MOUNTAINEER BASEBALL

Story by Aric Thomas
(02-24-08)

Eastern’s Takes Two of Three from 10th Ranked Cowley

The Eastern Oklahoma State College baseball team (9-3) ranked 22nd by the NJCAA and 34th by Perfect Game took two of three games this past weekend from 10th ranked Cowley County Community College.  On Saturday, the Mountaineers won 8-7 and on Sunday Eastern won game one 2-1 and then lost game two 12-5.  The teams nine game winning streak came to an end with the loss.

Eastern’s 9-3 start has been very impressive because nine of their 12 opponents have been nationally ranked.

In game one, Eastern jumped out to a 7-1 lead through the 7th inning.  Chance Deason turned in another strong performance on the mound.  Deason tossed six innings and allowed just one run on just three hits, while striking out six.  Cowley rallied for one in the 8th and five in the 9th inning to tie the game.  However, a wild pitch in the bottom of the 9th inning plated Nate Pettus with the game winning run for Eastern.  Offensively, Steve Irvine and Casey Gibson led the way for the Mountaineers.  Irvine was 3-4 with a walk, two runs scored and three stolen bases and Gibson was 3-5 with a triple, 2 runs scored and 2 RBI’s.

With a 2-1 win in game two of the series, Eastern extended its winning streak to nine games.  Ashton Mowdy (1-1) turned in a great start and Nate Pettus came on to throw a scoreless 7th inning for his first save of the season.  Mowdy struck out two in six innings and allowed just four hits and one run while picking up his first win of the year.  Offensively the Mountaineers plated single runs in the 5th and 6th innings.  In the 5th, Jeff Scardino and Blake Mounce hit back to back one out singles.  After Brady White reached on an error, Scardino scored on a wild pitch.  The Mountaineers scored the game winning run in the bottom of the 6th.  Dearth Parker singled and Casey Gibson followed with an RBI double off the left center field fence.

The Mountaineers dropped the finale of the three game series by a score of 12-5.  After jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the first two innings, Eastern surrendered nine runs in the 5th, 6th and 7th innings.  In the 7th and 8th innings, the Mountaineers scored three runs and had a couple of rallies cut short.  Cowley tacked on their final three runs in the 9th inning.  Josh Miller (2-1) suffered his first loss of the year despite pitching well.  Offensively, the Mountaineers could never really get their bats going.  Nate Pettus went 2-4 with a double, hit by pitch and a RBI.  He was the only Mountaineer with more than one hit.

The Mountaineers will get another chance to face a nationally ranked opponent on Monday, February 25th.  Eastern will host Longview Community College at 1:30 pm.  Longview won the Division II JUCO World Series last year and they are currently ranked #1 by the NJCAA.

PHOTO CAPTION: Ashton Mowdy pitching against Cowley County Community College.