College Sports

By JOE BUIE
Staff Writer

MCKINNEY — Last year’s District C Tournament was a cakewalk compared to this.

Defending champion Tyler Junior College lost a one-run lead in the ninth, and Eastfield scored on a steal of home and a three-run homer to stun the Apaches, 8-4, Friday night in an opening-round game at Gabe Nesbitt Field.

The Harvesters tied the game on Eric Hill’s one-out single, took a 5-4 lead when the speedy Keenan Duke stole home, and then tacked on Craig Guerrero’s three-run homer as insurance to put the Apaches in the loser’s bracket.

TJC will now have to win four games in two days to get back to the Division III World Series.

The Apaches threw their two all-conference pitchers against Eastfield. Matt Kinard allowed two runs in 7 1-3 innings and struck out seven on 133 pitches, but Michael LaCourse failed to get the save.

Cleanup hitter Travis Graves greeted LaCourse in the eighth with a two-run blast over the left-field fence to bring Eastfield within 4-3.

The Harvesters led off the top of the ninth with a bloop single from No. 9 hitter Bryan Smith, and then Duke reached on a bunt single to set the table for the rally.

The loss put the top-seeded Apaches into an elimination game against North Arkansas today at noon.

North Arkansas lost to Richland, 12-3, in the early game and allowed five home runs.

Eastfield will take on Richland in a winner’s bracket semifinal today at 3 p.m.

If TJC can get past North Arkansas, the Apaches would face the Richland-Eastfield loser today at 6 p.m. in another elimination contest.

Eastfield threw left-hander Ryan Koenig against the Apaches and he overcame a few shaky spots to get his second win against TJC this season.

He allowed two home runs — Clint Stroud’s golf shot to right field in the second to make it 2-0, and Brandyn Greer’s solo homer in the fifth for a 3-1 lead, but Koenig lasted 8 2-3 on 133 pitches.

Eastfield 8, Tyler 4

Eastfield 000 010 025 — 8 8 1

Tyler 020 011 000 — 4 7 3

Ryan Koenig, Casey Stone (9) and Travis Graves. Matt Kinard, Michael LaCourse (8) and Kegan Johnson. W — Koenig; L — LaCourse (8-5). Sv — Stone. 2B — TJC: Colby Welsh, Brandyn Greer. HR — EC: Graves (one on, eighth inning); Craig Guerrero (two on, ninth inning); TJC: Clint Stroud (one on, second inning); Brandyn Greer (solo, fifth inning). SAC — TJC: Welsh. SB — EC: Keenan Duke.

RECORDS

— Eastfield, 32-22; Tyler, 30-20.

NEXT UP

— Tyler vs. North Arkansas, noon today; Eastfield vs. Richland, 3 p.m. today.

EST. ATT.

— 200.