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Timbers drop another league game
By CHRIS WEST
Untimely errors and base
running mistakes doomed
the Shelton Timbers once
again in a 16-7 South Divi-
sion loss to Capital on Mon-
day evening.
With just one division
game to be played, the Tim-
bers' chances of qualifying for
Thomas Gettle pitches
in relief against Capital
on Monday evening.
the Junior Legion Divisional
Tournament in late July are
in serious jeopardy. The club
is now 6-7 in league play af-
ter winning five of its first six
games to begin the season.
"We had a chance today,
but we just needed to make
the routine plays. The errors
seem to be constant and it is
not being mentally prepared.
Outfielders are taking some
bad routes and we are bob-
bling balls for whatever rea-
son. You give a team four or
five outs an inning, they are
going to beat you," Timbers
coach Don Daniels said.
Capital jumped out to an
early 2-0 lead in the first in-
ning after a wild pitch from
Shelton's Curtis Wuestner
allowed a run to score. Capi-
tal never trailed in the game
and scored in every frame as
Wuestner's first start on the
mound quickly turned into a
rocky one.
"We didn't" have much
pitching left after the week-
end. We played five games in
four days and had to go with
Curtis for the start," Daniels
said.
Playing with an injury-
depleted roster of nine, Shel-
ton did show some life early
on. Michael Tratnick's double
in the second inning scored
Zack Crow to get the Timbers
on the board. The Timbers
added more runs in the sixth
inning with a two-run rally.
See Timbers on page C-2
Journal photo by Chris West
NASCAR
brings in
big money
At 5 a.m. last Saturday the sun
started to rise over the eastern hori-
zon and Infmeon Raceway was buzzing
with an estimated 800 workers. After
driving all Friday night, we rolled into
the media parking lot to get credentials
for the Toyota/Save Mart 350 Sprint
Cup Series race. They didn't open un-
til 6 a.m., but watching the track come
alive was amazing. I sat and soaked in
the ballet that's called "race weekend"
until the gates opened.
Our hotel was about 30 minutes
from the track in Windsor, California.
After a quick breakfast at the Blue
Moon in Sonoma with my two travel
mates Nathan and
Angela Hickson
and I attempted to
check in. Of course
the rooms were not
ready as it was 10
a.m., so we rested
by the pool. By early
afternoon we had
freshened up for a
wine tasting in the
DAN Sonoma Valley vine-
MANCUSO yards. Those who
know us can only
guess how much
wine we purchased. Then there was
dinner at a great restaurant and off
to the local Irish pub followed by late-
night pizza. Outside of the $150 in gas,
12 meals and countless bottles of wine
plus our room rent, those of you who
opposed a South Kitsap/North Mason
County NASCAR track might just see
some economic benefits to the cash-
strapped bureaucracy. Yes, that was
day one, and we were just three of the
100,000 who came that weekend.
On to Sunday, race day. No vine-
yards and posh sipping, but at a NAS-
CAR track, beer and cash are king. You
know how much you spent at the last
Mariners game. Think small potatoes.
Those of you who complain about the
sheriffs slow response time may be
feeling a little sheepish now.
Sunday started out as glorious as
Saturday, except this was the excite-
ment we came for. We woke up early,
all jittery; that "let's get this going"
type of feeling. The locals at the Blue
Moon gave us some fantastic logistics
tips. Forget what your mom said about
talking to strangers. Traffic in was
smooth. Compared to other tracks like
Michigan, which are painful, this was
a work of art. Shuttles took you from
parking right up to the grandstands.
As a seasoned NASCAR veteran, I
spied the media center and tracked
down Diana and asked for access in
case Northwest natives Greg Biffle or
Kasey Kahne would happen to win. I
never really thought it would happen.
As a Juan Pablo Montoya fan, I was ex-
pecting him to take the checkered flag.
Outside of attending two Formula
One United States Grand Prix events
in Indianapolis, I'm a novice in road
courses. But the track guide was a
great tool. The tunnels were clearly
marked and accessible. My only com-
plaint - a 30-minute hunt walking
from Turn 9 to Turn 7 looking for an
ATM, only to get back and finding the
cash spot right behind us the whole
time. I really can't blame that one on
the track. Our position on the hill was
See NASCAR on page C-4
Tyler Dunnington
stares down an
" opposing pitcher
E
Timbers' Tyler Dunnington is
developing all the right tools
By CHRIS WEST
Growing up with two older brothers who loved the
game of baseball had its perks for Tyler Dunnington.
The youngest of three separated by just a year in
age, he had plenty of backyard tutorials and power-
ful swings to mimic.
"It was a constant rivalry," Dunnington said. "We
used to have a baseball diamond on the side of the
house. We would always try to strike each other out
and get hits off one another. They tm!ght me funda-
mentals."
ata recent game. He is now using those skills to help lead a young
Shelton Timbers Legion baseball squad.
With only four seniors on the Timbers' roster, it's
been a trying season for Shelton after a successful
2008 campaign.
The Timbers compiled a record of 36-21 and ad-
vanced to the Junior Legion State Tournament last
season. On Monday, the Timbers dropped their fifth
straight league game and are 14-18 on the 2009
campaign.
"The chemistry is a lot different this year. That
team last year had been playing together since Lit-
tle League. This year we have a really young group,"
Dunnington said.
Dunnington has taken over a leadership role
this year. He plays shortstop and pitches when his
coach Don Daniels needs his arm on the mound.
His older brother Jacob - a standout for the Tim-
bers the last few seasons - is now playing with the
Shockers Baseball Club in Edmonds. Jordan, the
oldest Dunnington, was also a top player for Shelton.
"I coached all three of them. They are all different
players. Jake is more the diehard baseball guy --
he loves to talk about the game." Daniels said. "For
whatever reason, Jordan and Jacob had that fiery
attitude and Tyler just doesn't have that, which is
not a bad thing."
See Student on page Co3
J0ilmal photo by Chris West
i i i i i iiii i i i i i i ii i i i i i irl i/ i i i i i i
Living the outdoorsman's dream
MASON
COUNTY
OUTDOORS
By KELLY
RIORDAN
Sitting in front of my computer
and typing away I usually find my-
self daydreaming about fishin' or
huntin' or both at the same time.
Many times my thoughts head
north, to Alaska. Dreaming of a
trip to that outdoorsman's paradise
is almost every hunter or fisher's
top destination, but for one Mason
County resident it recently became
a reality.
Working mere feet from Reid
Myers for more than a decade we
often talk about a trip to the Great
North, and just a month ago he in-
formed me that he was going. Sheer
envy came over me as I tried to talk
my way into him taking me, but to
no avail.
Last week he was-gone, up to
the town of Homer, Alaska, for the
fishin' and sightseeing trip of a life-
time. This was not his first trip; in
fact this was trip number six. For a
week Reid would fish, sightsee and
work, yes work.
See Dream on page C-4
Photo courtesy of Reid Myers
Halibut and king salmon were at the top of the fishing list
for Reid Myers on his recnt Alaska vacation. |
Thursday, July 2, 2009 - Shelton-Mason County Journal 4Page C-1