Apaches News
Sun, May 6, 2007 - [Baseball]
The TJC Baseball squad moved into Sunday's championship game by defeating Richland 6-3. Richland defeated Eastfield 9-4 to also move into Sunday's game.
Apaches One Win Away From Series Bid
By CLINT BUCKLEY
Tyler Morning Telegraph Staff Writer
McKINNEY - The Tyler Junior College Apaches made the most of two hits in securing a spot in the District C Tournament championship game.
The Apaches scored six early runs and Cooper Page shut down a potent Richland College lineup in Tyler's 6-3 win Saturday afternoon at Gabe Nesbitt Field.
TJC (41-11), ranked No. 1 in the latest NJCAA poll, will play either defending national champion Eastfield College or Richland in the final at 11 a.m. Sunday.
The tournament champion earns a berth in the NJCAA Division III World Series, later this month in Tyler.
Tyler scored four runs in the second inning and added two more in the third, staking Page (6-0) to a comfortable 6-2 lead.
Page allowed two earned runs on four hits in 8 2-3 innings. The right-hander struck out seven and walked four.
"Our bullpen's fresh," said TJC coach Jon Groth. "Cooper Page was outstanding. That's all I can say."
After scoring two runs in the second, Richland never advanced a runner past first base until the ninth inning, when two Tyler errors helped the Thunderducks push across another run.
"What our guys are doing right now is taking it to another level," Groth said. "We're doing what we set out to do and that's win three games and come back to Tyler."
In the top of the second, TJC struck for four runs with just one hit.
Richland pitcher Sean Winscher (9-2), a Texas Tech signee, hit a batter and issued three consecutive walks accounting for the Apaches' first run of the inning.
Kyle Harrison followed with a three-run double down the right field line. He was thrown out at third trying to stretch the hit into a triple.
Richland quickly cut the lead in half with two runs in the bottom of the second on Ryan Vest's two-out, two-run single.
Tyler regained its four-run lead when Brock Lemire unloaded a two-run home run to left field in the third.
"I think (the early lead) relaxed (Page) a little bit," Groth said. "Both those pitchers locked it in. Our kids just found a way to scrap."
From then on, both pitchers put it in cruise control.
Richland stirred up trouble in the bottom of the ninth when Blake Walker reached base on an error by TJC shortstop Jose Molina to begin the inning.
With two outs, Matt Spade grounded to Molina, who threw the ball in right field trying to get the force out at second base. Molina's second miscue of the inning allowed Walker to score.
Groth then pulled Page in favor of Jay Haak, who threw just four pitches to record the game's final out.
"It's not over yet," Groth said. "We have the three-time national champion and defending champion that we still have to beat."
---
District C Tournament
Tyler 6, Richland 3
At Gabe Nesbitt Field, McKinney
Tyler 042 000 000 - 6 2 2
Richland 020 000 001 - 3 4 0
Cooper Page, Jay Haak (9) and Kevin Els. Sean Winscher, Mark McCain (8) and Ryan Saldivar. W - Page (6-0). L - Winscher (9-2). S - Haak (6). 2B - TJC: Kyle Harrison. HR - TJC: Brock Lemire (third, one on). SB - TJC: Harrison. SAC - TJC: Harrison.
RECORDS - Tyler 41-11; Richland 38-19.
NEXT UP - Tyler vs. Eastfield-Richland winner, 11 a.m. Sunday, championship game.
EST. ATT. - 500.
Tyler Morning Telegraph Staff Writer
McKINNEY - The Tyler Junior College Apaches made the most of two hits in securing a spot in the District C Tournament championship game.
The Apaches scored six early runs and Cooper Page shut down a potent Richland College lineup in Tyler's 6-3 win Saturday afternoon at Gabe Nesbitt Field.
TJC (41-11), ranked No. 1 in the latest NJCAA poll, will play either defending national champion Eastfield College or Richland in the final at 11 a.m. Sunday.
The tournament champion earns a berth in the NJCAA Division III World Series, later this month in Tyler.
Tyler scored four runs in the second inning and added two more in the third, staking Page (6-0) to a comfortable 6-2 lead.
Page allowed two earned runs on four hits in 8 2-3 innings. The right-hander struck out seven and walked four.
"Our bullpen's fresh," said TJC coach Jon Groth. "Cooper Page was outstanding. That's all I can say."
After scoring two runs in the second, Richland never advanced a runner past first base until the ninth inning, when two Tyler errors helped the Thunderducks push across another run.
"What our guys are doing right now is taking it to another level," Groth said. "We're doing what we set out to do and that's win three games and come back to Tyler."
In the top of the second, TJC struck for four runs with just one hit.
Richland pitcher Sean Winscher (9-2), a Texas Tech signee, hit a batter and issued three consecutive walks accounting for the Apaches' first run of the inning.
Kyle Harrison followed with a three-run double down the right field line. He was thrown out at third trying to stretch the hit into a triple.
Richland quickly cut the lead in half with two runs in the bottom of the second on Ryan Vest's two-out, two-run single.
Tyler regained its four-run lead when Brock Lemire unloaded a two-run home run to left field in the third.
"I think (the early lead) relaxed (Page) a little bit," Groth said. "Both those pitchers locked it in. Our kids just found a way to scrap."
From then on, both pitchers put it in cruise control.
Richland stirred up trouble in the bottom of the ninth when Blake Walker reached base on an error by TJC shortstop Jose Molina to begin the inning.
With two outs, Matt Spade grounded to Molina, who threw the ball in right field trying to get the force out at second base. Molina's second miscue of the inning allowed Walker to score.
Groth then pulled Page in favor of Jay Haak, who threw just four pitches to record the game's final out.
"It's not over yet," Groth said. "We have the three-time national champion and defending champion that we still have to beat."
---
District C Tournament
Tyler 6, Richland 3
At Gabe Nesbitt Field, McKinney
Tyler 042 000 000 - 6 2 2
Richland 020 000 001 - 3 4 0
Cooper Page, Jay Haak (9) and Kevin Els. Sean Winscher, Mark McCain (8) and Ryan Saldivar. W - Page (6-0). L - Winscher (9-2). S - Haak (6). 2B - TJC: Kyle Harrison. HR - TJC: Brock Lemire (third, one on). SB - TJC: Harrison. SAC - TJC: Harrison.
RECORDS - Tyler 41-11; Richland 38-19.
NEXT UP - Tyler vs. Eastfield-Richland winner, 11 a.m. Sunday, championship game.
EST. ATT. - 500.
Clint Buckley covers sports. He can be reached at 903.596.6293. e-mail: sports@tylerpaper.com
