MOUNTAINEER BASEBALL

Mountaineers 1-3 in Northeast Texas Tournament
Story by staff – 2/23/9

Despite scoring 37 runs in four games, the Eastern Oklahoma State College baseball team (3-7-1) dropped three of four in the Northeast Texas Community College Tournament on Thursday and Friday.  Navarro College beat the Mountaineers 11-7 in the first game Thursday.  Eastern dropped a 12-11 decision to Northeast Texas Community College in game two.  On Friday, Eastern defeated North Central Texas College 10-9 in 10 innings and then dropped a 10-9 decision to Ranger College.

Against Navarro College, the Mountaineer offense didn’t get going until late in the game.  Trailing 11-2 in the bottom of the 9th inning, Eastern was able to plate 5 runs and get the tying run to the on deck circle.  Justin Klusak was 3-4, Houston Slemp went 2-4 and Stephen Hagen was 2-5 in the game.

In the second game Thursday, Eastern was able to get out to an 11-4 lead after 7 innings against the host team, Northeast Texas Community College.  However, Northeast Texas rallied for five runs in the bottom of the 8th and three runs in the bottom of the 9th to knock of the Mountaineers 12-11.  Jeff Scardino pitched five-plus innings and struck out eight batters.  Scardino also was 2-4 at the plate.  Jesse Santo and Ben Kozma also went 2-4 and Justin Klusak added another three hit game by going 3-5.

In the first game Friday, the Mountaineers rallied for a 10 inning win against North Central Texas College.  Eastern trailed 5-0 in the 1st inning and 8-6 heading into the bottom of the 7th inning.  After tying the game in the bottom of the 7th, North Central scored a single run in the top of the 8th.  Eastern responded with a run in the bottom of the frame and then after Seth Terry tossed a scoreless 9th and 10th innings, Joe Spring came up with a game winning single in the bottom of the 10th inning.  While picking up the win, Seth Terry pitched 3.2 innings and allowed just one hit and struck out two.  Jesse Santo was 3-5 with 4 RBI’s and Spring added a 2-5 day with 3 RBI’s.

In the final game of the tournament, Eastern led Ranger College 8-4 after 5 ½ innings.  The Mountaineers could only plate one more run and Ranger was able to score six runs in the final four innings to knock off Eastern 10-9.  Jeff Scardino was 3-6, Justin Klusak 2-5, Houston Slemp 2-3 and Brady White 2-4 in the game.

Leading Hitters for the Tournament
Justin Klusak – 8-16 (500 avg.), 2 2B’s, 6 runs, RBI, 3 SB’s, 3 BB’s, 2 HBP’s and a Sacrifice Hit
Jeff Scardino – 7-17 (412 avg.), 4 runs, 3 RBI’s, SB, BB, HBP, 2 Sacrifice Hits and a Sac Fly
Jesse Santo – 7-17 (412 avg.), 2B, HR, 5 runs, 8 RBI’s, 2 SB’s, BB, HBP and 2 Sac Flies
Houston Slemp – 5-12 (417 avg.), 2 3B’s, 5 runs, 4 RBI’s, 4 SB’s, BB, HBP and a Sacrifice Hit
Ben Kozma – 3-7 (429 avg.), 2B, 3 runs, 2 BB’s and 2 Sacrifice Hits