BY MIKE MONTFORT

Navarro's short, home-season-opening game became long on runs and hits.

Coach Matt Podjenski's Bulldogs played only seven innings Thursday at windswept Perry D. Graham Field, but they made every one of them count with runs  and relentlessly banged out 14 hits off four Weatherford pitchers during a 17-6 win.

Everyone in the Bulldog lineup inflicted major damage on a Coyote team that defeated Navarro 12-9 at San Jacinto's Tournament Of Champions four days ago.  Hits were recorded by everyone in the batting order, and runs were scored by eight. 

Five players -- shortstop Cash Rugely, second bseman Zac Vooletich, DH Tyler Dickey, left fielder Alex Vergara and rightfielder Logan letney -- delivered the biggest blows.  With two hits apeice, they combined to account for 12 runs, eight runs-batted-in, and six of the 10 bases-on-balls interspersed by Coyote pitching.

Navarro, hitting .337 during its first five games, now is averaging 12 runs per contest.

Weatherford, now 3-2, scored the game's first run Thursday, and the last four.  Leadoff-hitting centerfielder Kameron Weill doubled and scored on Brendon Dixon's sacrifice fly to centerefield for a short-lived lead.  WC, trailing 17-2 in the top of the seventh, got a two-out grand slam to rightfield by Jerron Honza. 

Otherwise, it was All-Bulldog in between.

Seth Foster, the second of three Navarro pitchers, got credit for the victory with three innings in relief of starter Daniel Kudelka.  Kudelka and Foster combined for six innings of four-hit ball with four strikeouts.

Navarro journeys Saturday to Weatherford where it will face Seward county CC, Ks., at 2:30 pm, and the host Coyotes at 6 pm in Roger Williams Ballpark. 

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