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After winning two straight games over the weekend to take the South Central District championship, the Eastern Mountaineer baseball team is headed to the NJCAA World Series in Grand Junction, CO,  May 26-June 2.

The Mountaineers will play their first game of the World Series against the Northern District winner 7:30 p.m. Sunday, May 27,  in Grand Junction. Eastern will not play their second game until Tuesday.

Ending the regular season 20-25, no one gave the Mountaineers much of a chance in regional play. Eastern won the Region II Tournament in Ft. Smith by defeating Seminole and advancing to the South Central District against Maple Woods from Kansas City, MO. Eastern downed the Missouri school in straight games in the best two out of three format held in Wilburton Friday and Saturday to even their record at 26-26.

Layle DeVilbiss (5-4), Broken Arrow sophomore, picked up the win Friday 13-11. Dan Woelders (3), Langley, Canada, came out of the bullpen to earn the save. Owasso shortstop Tommy Pratt led the offensive surge with a homerun and standout play on defense.

Saturday’s game brought the district championship with an 8-5 win. Brad Thomas (6-3), Pocola sophomore, went 8 2/3 innings for the win with Woelders getting the save. Third baseman Travis Calton from McCloud, added fire power at the plate with a grand slam in the third inning to give the Mountaineers the lead for the win. Calton upped his team leading total in homeruns to 9.

Catcher Eric Keller from Tulsa leads the team with a .345 batting average followed by leftfielder Matt Lamb, Owasso, and Calton at .333. Ryan Brnardic, Canada and Kyle Wingfield, Rock Creek, have rotated at first with Eric Miller, Owasso, manning second base. Terry Stevens, Metarie, LA, in centerfield and Chris Eng, Langley, BC, in right round out the outfield. Kiowa freshman Chris Scrivner adds pop at DH and first base with Joey Rutledge, Rattan, giving depth in the infield and Michael Hill, Dallas, in the outfield.

The pitching corps is led by Thomas and DeVilbiss. Dan and B.J. Woelders, Mike Musgrove, Dale freshman, Jake Harless, Soper sophomore, Joe Ornelas, Dallas, James Herring, McCloud and Nate Pool, Pauls Valley, make up the bullpen.

Coach Todd Shelton won the Region II Coach of the Year honor in his fourth season at the helm of the Mountaineers. This is the first  Regional title for the school since 1976 and first ever trip to the JUCO World Series.

 This is the first time in school history two athletic teams have earned a trip to the National Tournaments in the same year. The Lady Mountaineers Basketball team placed fourth in the nation in March.