May 10, 2008
SEWARD COUNTY DROPS KCK TO ADVANCE IN REGION VI TOURNAMENT
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David Cruz
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Freshman David Cruz went 4-for-5 and second baseman Trent Martinez hit a three-run double to help give Seward County Community College a 10-3 victory over Kansas City Kansas Community College in the second round of the NJCAA Region VI Baseball Tournament at Lawrence Dumont Stadium in Wichita. The Saints advance to the winner’s bracket semifinals to face Johnson County Community College (38-15) on Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. Seward County, the No. 10 ranked team in the nation, improves to 41-17 overall this season while KCK drops to 31-18. KCK will face Barton County Community College in a 10 a.m. elimination game on Sunday morning.
The Blue Devils reached the scoreboard in the top of the first inning as designated hitter Logan Wysong faked a steal to second base that drew a throw from catcher David Masters which allowed Blake Smith to score giving KCK a 1-0 lead.
Seward County evened the score in the bottom of the first inning on a RBI fielder’s choice by sophomore Michael Drzazga, who scored center fielder Keegan Morrow who led off the inning with a single.
The Saints scored four runs in the second inning with three base hits. David Cruz and Austin Roff led off the inning with singles, Martinez reached base on a hit-by-pitch and Morrow drove in a run on an error by the KCK second baseman with one out. Masters followed with a RBI groundout and first baseman Will Gowdy hit a RBI single to center field scoring Morrow. The KCK error allowed three of the Saints’ four runs in the inning to score as the Saints took a 5-1 lead after two inning.
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Tomas Cruz
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Trent Martinez
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Right-handed pitcher Tomas Cruz retired eight straight KCK batters as Seward County held a 5-1 lead going into the bottom of the fifth inning. Cruz pitched into the eighth inning before he was taken out of the game for reliever Bobby Doran. Cruz picked up his 11th win of the season (11-3) throwing 7 2/3 innings, allowing nine hits, three runs (two earned) with one walk and three strikeouts.
Seward County started a two-out rally in the fifth inning with four consecutive singles before second baseman Trent Martinez delivered a three-run RBI double to left field to give the Saints a commanding 9-1 lead.
The Blue Devils added two runs in the sixth inning, and SCCC scored a run on Masters’ RBI single to right field in the bottom of the eighth.
David Cruz led all players with four base hits, and he added two runs and a double. The freshman shortstop from Maracay, Venezuela, is now 8-for-12 at the plate in post-season play. Roff went 2-for-4 with two runs and a RBI, and freshman left fielder Caleb Nine posted a multi-hit game going 2-for-5 with a run scored.
KCK starting pitcher Mitch Handley suffered the loss for the Blue Devils, dropping his season record to 8-3. Handley allowed 10 hits, nine runs (six earned) and two walks in five innings of work.
Blue Devil three-hole hitter Zach Theademan was the only KCK player with a multi-hit game going 3-for-4 at the plate.
REGION VI TOURNAMENT SCORES & MATCH-UPS:
Saturday, May 10:
Johnson County defeated Barton County, 7-4
No. 10 Seward County defeated Kansas City, 10-3
Hutchinson defeated Fort Scott, 9-5
Cowley defeated Allen County, N/A
Sunday, May 11:
Barton County vs. Kansas City @ 10 a.m. (loser's bracket)
Allen County vs. Fort Scott @ 1 p.m. (loser's bracket)
Seward County vs. Johnson County @ 4 p.m. (winner's bracket)
Cowley vs. Hutchinson @ 7 p.m. (winner's bracket)
