MOUNTAINEER BASEBALL

Eastern Wins Region 2 Championship
Story by staff (05/17/10)

The Eastern baseball team (37-20) won its first Region 2 Tournament Championship since 2001.  The Mountaineers entered Sunday as the only undefeated team in the double elimination tournament.  Eastern fell to Connors 13-3 in the first game and then playing the if necessary game, the Mountaineers knocked off Connors 12-8.  With the win, the Mountaineers will host the South Central District Tournament this week.  The Mountaineers also improved to 5-2 against Connors this year.

In the first game Eastern got behind early and never recovered.  Connors took a 5-0 lead in the 1st inning and led 7-0 in the bottom of the 6th inning when Eastern finally scored.  Connors scored six more runs in the top of the 8th inning.  Justin Klusak hit a two run home run in the bottom of the 9th inning to cut the score to 13-3.  Despite the loss, Trent Scrivner turned in a very good pitching performance.  Scrivner came on in relief to pitch 5 1/3 innings.  He allowed only two runs, one earned, on zero hits and one walk.  He also struck out six batters.

In the game two, Eastern jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the 1st inning and never looked back.  Cameron Green walked with one out.  Houston Slemp followed with a walk and Jordan Mings drew a two out walk.  Keith Price singled Green home and then Justin Klusak tripled to score Slemp Mings and Price.  The Mountaineers added a run in the 2nd inning.  Chris Munoz singled with out, followed by a single by Green.  Sam King singled Munoz home.  Eastern then scored two more runs in the 3rd inning.  Price doubled to lead off the inning and then Klusak singled him home.  With two outs, Green singled Klusak home.  Connors was able to score a run in the top of the 5th inning to cut the lead to 7-2, but Eastern answered right back with two more runs in the bottom of the 5th.  Price was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning.  Klusak doubled him home and then later scored on a single by Munoz.  Connors cut the lead to 9-6 in the top of the 7th inning, but Eastern came right back with three runs of their own.  Klusak walked to lead off the inning and then Nathan Goodall doubled him home.  After a walk to Ben Kozma, the pitcher balked home Goodall.  Green singled to score Kozma.  Connors added a pair of runs in the top of the 9th inning but it was too little too late.  Eastern won the game 12-8.  On the mound, Jesse Baird turned in an outstanding performance.  In the 1st game of the tournament, Baird went seven innings against Rose State on Thursday to pick up his eighth win of the season and second of the tournament.  Tyler Sparks struck out the final two batters to end the game.

Following the game, the Region 2 All Tournament Team was announced.  Four Mountaineer players were named to the team and Head Coach, Aric Thomas received the Region 2 Coach of the Year award.  Pitchers Jesse Baird (2-0, 2.77 era, 13 ip, 8 K’s) and Nate Coronado (1-0, 1.13 era, 8 ip, 1 run, 7 K’s) were named to the team.  Outfielder Ben Kozma (.429 ba, 4 runs, 2 sb’s) and infielder Chris Munoz (.368, 4 runs, 2 sb’s) were also named to the team.

Eastern will host the South Central District Tournament beginning on Friday.  The Mountaineers will play Crowder College at 9 am and then play Delgado Community College at 12:30.  Crowder and Delgado will play each other at 4 pm.

GAME #1
TEAMS                   1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9    R  H   E
Connors (50-11)    5  1  0  0  1  0  0  6  0    13  11  0
Eastern (36-120)    0  0  0  0  0  1  0  0  2     3   4   4
WP – Josh Eidt (10-0)
LP – Brandon Marris (3-1)
Pitching Battery:
Connors: Eidt, McGee (9th) and Kottaras.
Eastern: Marris, Scrivner (1st), Watson (7th), Frisby (8th) and King
Home Runs:
Connors: None.
Eastern: Klusak (10th).

GAME #2
TEAMS                   1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9    R  H   E
Connors (50-12)    1  0  0  0  1  0  4  0  2    8  11  1
Eastern (37-20)     4  1  2  0  2  0  3  0  X   12 13  3
WP – Jesse Baord (9-2)
LP – Fisher (10-2)
Pitching Battery:
Connors: Fisher, Wormington (3rd), Knight (3rd), Hines (7th), McGee (7th) and Kottaras.
Eastern: Marris, Scrivner (1st), Watson (7th), Frisby (8th) and King
Home Runs:
Connors: None.
Eastern: None.

Region 2 All Tournament Team
Jesse Baird, Nate Coronado, Coach Thomas, Chris Munoz and Ben Kozma.