COLLEGE WATCH – Myles Wesener (QLD) – Pioneers clinch 8th straight Region IX Championship
Myles Wesener
(Beatrice, NE)- The MCC Pioneers continued their winning ways as they wrapped up their 8th consecutive Region IX championship this weekend in Beatrice, NE. Miles Community College ( MCC) found themselves in three elimination games after losing the first game of the tournament to Southeast Community College, 10-8. Rebounding from that loss, the Pioneers went onto beat Dawson 10-1, and then swept SCC on day 2 by scores of 7-4 in 10 innings and 4-3.
The Pioneers drew host Southeast Community College in the first game and fell to the Storm, 10-8. With MCC up 7-6 going into the 8th inning, SCC would respond with four runs in the last two innings to preserve the win. Both teams exchanged big innings, as MCC pushed across two runs in the first and second innings, and added three more in the 6th. The Storm plated two runs each in the 5th, 8th and 9th innings. Competing against each other for the first time this year, the two squads combined for 18 runs on 26 hits and 6 errors.
MCC had their chances in the 9th inning when Myles Wesener (Banora Point, QLD) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score Taylor Carson (Burley, ID) and cut the lead to 10-8. SCC closer Cody Valdez struck out Young and Alan Ibanes (Waianae, HI)to end the threat.
On the year Myles is hitting .256, scoring 16 on 23 hits with 14 RBI.
It should be noted that Myles will face Lucas Bakker of North Iowa Area Community college for the right to enter the D2 World Series. Both Australians have played together with the QLD Rams in the National tournaments.
Source Miles Community College
A – Hussey hammered by Kandilas et al
Modesto ran John Hussey off the mound in the 2nd inning
David Kandilas, with his double and his walk, wasn’t John Hussey’s only problem in his 2nd outing for the Lake Elsinore Storm. As the Storm’s starter John lasted only 1.2 innings as he basically threw batting practice to the Modesto lineup. They tagged him for 6 runs on 6 hits and 4 walks in a performance which might suggest that his promotion to High A was premature. His ERA at Ft Worth was an admirable 1.59. Compare that with his current 20.65ERA and you see his problem.
A quick reversal of form will be needed if he is to stay at Lake Elsinore.
David went 2-2 for Modesto in their 9-5 win over the Storm. Both his hits were doubles and he is hitting .276 for the season.
COLLEGE WATCH – Tom Bailey, Solid pitching, timely hitting give WBU big win over LCU
SHAWNEE, Okla. – After a disappointing end to his previous start against No. 5 Lubbock Christian, Wayland Baptist ace Tom Bailey brought his best stuff to the mound on Friday as the Pioneers defeated the Chaparrals 4-1 at Bison Field in the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament.
Despite the victory, Wayland was sent home after No. 15 Oklahoma Baptist topped St. Gregory’s in the afternoon game, 7-3. Both the Pioneers and LCU went 1-1 in the tournament, but because the Chaps were the higher seeded team, they survived to play another game. LCU and OBU square off in the Pool B title game on Friday night.
Wayland (20-35) would get a quick one-two-three first inning, but Lubbock Christian (40-15) threatened in the top of the second. Bailey, who started on the mound for the Pioneers, gave up a leadoff double down the left field line to start the inning off. After a ground ball to shortstop Gregg Veneklasen moved the runner to within 90 feet with one out, it looked as though the Chaps would get on the board first.
Bailey buckled down, however, and picked up a big strikeout to keep the runner at bay. A two-out walk would temporarily extend the inning, but the Perth, Australia native got the next hitter pop up to short to end the inning.
The Pioneer offense put on the pressure in the second as well, as Josh Chinni drew a leadoff walk and moved to second after Veneklasen dropped down a sacrifice bunt. Gabby De La Cruz got a single through the left side of the infield, but Chinni was wisely held at third, putting runners at the corners with one out. Just like his counterpart, LCU starting pitcher Jarrett Porter got a huge strikeout after a missed squeeze play to rule out a sacrifice fly.
With two on and two gone, Steven Polito came up to the plate and on a one-one count poked a ball off the end of the bat into right field. A line drive in the books scored Chinni and gave Wayland a 1-0 lead after two complete innings.
The Chaparrals threatened throughout the game, but Bailey, with the help of his defense, continued to strand runners in scoring position, and many times with less than two outs. In the top of the third, Bailey overcame a runner at second with one out as Chinni caught a line drive to right and doubled off the runner at second to end the inning.
In the fourth, the Chaps got their first two hitters on. After the next batter failed to move the runners on two bunt attempts, Bailey got a pop up to the catcher, a fly ball to left and a strikeout to end the inning.
After a stress-free fifth, Bailey walked the leadoff batter who eventually stole second, but again stranded the runner by getting three consecutive fly outs. In the seventh, Bailey hit the first batter, got a fly ball that Chinni tracked down in the right-centerfield before the Chaps got another single. The next hitter tried to bunt for a hit, but Bailey bounced off the mound and took the out at first.
With two outs and runners at first and second, the junior pitcher fell behind in the count, 3-1. Head coach Brad Bass thought it best to go ahead and put the hitter on first, and the strategy paid off. With the bases loaded, the next batter worked the count full. On the pay-off pitch, Bailey induced a groundball to second baseman Bernie Rosario to get out of the jam.
Runs were just as hard to come by for the Pioneers as they were for the Chaps until Johnny Hendrixson hit his fifth homerun of the year to give Wayland a 2-0 lead in the fifth. Hendrixson also got the seventh inning going with a one-out single, then stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error. Chinni drew a walk before Veneklasen roped a ball up the middle to drive in the runner at third. De La Cruz followed with a single of his own, loading the bases for Chris Buitron.
The sophomore took one for the team, getting hit in the leg to bring home the second run of the inning. The Chaps brought in their third pitcher of the inning to strand the runners on loaded bases, getting a strikeout and fly ball to end the seventh inning, but not before Wayland walked away with a 4-0 lead.
LCU finally got to Bailey, getting two singles and walk, knocking out the Pioneers’ starter after the junior faced 30 batters and threw 116 pitches. Jose Urena was brought in to put out the fire and did so in a near flawless manner. Urena got the six-hole hitter to hit a soft line drive right back up the middle. The freshman snagged the ball and promptly threw over to third to double off the runner. The Chaps got a two-run single, but thanks to the previous play, only one run crossed the plate. Urena got a fly ball to center to end the inning, holding on to a 4-1 lead after seven and a half innings.
The Pioneers were quiet in the eighth, but all was well as the three-run lead proved to be enough. Urena went right back to work on the mound, getting the Chaps to go down in order in the top of the ninth, giving Wayland the 4-1 victory.
Bailey, who pitched a great game in his previous start against the Chaps but faltered in the seventh, was able to pick up the win this time against the fifth-ranked Chaparrals. The junior was not without help, however, getting an error-free game from his defense and a clutch save from Urena.
Tom Bailey
Padres release an ailing Hayden Beard
Injuries are the undoing of many a ball player and Hayden Beard has had his fair share of injury setbacks. He has not taken the field this season due to a continuing injury to his arm and today the inevitable happened when he was released by the San Diego Padres.
Originally signed by the Mets in July 2005 whilst at the MLBAAP on the Gold Coast he missed the 2007 season following right elbow surgery and then missed much of the 2008/2009 seasons due to further injury.
He was then selected by the Padres in the Minor League phase of the 2009 Rule V draft following good performances with the Canberra Cavalry. However, he never really achieved pitching success in the US with his best year being in 2010 with a 5.30ERA.
Blackley’s Day In The Office – 3 Pitches
Are we beginning to see a pattern here? Houston were in trouble so they handed the ball to Travis Blackley. Detroit had just tied the game 5 all in the 6th with a 2 out RBI when they brought Travis on with runners on 1st and 2nd. It took him just 2 pitches to get the huge third out.
He then came on in the 7th and threw 1 pitch for an out and his day was done. His ERA is down to 3.77.
Houston came up with 2 runs in the 9th to beat the Tigers 7-5 helped by a bases loaded game saving catch by ex Sydney Blue Sox Brandon Barnes. It was Houston’s first win in Detroit since 2000.
AA – Saupold continues to impress
Warwick Saupold continues to impress with yet another quality start allowing only 1 run in 6 innings in the SeaWolves 3-1 win over Reading.
It was back to back wins for the WA pitcher who now is 3-1 with a 2.03ERA after 8 games and 48.2 innings.
He finished with 6IP, 5H, 1R, 3BB, 4K.
AAA – Moylan, Oeltjen
Las Vegas is causing Peter Moylan some heartache it would seem. Hard on the heels of suffering his first Loss against them on Saturday he was again on the receiving end giving up a season high 2 runs on 4 hits in the 9th today. Fortunately it didn’t affect the end result with Albuquerque winning 8-5. Still it didn’t do Peter’s ERA a lot of good.
His line was 1IP, 4H, 2R, 1K. His ERA for his last 10 games is 3.65.
Trent Oeltjen went 2-4, including a double, in Salt Lake’s 3-2 loss to Oklahoma. He is hitting .257 in his last 10 games.
Balfour fans 3 in the 9th – A’s lose it in the 10th
Fielding errors just make me more determined to just strike them out”
Grant Balfour faced a total of 5 hitters in the 9th with the score tied at 4 all. He gave up a single and an infield error allowed another on base so Grant “upped the anti” as they say and struck out 3 Texans.
The game went to the 10th where 2 home runs off reliever Chris Resop gave Texas the lead and despite an effort by the Athletics in bottom 10 scoring 1 and having bases loaded the Rangers hung on to win 6-5. So no Save, no Win for Grant but a pretty powerful performance from the flame thrower none the less.
Houston calls on Travis Blackley again
His performance today against Detroit was a bit of a mixed bag and probably won’t be one of those outings Travis Blackley will want to show his grandkids. But he came through relatively unscathed and lowered his ERA.
Brought on in the 6th with Detroit leading 4-2 and 1st and 3rd occupied with no outs he started well with a strikeout but then allowed Prince Fielder to score on a wild pitch before retiring the side with no further damage in an inning where he appeared to struggle with control. He then got the 1st out in the 7th before being relieved by a rightie. Fielder’s run of course was not charged against him and he finished with 1.1IP, 0H, 0R, 1BB, 2K, 3.95ERA
COLLEGE WATCH – NIACC wins regional baseball title- Lucas Bakker
Lucas Bakker
Lucas Bakker
WATERLOO – The NIACC Trojans are regional champions.
And when it comes to the game of baseball, that’s a first.
NIACC topped Iowa Central 8-6 in dramatic come-from-behind fashion to claim the Region XI title Tuesday afternoon at a steamy Riverfront Stadium.
“We have great kids,” NIACC coach Travis Hergert said. “They were phenomenal – absolutely phenomenal from day one.
“I am so happy for them. Winning people – we have great people at NIACC.”
NIACC (26-16) advances to the North Plains district championship Saturday and Sunday in Miles City, Montana. Miles City Community College and Dakota County Technical and Community College are the other two teams in the North Plains district.
Lucas has had a great year in 63 innings pitched as a Freshman he has 8 wins and 1 loss recording an ERA of 2.97, striking out 57 and conceeding 26 runs in total. Now on to the next challenge the North Plains district championship.
