Andy Frost rains blows on his opponent Saturday.

Among those fighters were two Brookings residents, Ray Mazyck and Andy Frost who were willing to risk it all for a shot at fame and glory.

Most of the time when service men and women from the United States Armed Forces are honored by non-military organizations they are given trinkets and baubles that are nice, but maybe not all that practical.

The Oregon Ducks don’t believe in trinkets and baubles, and they don’t believe in just giving away things to those who fight for our country; no, they demand trade and give the shirts off their backs – well, at least jerseys off the backs of the football players.

A.J. Briganti demonstrates home run form for the crowd during Friday night’s 4-3 victory over Douglas. The Pilot/Jef Hatch

Whether the booming sound was the crack of the ball hitting bat or breaking the sound barrier as it traveled beyond the centerfield wall is unclear, but what was clear was A.J. Briganti’s second-game, first-inning home run, brought the crowd – and the team – to their feet. 

“It’s the first home run of my high-school career,” Briganti said.  “It was awesome.”

Briganti’s home run couldn’t have come at a better time for the Bruins. After losing the first game 1-12 in five innings, the long shot infused the Brookings-Harbor High School varsity baseball team with some winning lifeblood in what could have been a truly dark night.

“She showed up ready to race Tuesday,” BHHS throwing coach Terry Axel said. “Shaylin Curtis had a great day.”

Curtis’ 5:40.90 first-place finish in the 1,500-meter run wasn’t the only result rolling off Axel’s tongue after the Bruins traveled to Douglas High School for Tuesday’s track meet. 

“Samantha Hage had an almost four foot PR,” he added, “that’s huge.”

“No bats again,” Head Coach Steve Bonde said following doubleheader loses to the Trojans of Douglas. “Weak all the way around. Defense wasn’t good, pitching wasn’t good, nothing was good.”

The Bruins were scoreless in the first game as the Trojans had 10 runs by the end of the fourth inning. They scored one to keep their hopes of winning alive, but were unable to add to the total in the 1-10 loss.

The Bruins struck out nine times in the first game, and the Bruin pitching staff – split between Courtney Kay and Jessica Yock – was only able to record one strikeout total.

Rick Elkins of Redding, Calif. (left) and Tom Schwoob of Brookings hold two of the three springers they caught on the Rogue River on Tuesday. The Pilot/Larry Ellis

Fishing report for 

April 20-26

This coming Tuesday, May 1, saltwater anglers south of Humbug Mountain are going to get a chance to see if last year’s shallow-water Pacific halibut haunts will be kicking out the same 50-, 60- and 70-pound flatties that were commonly caught close to the Port of Brookings Harbor in 2011.

Megan Strain lays down a bunt during Tuesday’s loss against South Umpqua. The Bruins started the game with hot bats but they quickly cooled. The Pilot/Jef Hatch

After beginning the game with a three-run inning, followed by a two-run stint, the BHHS softball team saw an ebb in the power stroke of its bats and a surge in those of the South Umpqua Lady Lancers as they lost 6-10 in seven innings.

Courtney Kay pitched the first three innings, giving up six earned runs, while a seventh crossed the plate on an error. Kay struck out 6 Lancer batters and only walked one, but got pulled between the third and fourth innings.

The Brookings-Harbor High School JV baseball team defeated South Umpqua in six innings with a score of 14-4. 

In a game described by JV Head Coach Keith Wallin as “much closer than the score indicated,” the Bruins rode a fifth inning hit streak to a dominating victory.

The late afternoon sun causes Kayla Webre to squint while she catches the ball for an out during Friday’s doubleheader action. The Pilot/Jef Hatch

The sun may have been shining on the softball diamond on Friday afternoon, but it didn’t mean things were dry after a long-lasting rain storm soaked the fields at Brookings-Harbor High School and turned the grass into a marsh.

The Lady Bruins didn’t let the mud slow them down though as they claimed a 10-5 victory in game one of doubleheader action at home.

The Bruins followed the lead of freshman pitcher Courtney Kay as she pitched her way to victory with four strikeouts and only two walks.