiled upon Jackson. Severe weather cleared out a a fiSSSSa. Hit batsman in ninth inning sends Jaxx to 54 victory baseball stadium's inaugural game.

i The minor-leagues had arrived, and it was baseball at V. its best Tied after eight innings, the Jaxx won, 5-4, in the bottom of the ninth when Terry Joseph was hit by a I pitch with the bases loaded. I Most of the sellout crowd -I braved cool temperatures in the 50s, stayed all three hours and four minutes to see the I i end and were I surprised by iff a fireworks display after 1 -h -J the game. i nightfor. I I beginning with a major i nan wet spot at 'V- onn, shortstop that MORRIS workers took -Sr more than an 'vV l-ru hour to repair.

But the game p1 started on time, and the field 't looked great. Introductions of persons 'Xlf mainly responsible for the "Ov Double-A park's construction began at 6:22 p.m. Then the I. Kv ViAfVV politicians had their moment. liL 'Jt yv The weather kept the vVjA 2 governor away, but Vl '''TJ 1 congressmen Ed Bryant and i I John Tanner made it.

A 'J i ribbon cutting near the 1 pitcher's mound was led by -'-7 Jackson Mayor Charles Farmer. 4 i The ceremonial first pitch s' was next. Jaxx president TP 4. David Hersh had kept the "pitcher" a secret. Nine special t' X' i guests were introduced, but Farmer got the call.

He deserved it. Without his persistence since 1990, there I would be no stadium or team. I Farmer, a lefty, stood in I I i front of the mound and vrnfsw -mi i delivered a pitch to Jaxx 1 player Kyle Farnsworth. It was high and wide left from the mound, but the 6-foot-4 I Farnsworth made the catch. 1 I "This looks even better than I I dreamed about," Farmer 'f' i said.

"It's more beautiful than 1 aS I any ballpark I've ever seen." 1 I Few in the crowd would A 1 v-'V r'' argue, especially on the i- i minor-league level. The 'tW I- $8-miUionparkisajeweland I 1 1 will only get better with time. ,1 Sure, there were a few i I wrinkles. The players had to ''yZr'H I stand way too long on the fJtlTf I K- field during introductions. The i ftZZ' 1 1 numbers under hits and r7 1 errors on the new scoreboard Ij 'i i did not light up.

And the lines J'l for the main concession stand li I behind home plate often kept -T5 JV fans waiting an hour for food. II "'-Jr' v. I "But the window at the main Jv souvenir store withstood its jUlf r- 1 -'t 2 first foul ball, and the fans got 'A Vk" 1 the stadium's first wave H-Tr i started in the third inning, 'V x'TSC. tT moving from right field to left L- 1 I field -X. Bo Porter It was fun.

It was exciting. It was a night to remembe tTrtli "'ffi'" fo. L. iU. f- hekenta -1 "My 10b is to make this a ,1 5rl? wrTrr v-7 ninth-inning learning experience ana wTTVw imnmvpnn it Hprsh said 5l rally alive with i unprove on it, Hersn saia.

x.wx Wl a base hit. "We're talking about a day helen coMErvrhe Jackson sun where we dodged tornadoes, "isSJnsL patien. Team wins home ooener mmx 4 4 i with us while we learn with a I Who: Jacksonville at Diamond Jaxx. A I new park, well reach a BY ROSS W. REILY with the bases loaded to drive When: Today, 7:05 p.m.

Pnngles Park first polished finish. This is a work The Jackson Sun in Ramon Valette in the bot- wj Starters: The pitchers for tonight will be Brian McNichol for of 2C in process, but it has a chance Plunk! tom of the ninth as the Jaxx the Jaxx and David Melendez for the Suns. Mystery Fan sinks teeth I to be a masterpiece." completed a 5-4 come-from- McNichol (1-1, 1.80 ERA) comes into the game having won Considering all the wnat a beautarul sound to behind victory over the Suns. his last outing against the Mobile BayBears, 1 2-6. Fan snags memorable adversity, Thursday's opener diamond Jaxx fans and out- Melendez enters the game with a 0-0 record and a 1 .80 ERA souvenir, 2C was a masterpiece one of newer erry Joseph in front of Taking the pitch is some- I in one start.

He has thrown five innings, allowing six hits and Thief hits Diamond Jaxx hundreds more to come. a standing-room-only crowd of thing Joseph is used to. The one earned run while walking one and striking out five. clubhouse, 11 Dan Morris is The Sun's E5 iame at left fielder from Harvey, Banner watch: The National Anthem will be performed by Jaxx feel right at sports editor. He can be Pnngles Park Thursday.

has taken five balls for the "'J Holly Gaines of Jackson. home, 11 reached at 425-9636 or Joseph took a 1-1 pitch in team and his so to speak MCMiChoi F'eld of Dreams team: Players from the f3cdgers of Lexington Game report, 11C 1-800-269-0488. the left shoulder from Jack- Mt in turned out to (Tenn Wl11 be introduced with the Jaxx's starters before the Fans face long sonville reliever Willis Roberts Please see JAXX, 11C 9Radio: WNWS-FM 101.5 and WWEZ-FM 97.5. 12C.