Congratulations to former Perry standout David Walker who was named to the all Arizona Community College 1st team. David had an outstanding year for Phoenix College helping them into the Juco playoffs starting Thursday, May 2nd.
Attention Incoming Freshman:Freshman baseball camp will be held June 3rd-14th at Perry High School on the varsity baseball field, from 8:30-11:00 Monday-Friday. You must sign up through Community Education. Only students enrolled at Perry will be allowed to Participate.
Pumas hold off Bears 3-2 in extra inning classic
April 5, 2013
In a classic pitcher's duel, seven innings was not enough to decide a winner in the 2013 Val Vista Rivalry game at Salt River Field. Senior Kade Bishop and Basha's Austin Casillas went toe-to-toe for six innings, each holding their opponent to a single run. But it was Bishop outlasted Casillas, as he pitched into the eighth inning - he kept the Bears off-balance all night, allowing only six hits and striking out four - and the Pumas won the contest 3-2.
Senior Nick Jenkins singled to begin the ninth inning. Senior Dusty Wright was able to move Jenkins into scoring position, and senior Eric Maxwell brought home the go-ahead run to give the Pumas the lead.
In the bottom of the ninth, junior Kyle Huckaby (who took the mound in the eighth) was looking to earn his first win of the season. Basha wouldn't go away quietly, and with two outs and runners on the corners, BHS outfielder Drew Shasteen threaded a ball just inside the first base line, scoring one run. The tying run, who was on first base, rounded third. Meanwhile, senior right fielder Dusty Wright fielded the ground ball and came up firing home. A perfect throw and perfect tag by junior Brady Weiss ended the contest and the Pumas improved their season record to 15-6 (6-5 in Power Points).
Sophomore Austin Bull had a busy day at the plate, collecting two extra-base hits. He doubled in the first inning and tripled in the ninth. The Pumas will begin a two-game series on April 11-12 with Desert Ridge; Thursday's action at PHS begins at 3:45, while Friday's first pitch at DRHS will be thrown at 7 p.m.
Pumas, Bears gearing up for show down at Salt River
April 2, 2013
It is a game that has been circled on the calendars of players from both Perry and Basha High Schools long before the first pitch was thrown in 2013. On April 4, the Pumas and Bears will face off once again at Salt River Field - spring training home of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies - in a vital Power Point game with playoff implications written all over it.
The Pumas are in recovery mode, having lost three of their last five contests. Things might be turning around, however, as their offense tallied 17 runs against Chandler on Monday. The Bears have also lost three of their past five, but one of those wins was a dramatic come-from-behind 5-4 win over the Pumas on Mar 21.
With both teams fighting for a spot in the post season, Thursday's prime time tilt is more than a rivalry game. First pitch is slated for 7 p.m., and if you cannot make it to Scottsdale you can catch the game live on Cox 7 and www.cox7.com.
All in the family: three players look to follow in their fathers' professional footsteps
March 10, 2013
By Gavin Maxwell
The Precedent
Traditions are rooted deep into American culture. Baseball has been America's favorite pastime for over a century and this tradition, in particular, runs deepest.
Some families hold this traditions closer than others, chasing down a spot in the big leagues, literally. At PHS, three of the players on the baseball team come from families with pro ball backgrounds. read more
Week 3 roundup: HB Classic and Mesquite series
Mar. 5, 2013
In one of their busiest stretches of the season, the Perry baseball team won five games six days, three of which were Power Point contests. Perry (7-2, 3-1) also won McClintock's Harold Bull Classic. The following is a game-by-game recap of the most recent games:
On Saturday, shortstop Austin Bull and PHS traveled to McClintock to take on the team his father coached for more than two decades. He and the Pumas took down the Chargers 8-2 after slamming McHS with five runs in the seventh inning.
Nick Jenkins racked up three RBIs on two hits for Perry; he singled in the sixth inning and doubled in the seventh inning.Tyler Watson shut down McHS while he was on the hill. McClintock managed just one hit off of Watson, who allowed no earned runs, walked two and struck out five during his five innings of work.
On Monday, the Pumas traveled to Mesquite for the first of a back-to-back series with the Wildcats.Watson racked up two RBIs on a fourth inning home run but it wasn't enough as MHS held off the Pumas, 3-2.
The two teams got back together the next day at PHS, and the Pumas bounced back to beat Mesquite 5-1. Brady Hettinger helped spark the Pumas, homering in the fifth inning and singled in the sixth inning.
Justin Schander worked out of four tricky spots for Pumas. He pitched seven innings and allowed no earned runs on five hits. Schander faced his toughest moment in the seventh inning when he held off a bases-loaded threat and endused the third double play of the day.
The Pumas are off until the Highland Triple Play Classic begins on Mar. 11.
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Offense explodes in 11-0 route
Feb. 23, 2013
The Pumas refused to relinquish the lead after grabbing it early against Skyline, recording an 11-0 victory on Saturday at McClintock's Harrold Bull Classic.
Six runs in the first three innings allowed the Pumas to put the game away early, ending the game in five innings.
An error and an RBI single by Brady Weiss in the first inning and a two-run double by Brady Hettinger and an RBI single by Kyle Huckaby during the second inning fueled Perry's offense early.
Weiss racked up two RBIs on three hits for PHS.
Tyler Watson, Craig Schoenberger and Carlos Diaz got it done on the hill on the way to a win. They combined for a Perry's second shut out of the season. Next up for the Pumas is a short road trip to Campo Verde on Thursday, then to East Mesa for Skyline again.
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'Business as usual' for Pumas
Feb. 16, 2013
By Gavin Maxwell, The Precedent
It is a new year and a new season for the Puma baseball team and a new phenomenon seems to be sweeping their roster.
With only a handful of seniors, the team is seeing a youth movement; and with some of last year’s key players graduating, such as Collin Braithwaite and Jaren Drummond, there are definitely slots to be filled.
Last year’s surprise freshman Senior Coach Shane Hilstrom explains that “at anytime during the year, we could have four-or-five sophomores on the field and then a couple of juniors.”
With a young team like this, it raises the question: how much collective experience they will bring to the field?
“We want to win right now, but obviously the experience they gain just helps us as they move through the program,” Hilstrom said. “As long as they’re here they’re playing the best of the best, so if they continue to do that the better they should get.” This early experience with other varsity teams will undoubtedly give the team an advantage as they move forward.
Austin Bull (now a sophomore) already has experience playing with the big dogs. Starting out at the 9th spot in the lineup, Bull managed to work his way up to the second slot by the end of the season, providing testimony to a younger player’s capacity for improvement.
Agreeing with Hilstrom, Bull stated that “Having experience as you’re younger just makes it easier as you get older and helps you progress faster.” With one year of varsity ball under his belt already, Austin will be a player to lookout for this season. He also expressed one of his personal goals as “to be a positive influence on my team through how I play, and to work hard at improving.”
Kade Bishop is the only player still on the roster who attended the state championship game in 2011, reassures that “Even though we are a young team, we’re all mature baseball players.” He also says explains that the teams seniors will lead by example this season.
Admittance to the state tournament is of course the ultimate goal for this years Puma baseball team. It will take steadfast hardwork and dedication, but the boys are more than willing to put it in. Hilstrom simply said “it’s business as usual.”
