MCC’s Season Ends One Game Short of Championship Round
By Paul Ofria
TYLER, TX – Chris Strahowski was sitting back in his chair in room 333 at the Country Inn. He was discussing the season that ended an hour so earlier at Mike Carter Field where Eastfield College dismissed Manchester CC from the NJCAA Division III World Series with a 6-3 decision, leaving the Cougars one game shy of playing in the national championship round.
Players were filing into the room with smeared eye black covering some of the emotion in uniforms embedded with as much dirt as fabric.
The scene was familiar – MCC’s last four seasons ended at the national tournament – an accomplishment none of the other NJCAA Division III baseball teams claim.
The Cougars were ousted from the double-elimination tournament after just two games in 2008; they won a game in 2009 and two in 2010. This year, MCC traveled the furthest (1,633 miles), beat Eastfield from down the street (Mesquite, TX) 11-9 in the tournament opener, then lost its first game in the winner’s bracket final against defending champion Gloucester after a 4-3 victory over Erie CC Sunday.
“I think that now it’s less of a ‘oh my god, it’s a New England team,’” Strahowski said of the respect his team has gained for New England baseball over the four years. “We still kind of have to earn our way down here, which is okay. You are playing with guys who play year round.”
Eastfield (38-21) scored a pair of runs in each of the first two innings and starter Joe Mills (7 IP, 3R, 9H) survived MCC’s three-run third inning that cut the lead down to 4-3.
“They came out and swung it,” Strahowski said of Eastfield, who won the tournament in 2001 and 2006. “I think the three best offensive teams made it the furthest. Eastfield was pretty solid 1 through 9. We knew how to get them out if we made the pitches. When we made some quality pitches, we were able to neutralize them a little bit.”
Gloucester (Sewell, NJ) needs to beat Eastfield just once to repeat as champions and bring home the school’s seventh World Series title. Should Eastfield win Wednesday night’s game, the teams will meet again Thursday in the 15th and final game of the tournament. Manchester finished third in the eight team field.
Mills threw 137 pitches and had to deal with runners on base in every inning but the second when he retired the Cougars (26-24) in order. Michael Weatherby took over after Mills walked Yohendy Gonzalez leading off the eighth and recorded the final six outs without incident.
“He did an excellent job,” Eastfield head coach Michael Martin said of Mills. “That guy ran out there and threw seven innings for us, seven strong innings after already throwing two or three in this tournament. I didn’t really know what to expect as far as how much we were going to get out of him and he kept burying the ball in the strike zone and competing out there. He just showed a lot of heart.”
Hesland Foster was 3 for 3 for the Harvesters with two RBI and leadoff hitter Nathan Hancock, who was 4 for 4 when Eastfield eliminated Erie CC 3-1 in the first game of the day, scored two runs after Manchester starter Brian Levchuk (2-1) walked him in both the first and second innings.
Strahowski’s 2011 team played 50 games, starting in the bitter cold in Edison, NJ on March 5. The Cougars hit rock bottom on April 11 after a humiliating 11-2 mercy-rule loss to conference rival Northern Essex CC left them at 7-19. Clearly, they were underachieving together. The former CCSU lefty who played in the Little League World Series in 1984 against the likes of Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek, posted the stats on his office door with the team batting average highlighted in neon yellow.
“I try my best not to call guys out,” said Strahowski, who has compiled a 217-172-3 record over 12 seasons at MCC. “But I called the team out as a group. It was one of those things where I said, ‘collectively we are hitting .217 – we are grown men, swinging aluminum bats and we are hitting .217.’ Something is wrong. All of a sudden the last 20 games we probably hit .410 as a team that’s what we thought we had coming in.”
MCC roared through the final ten games of the regular season, swept through the Region 21 tournament and went to the World Series having won 12 of its last 13. They competed in all four tournament games despite being down 13-4 and 4-0 early in the final two games.
“They didn’t give up,” Strahowski said of his team’s effort in the series. “We were down early to Gloucester and they clawed their way back two different innings when they needed runs to stay in the game. We had double digit hits - even tonight we matched them with hits, we just couldn’t plate the big run.”
Martin, in his tenth year as Eastfield head coach and owner of a ring from the ‘06 championship team, never underestimated MCC’s resiliency.
“They are a great team,” Martin said of Manchester. “They have some good players over there. Those guys competed the whole way through. We’re scratching a clawing all the way to the end of that game to come away with a win. It was a tough game on both sides.”
Freshman catcher Kyle Holland hit .529 (9 for 17) with six RBI and two stolen bases in his first series while sophomore Kevin Madera, who would have been the starting pitcher on Wednesday had the Cougars advanced, hit .412 (7 for 17) with a pair of doubles and six RBI.Both were All-Region 21 first team selections and Holland was named the region’s defensive player of the year.
Sophomore Mat Niedzwiecki (1-0, 1.69 ERA over 10.2 innings) also had an outstanding tournament with a complete game and scoreless relief outing against Eastfield.
“It’s pretty amazing to get from where we were to where we are now,” Strahowski said.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Eastfied 5 Manchester 3 bot 6
I'm back in Press Box B where the no flinching rule is strictly enforced. Again, it's an honor to be sitting next to Texas broadcast legend with Lin Michaels from TCRN.
Between innings, I learned that Lin played at Tyler Junior College (1970 and '71) and was a batboy for the Houston Astros ('69, 70. '71). The Houston native's first game as bat boy was a no-hitter thrown by Astro Don Wilson. The bat boy he replaced worked a no-hitter the previous day when Cincinnati's Jim Maloney threw one at the Astros. It's still the only time two no-hitters were thrown in the same series.
Eastfield scratched out a run in the bottom of the fourth and Manchester is hitting Mills, who threw 102 pitches after five innings, quite hard. Mills had an uneventful sixth inning and returned for the seventh with 117 pitches on his dance card.
Eastfield has the bases loaded with one out...
Manchester 000 300........381
Eastfield 220 10.........571
Between innings, I learned that Lin played at Tyler Junior College (1970 and '71) and was a batboy for the Houston Astros ('69, 70. '71). The Houston native's first game as bat boy was a no-hitter thrown by Astro Don Wilson. The bat boy he replaced worked a no-hitter the previous day when Cincinnati's Jim Maloney threw one at the Astros. It's still the only time two no-hitters were thrown in the same series.
Eastfield scratched out a run in the bottom of the fourth and Manchester is hitting Mills, who threw 102 pitches after five innings, quite hard. Mills had an uneventful sixth inning and returned for the seventh with 117 pitches on his dance card.
Eastfield has the bases loaded with one out...
Manchester 000 300........381
Eastfield 220 10.........571
Eastfield 4 MCC 3...mid fourth
Kyle Lentini made a great catch off the bat of Eric Graceto stop the bleeding in the second...
Kyle Holland and Kevin Madera each singled in the third inning but were stranded at the corners.
Not sure how much Nedz has left in him after throwing a CG (107 pitches)Saturday. Kevin Bartlett, who threw 50 pitches over 1.1 innings last night before getting the hook, is warming in the pen.
Meanwhile, MCC is picking away at Eastfield starter Joe Mills. He walked Yohendy Gonzalez, Kyle Lentini and and A. J. Silberman with two out in the top of the fourth before Kyle Holland's third single of the game plated two runs. Jesse Sutherland hit Mills' 36 th pitch of the inning into right center field to score Silby...Mills has thrown 88 pitches through four innings
Manchester 000 3 361
Eastfield 220 1 551
Kyle Holland and Kevin Madera each singled in the third inning but were stranded at the corners.
Not sure how much Nedz has left in him after throwing a CG (107 pitches)Saturday. Kevin Bartlett, who threw 50 pitches over 1.1 innings last night before getting the hook, is warming in the pen.
Meanwhile, MCC is picking away at Eastfield starter Joe Mills. He walked Yohendy Gonzalez, Kyle Lentini and and A. J. Silberman with two out in the top of the fourth before Kyle Holland's third single of the game plated two runs. Jesse Sutherland hit Mills' 36 th pitch of the inning into right center field to score Silby...Mills has thrown 88 pitches through four innings
Manchester 000 3 361
Eastfield 220 1 551
Eastfield Takes Early Lead; Early Exit for Levchuk
MCC left the bases loaded in the top of the first and Eastfield College, coming off a 3-1 win over Erie CC in the elimination game preceding ours, scored two runs on two hits in the bottom of the inning to take an early 2-0 lead.
MCC starter Brian Levchuk hit three batter and walked two and has been pulled with runners on first and second and one run in in the second.
Game two winner Mat Niedzwiecki is in.
Manchester 00 020
Eastfield 22 430
MCC starter Brian Levchuk hit three batter and walked two and has been pulled with runners on first and second and one run in in the second.
Game two winner Mat Niedzwiecki is in.
Manchester 00 020
Eastfield 22 430
Monday, May 23, 2011
Gloucester Avoids Disaster; Holds Off MCC for 15-9 Win
Gloucester Looking to Repeat after Handing MCC a 15-9 Loss
Roadrunners Score eight in the Fifth; Cougars Need Three Consecutive Wins for First National Title
By Paul Ofria
TYLER, TX – Defending champion Gloucester CC (31-16) sent 14 batters to the plate and scored eight runs in the top of the fifth inning in a 15-9 victory over Manchester CC (26-23) at the 2011 NJCAA Division III World Series.
It was the first loss for the Cougars, who will play an elimination game on Tuesday at 8PM Eastern against the winner of the 5PM game at Mike Carter Field between Erie CC and Eastfield CC. Gloucester will have Tuesday off and can win its sixth national championship win a victory on Wednesday.
“We couldn’t get the last out of the inning,” Strahowski said of decisive fifth inning. “Walking guys, we kicked it around a little, not playing clean. At this level you have to play clean.” MCC made five errors leading to four unearned runs.
Gloucester jumped out to 5-0 lead after two innings and the Cougars trailed 13-4 in the fifth. They were an out away from having the mercy rule applied twice but stayed alive with two runs in the bottom of the fifth and struck for five more in the seventh, cutting the Roadrunners lead to 15-9.
“We swung it,” Strahowski said of his team’s 11-hit attack. “We knew that the second or third time through the order we would be able to get to their starting pitcher. If there was another positive, we got into their bullpen and made them get some guys up and going. Hopefully that will help us if we do make it to Wednesday.”
The winner of the Erie vs. Eastfield game – the two teams MCC beat in the tournament – will have to win two games on Tuesday for a shot a Gloucester on Wednesday. Manchester would have to win the Tuesday night game and beat Gloucester on Wednesday and Thursday night to bring home the school’s first national championship.
“It’s a tough thing to do,” Strahowski said when asked about winning two games in one day at the national level. “We have to come in and dictate the tone early.”
Gloucester starter Rob Applegate (7-1) pitched into the seventh inning and his bullpen held off the Cougars over the final three innings. Ronnie Tanner tied a World Series record with five hits and drove in four runs.
Kyle Holland and Jesse Sutherland scored two runs apiece for MCC. South Windsor’s Adam Scanlon pitched well in three innings of relief, allowing two earned runs on four hits. Strahowski used six pitchers, but saved Brian Levchuk (2-0, 2.12 ERA) for Tuesday night.
Kevin Madera had two hits and drove in five runs for the Cougars. Gloucester chased MCC starter and losing pitcher Kevin Bartlett (2-6) after 1.1 innings and 50 pitches.
2011 NJCAA Division III World Series
at Mike Carter Field, Tyler, TX
Gloucester 15 Manchester 9
Gloucester 140 080 020 15 17 1
Manchester 000 220 500 9 11 5
Roadrunners Score eight in the Fifth; Cougars Need Three Consecutive Wins for First National Title
By Paul Ofria
TYLER, TX – Defending champion Gloucester CC (31-16) sent 14 batters to the plate and scored eight runs in the top of the fifth inning in a 15-9 victory over Manchester CC (26-23) at the 2011 NJCAA Division III World Series.
It was the first loss for the Cougars, who will play an elimination game on Tuesday at 8PM Eastern against the winner of the 5PM game at Mike Carter Field between Erie CC and Eastfield CC. Gloucester will have Tuesday off and can win its sixth national championship win a victory on Wednesday.
“We couldn’t get the last out of the inning,” Strahowski said of decisive fifth inning. “Walking guys, we kicked it around a little, not playing clean. At this level you have to play clean.” MCC made five errors leading to four unearned runs.
Gloucester jumped out to 5-0 lead after two innings and the Cougars trailed 13-4 in the fifth. They were an out away from having the mercy rule applied twice but stayed alive with two runs in the bottom of the fifth and struck for five more in the seventh, cutting the Roadrunners lead to 15-9.
“We swung it,” Strahowski said of his team’s 11-hit attack. “We knew that the second or third time through the order we would be able to get to their starting pitcher. If there was another positive, we got into their bullpen and made them get some guys up and going. Hopefully that will help us if we do make it to Wednesday.”
The winner of the Erie vs. Eastfield game – the two teams MCC beat in the tournament – will have to win two games on Tuesday for a shot a Gloucester on Wednesday. Manchester would have to win the Tuesday night game and beat Gloucester on Wednesday and Thursday night to bring home the school’s first national championship.
“It’s a tough thing to do,” Strahowski said when asked about winning two games in one day at the national level. “We have to come in and dictate the tone early.”
Gloucester starter Rob Applegate (7-1) pitched into the seventh inning and his bullpen held off the Cougars over the final three innings. Ronnie Tanner tied a World Series record with five hits and drove in four runs.
Kyle Holland and Jesse Sutherland scored two runs apiece for MCC. South Windsor’s Adam Scanlon pitched well in three innings of relief, allowing two earned runs on four hits. Strahowski used six pitchers, but saved Brian Levchuk (2-0, 2.12 ERA) for Tuesday night.
Kevin Madera had two hits and drove in five runs for the Cougars. Gloucester chased MCC starter and losing pitcher Kevin Bartlett (2-6) after 1.1 innings and 50 pitches.
2011 NJCAA Division III World Series
at Mike Carter Field, Tyler, TX
Gloucester 15 Manchester 9
Gloucester 140 080 020 15 17 1
Manchester 000 220 500 9 11 5
Cougars Hanging in There
Mike Methot is making his World Series debut after Adam Scanlon held things together for a bit...My book is a mess, so I can't give you his numbers, but can tell you he was the valedictorian of the six Cougar pitchers Straw and Barry wheeled out to the mound tonight...
Gloucester 15
Manchester 9
top 9
Gloucester 15
Manchester 9
top 9
Getting Late and Crazy
Presses have been halted...
sort of:
Kevin Madera hit a bases loaded double to chase Gloucester starter Rob Applegate and cut the Roadrunner lead to 13-7 in the seventh. Manchester has been on the brink of mercy twice and survived...it's getting interesting. anyone with me?
Matt Conyers of the Courant has our backs.
Garrett DaCunto SF makes it 13-8....runners at the corners one out.
sort of:
Kevin Madera hit a bases loaded double to chase Gloucester starter Rob Applegate and cut the Roadrunner lead to 13-7 in the seventh. Manchester has been on the brink of mercy twice and survived...it's getting interesting. anyone with me?
Matt Conyers of the Courant has our backs.
Garrett DaCunto SF makes it 13-8....runners at the corners one out.
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