Eric Weiss went 4 for 6, and four others had at least two hits as the second-ranked Apaches hammered Richland, 17-5, Saturday in the District C Baseball Tournament at Gabe Nesbitt Field.

By JOE BUIE
Staff Writer
Tyler Morning Telegraph

 

The Apaches (42-12) need one more victory in today's championship round to advance to the NJCAA Division III World Series on their home field.

Richland played Cedar Valley in an elimination game late Saturday, with the winner facing TJC today at noon. Either Richland or Cedar Valley will have to beat TJC twice to capture the district championship since the tournament is double-elimination.

The Apaches had 14 hits against Richland after getting 17 hits in a first-round victory over top seed Eastfield, which was eliminated with a 4-1 loss to Cedar Valley.

The TJC-Richland game was tied 4-4 after three innings before the Apaches took the lead for good with two runs -- one unearned -- in the top of the fourth.

TJC starting pitcher Eric Bingham, in his first extensive action since March 19, took a 6-4 lead into the fifth but did not complete the inning and thus did not get the win.

He allowed back-to-back singles leading off the fifth, and it could have easily been four consecutive hits. Speedy center fielder Josh Bates made sure that didn't happen, by making two diving catches deep in the left-center gap and preventing Richland from advancing the runners.

Shortstop Thomas Dougherty continued TJC's fine leather work in the sixth by spearing a line drive.

"I always tell them that we expect those plays to be made," said TJC head coach Doug Wren, whose team also turned three double plays. "I kind of laugh about that, but (the) guys are great athletes. Josh made two great catches and even Thomas Dougherty … making a leaping play. That's something that good teams tend to do, they find those ways to create momentum."

After Bates' second grab, Chase Janecek (4-0) replaced Bingham and threw just two-thirds of an inning, but enough to get the win.

"I knew (Bates) had a shot at getting the first one; the second one I wasn't sure about," Wren said. "He got a little help from the wind … he made a great play at the warning track and got it back in quickly."

The Thunderducks produced only one run off TJC's relievers, and Brownsboro graduate Keaton Parsell recorded the final nine outs for his first save.

"We have confidence in our bullpen … and they've been pitching well all year long," Wren said. "That helps us as a coaching staff to be confident in taking our starter out of the game."

Parsell allowed only one hit and no runs in three innings.

"He's always had good stuff, and last year he just didn't believe in it," Wren said. "You could see right there that he's made a lot of progress."

The Apaches scored runs in bunches -- 14 over four innings -- against Richland, which started the 2009 Metro Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year in Kirk Pritchett. Pritchett threw 133 pitches and was pulled in the sixth, trailing 12-4.

Joining Weiss in the TJC hit parade were Ryan Willnow (3 for 4), Clayton Warren (2 for 3), Dougherty (2 for 3) and Jeff Pine (2 for 5). Pine, the starting third baseman, delivered a two-run double in the fifth and an RBI single in the sixth.

Smoke Signals:

Willnow had two steals in the game to give him 40 for the season. … Salmon, who began the day hitting .466 for the season, went 0 for 4. Salmon reached base three times on two walks and one error. … Matt Adams hit his first home run of the year, a two-run shot in the ninth deep over the right-field wall.

Tyler 17, Richland 5

Tyler 004 243 013 -- 17 14 3

Richland 004 000 100 -- 5 9 4

Eric Bingham, Chase Janecek (5), Todd Immel (6), Keaton Parsell (7) and Cole Lehmann. Kirk Pritchett, Ryan Byrne (6) and Josh Carroll, Nick Sharp (7). W - Janecek (4-0). L - Pritchett (2-4). S - Parsell (1). 2B - TJC: Clayton Warren 2, Jeff Pine, Thomas Dougherty, Eric Weiss. HR - TJC: Matt Adams (one on, ninth inning). SAC - TJC: Dougherty. SF - TJC: Dougherty, Josh Bates; RC: Chad Kruse. SB - TJC: Weiss, Ryan Willnow 2, Lehmann.

RECORDS - Tyler 42-12; Richland 32-25.

NEXT UP - Tyler vs. Richland-Cedar Valley winner, noon today, championship round.

EST. ATT. - 250.

Link to Original Article:  http://www.tylerpaper.com/article/20100509/SPORTS06/5090328