Apaches News
Fri, May 7, 2010 - [Baseball]
By JOE BUIE
Staff Writer, Tyler Morning Telegraph
 
McKINNEY -- After losing his scholarship at Panola, starting pitcher Derek Bowen found a home at Tyler Junior College -- and the Apaches found their ace.
 
"I didn't know if I would play college baseball ever again," said the right-hander from White Oak, who did not play baseball last summer. "I talked to TJC and came out here and threw one time and that was it."
  
Bowen (7-2, 2.60 ERA) has won his last four starts, and will try to make it five when he pitches against Eastfield today in the opening round of the District C Tournament.

The first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Gabe Nesbitt Field, located at The Ballfields at Craig Ranch.

"I'm having a lot of fun," Bowen said. "It's a winning team -- got a pretty good chance of winning it all this year."

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Division I Pitcher

 
Bowen, who once had 19 strikeouts in a game for White Oak, earned a scholarship to Panola where he pitched last season. He came down with mononucleosis at the end of the fall season and didn't return to full strength for two months.

Bowen eventually worked his way into the rotation and pitched in 13 games with six starts, including three in conference. He was 3-2 with a 7.96 ERA in 26 innings, with 15 strikeouts and 17 walks.

After the season, Bowen was informed that his scholarship would not be renewed and thus he was a free agent.

What he's given the Apaches is a Division I junior college arm on the non-scholarship Division III level. The power pitcher, who throws 87-89 mph, leads the Apaches in innings (62.1) and strikeouts (63).

"The guys on the team know that when he goes out there, we have a good chance of winning," TJC head coach Doug Wren said.

Bowen, who also has an impressive offspeed pitch, is coming off the first complete game of his career last week against Brookhaven. He gave up one run and four hits over eight innings as the Apaches won 11-1.

His previous longest outing with TJC was seven innings, coming in a loss to Division II No. 2 Western Oklahoma State.

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Eye On The World Series

No longer a member of the Metro Athletic Conference, the independent Apaches (40-12) will get to face the best teams from the MAC this weekend.

The first game is a much-anticipated matchup as TJC is No. 2 in the national rankings, followed by No. 3 Eastfield (30-14). The teams did not meet during the regular season.

"Ever since the Brookhaven (play-in) series ended, that's been on our minds," Bowen said of the Eastfield game. "It's been on my mind every night."

If the Apaches beat Eastfield, they would play at 3 p.m. Saturday against the winner of Cedar Valley and Richland, who open the double-elimination tournament today at 3 p.m.

If the Apaches lose to Eastfield, they would play at noon Saturday against the Cedar Valley-Richland loser. The winner of the elimination game would turn around and play again at 6 p.m. Saturday.

The championship round will begin at noon Sunday, with the champion advancing to Tyler for the NJCAA Division III World Series (May 22-27) at Mike Carter Field.

Richland is the defending district and national champion.

Directions:

To get to Gabe Nesbitt Field in McKinney, take I-20 West to U.S. 80 West. Merge onto I-635 North and go to 75 North (Central Expressway). From 75, exit Stacy Road in McKinney and go west to the intersection of State Highway 121 and Stacy Road. Take a left and go one mile to The Ballfields on the right at Alma and SH 121.