Pioneers
Grab Sub-Regional Crown
(Spartanburg, S.C.)---Tusculum
College (28-15) used four hits from Josh Signs and a strong pitching effort
from Adam Blume to hold off hard-charging Huntingdon College 8-6 in the title
game of the NAIA Southeast Independent Sub-Regional Tournament at Spartanburg’s
Duncan Park.
The Pioneers took a quick
1-0 lead in the first inning. Signs led off the game with a single, advanced
to second on a wild pitch, and came around on Damon Topolie’s double.
TC doubled the lead in
the second when Shane Banks slammed his second home run of the tournament.
Meanwhile, Blume was coasting
through the early innings. The Phoenix, Ariz.. sophomore did not allow a Huntingdon
hit until the fourth and retired ten straight batters after a leadoff walk to
Jason Gill to begin the game.
The lead was extended to
5-0 in the fifth. Eric Ritson reached via error and moved to third on another
Signs single. Greg Dykes then singled to score Ritson, the attempted throw to
retire Signs at third bounded into the dugout, allowing Signs to score and Dykes
to reach third. Ryan Baker followed up with a hit to right field, plating Dykes
with the fifth Pioneer run.
The Hawks plated an unearned
run in the sixth. Jason Gill’s fly ball was dropped and he later scored
on Ryan Limbaugh’s two-out double. The hot-hitting Limbaugh led the tournament
with 11 base hits.
Signs opened the TC seventh
with a single to chase Hawk starter Wes Messick. Dykes advanced Signs to second,
Topolie walked, and Baker singled to score Signs. Chris Chapman slapped a hit
to center to apparently fill the bases, but Baker was caught rounding second
too far and tagged out and Topolie was also thrown out amidst the confusion.
The Hawks, who had reached
the title game following come from behind wins against Faulkner and Limestone,
would not quit. Gill’s two-run double cut the lead in half and ended Blume’s
afternoon. Chris Hardee came out of the bullpen to strand Gill by retiring all-subregional
selections Messick and Jeremy Whitaker.
Huntingdon used a two-out
rally in the eighth to pull within 6-4. A single and a walk set up a run-scoring
single from Ben Freeman. Ryan Priest relieved Hardee and immediately walked
Brad Horn to load the bases. However, Priest recovered to induce Gill into a
rally killing ground out.
The Pioneers plated two
very important insurance runs in the top of the ninth. Ritson doubled and scored
on Sign’s fourth hit of the day. Signs moved to third on Dyke’s ground
out and scored on Topolie’s hard hit line out to left field. The run batted
in was Topolie’s 50th of the season.
The Hawks made one final effort. Whitaker and Limbaugh stroked one-out singles. Jeremy Sanders grounded back to Priest, but the throw sailed into centerfield allowing Whitaker to score and Limbaugh to move to third. Kevin Gilly replaced Priest on the mound and hit Mark Fussell to allow the tying run to reach base. Burdette’s sacrifice fly accounted for the second out but scored Limbaugh.
The Pioneers recorded the
final out in bizarre fashion. Freeman slapped a soft liner that fell at the
feet of left fielder Jeremy Zevetchin. The runner at second, Sanders, apparently
thought the ball would be caught and did not run, so Zevetchin tossed the ball
to third baseman Topolie to end the contest.
The Pioneers now advance to the NAIA Southeast Regional Tournament at Albany, Ga. on May 9. An opponent and times will determined later this week.
NAIA All-Southeastern Subregion Squad Named
(Spartanburg, S.C.)---The NAIA All-Southeastern Independent Sub-Region
all-star squad as selected by a panel of sub-region coaches.
1998 NAIA All-Southeast Sub-Region Independent
All-Stars
INF-Chris Chapman, Tusculum, Sr., Rock Hill, S.C., .320-2-27
INF-Jeremy Whitaker, Huntingdon, Sr., Black, Ala., .437-1-26
INF-Rick Isbill, Limestone, Sr., Leesburg, Fla., .407-2-35
INF-Trent Sexton, Faulkner, Sr., Pensacola, Fla., .385-8-32
INF-Greg Dykes, Tusculum, Sr., Limestone, Tenn., .388-1-24
DH-Damon Topolie, Tusculum, Sr., North Bay, Ont., .434-4-47
OF-Ryan Baker, Tusculum, Soph., Kingsport, Tn., .489-6-32
OF-Aaron Church, Limestone, Jr., Chuluota, Fla., .390-5-38
OF-Michael Cade, Benedict, Soph., Calhoun Falls, S.C., .433-2-23
OF-Wesley Messick, Huntingdon, Jr., Hope Hull, Ala., .367-6-22
C-Jerome Sanders, Huntingdon, Sr., Valley, Ala., .333-12-42
C-Josh Martin, Limestone, Jr., Dallas, N.C., .341-9-62
P-Terry White, Faulkner, Jr., Wetumpka, Ala., 7-5, 2.57, 1SV
P-Theo Akers, Benedict, Jr., Rock Hill, S.C., 6-2, 3.19
P-Jerry Zaffis, Limestone, Jr., Orlando, Fla., 7-6, 3.47
P-Joaquim Brown, Benedict, Sr., Summerton, S.C., 5-1, 1.96
Player of the Year: Rick Isbill, Limestone