Douglasville Bulls Win in Home Opener

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Douglasville Bulls Defeat the Atlanta Astros in Home Opener

By: Will Brooks

The Douglasville Bulls opened up the new Douglas County High School Athletic Complex with an impressive 8-4 victory over the Atlanta Astros on Monday night, June 21. The win moves the Bulls to 7-4 on the year and gives them a 1 1/2 game lead over the 2^nd place Atlanta Crackers in the Sunbelt League’s Western Division. After starting off the season with a ten game road trip, the Bulls were finally able to play the inaugural game in front of a packed house at Douglas County’s impressive new stadium. Before the game began, the Bulls recognized both the mayor of Douglasville Mickey Thompson and former Douglas County High School standout and major league pitcher Taylor Phillips as they threw out the first pitches of the game.



Following the pre-game ceremonies, the Douglasville Bulls took the field under the direction of fourth-year owner and manager Todd Pratt. Pratt called on Bull’s veteran and Georgia State Junior Will Campbell to start the game on the mound for the Bulls. Campbell gave the Bulls six solid innings, giving up four earned runs, all coming after two outs in the top half of the third inning. He also struck out five batters while improving his record to 2-0 on the year.



The Bulls bats came out strong from the start as they scored three runs in the first inning highlighted by an RBI single by four-year Bull’s first baseman Matt Johnson that drove in the first run in the new Bull’s home park. After losing the lead in the third inning, the Bulls bats went right back to work in the bottom of the third as Bull’s shortstop Andrew Anderson tied the game with a two out single to center that scored Johnson, who had led off the inning with a single of his own.



After the Bulls had scored another run thanks to an RBI single by second baseman and leadoff man Stuart Drew to take a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the fourth, the umpires detected lightning in the skies and the game was delayed for an hour and fifteen minutes before play resumed. The Bulls tacked on three more runs and relief pitchers Chas Skees and Mike Hudson combined for three scoreless innings of relief to complete the victory.



The Bulls will now continue their home-stand with seven more games at Douglas County High School starting with a game against the Signature Park Grizzlies at 7:05 pm on Wednesday, June 23. They will follow that game with a double header against the Home Plate Chukars on Thursday, June 24 that begins at 6:05 pm. The Bulls will conclude this week’s games on Saturday, June 26 as they take on the South Atlanta Phillies at 1:00pm.



Here is an updated look at the Sunbelt League Standings through Monday, June 21, 2010.



West
Douglasville Bulls 9-7
Atlanta Crackers 8-7
Home Plate Chukars 7-7



Central
Berkley Lake Tides 7-6
Windward Braves 5-8
Signature Park Grizzles 5-9



East
Rockdale A's 9-4
Atlanta Astros 9-7
South Atlanta Phillies 5-9