MOUNTAINEER BASEBALL

Eastern Opens Conference 4-0 Winning Streak at 11
157 Runs Scored During Streak
Story by Staff – 04/05/09

The Eastern Oklahoma State College baseball team (19-15-1 / 4-0) opened up Bi-State Conference play this weekend against Rose State College.  By scores of 16-4 and 19-15 (11 innings), the Mountaineers swept the Raiders on Friday.  Returning home on Saturday, the Mountaineers won the first game against the Raiders 11-8 and the second game by 10 run rule, 12-1.  With the four victories this weekend, Eastern has seen its winning streak grow to 11 games.  By scoring a total of 157 runs during the past 11 games, the Mountaineers have averaged 14.3 runs scored per game, during the streak.

Tommie Johnson led off the first game of the series with a home run and that set the offensive tone for the four game series with Rose State.  After taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the 1st inning, Rose State answered back by taking the lead 3-2 in the bottom of the 2nd inning and then 4-3 in the bottom of the 3rd.  Eastern’s bullpen shut the Raiders down for the rest of the game and the offense took over.  In the final four innings, the Mountaineers scored 2, 2, 4, and 5 runs to defeat Rose State 16-4.  Johnson added another home run, his fourth of the season, while scoring three times and driving in four.  Jeff Scardino was 3-5 with a double, stolen base and three runs scored.  Jesse Santo blasted two home runs and drove in six in the game.  Justin Klusak and Brady White added home runs for the Mountaineers.  Seth Terry improved to 4-1 on the season.  Terry picked up the win by throwing two shut out and hitless innings of relief.

In game two, the Mountaineers made an incredible come back to win.  Trailing 13-1 after three innings, Eastern was able to out score Rose State 14-2 in the next six innings and send the game into extra innings.  With four runs in the top of the 11th inning, the Mountaineers completed the comeback and defeated the Raiders 19-15.  Jesse Santo was the offensive leader for Eastern.  Santo went 4-6 with a double, home run, walk, two stolen bases, three runs and six more runs batted in.  His biggest at bat of the day came in the top of the 9th inning.  Trailing 15-13 with two outs and the bases loaded, Santo was able to foul off seven straight pitches before driving a game tying single to center field.  In the 11th inning, Jeff Scardino led off with a bunt single.  Stephen Hagen singled to put runners at 1st and 3rd base.  Jesse Santo singled in Scardino to put Eastern up 16-15.  After a double steal, Casey McCollum walked and Justin Klusak struck out.  Houston Slemp’s fielder choice plated another run.  After another double steal that scored a run, Brady White drove in the fourth run of the inning with a single to left field.  On the mound, Kaleb Brawner and Jeff Scardino were able to shut out the Raiders over the final 6 innings.  Scardino (5-1) picked up the win in 4 1/3 innings of work.  He allowed just three hits while striking out eight.

Returning home on Saturday, the Mountaineer offense remained hot.  In the 11-8 victory, the Mountaineer’s that batted 2nd through 5th in the lineup scored all 11 runs.  Stephen Hagen was 4-4 with a double, two home runs, four runs scored and three RBI’s.  Casey McCollum was 3-3 with a double, walk, two stolen bases and four runs scored.  Jeff Scardino and Jesse Santo scored the three other runs for Eastern.  Brady White went 2-4 and drove in three runs.  Jared Coon (1-1) picked up the win and Andrew Watson picked up the save.  Watson tossed the final 2 2/3 innings.  He allowed just two unearned runs.

The Mountaineers ended the four game series with a 12-1 run rule victory.   Phillip Parcell (2-6) stifled the Raider bats.  Parcell allowed just six hits and one unearned run during his six innings of work.  He also struck out six.  Stephen Hagen and Jesse Santo continued their dominance at the plate.  Hagen blasted two more home runs which gives him 18 for the year.  18 home runs ties the Eastern single season record for home runs which was set last year by Gunner Glad and Nate Pettus.  The Mountaineers still have 21 regular season games and post season remaining.  Santo was 3-3 with three home runs.  He walked, scored four times, stole a base and drove in three runs also.

The Mountaineers will step out of conference play on Monday.  They will host Grayson County College at 2:00 pm.