| The College of Eastern Utah calls off the pitcher on his way to first for an out during a recent game vs. Western Nevada. |
The Eagles headed to post season play in Henderson Nev. last week. They had to face Salt Lake Community College for their first match up. In a double elimination format in which the two lower seeds vied for a chance to take on number one seed in the second game, it was Salt Lake that came out on top 3-8. But after facing Souther Nevada and losing, SLCC had to take on CEU again and this time it was the Eagles that won 6-5 and sent SLCC packing.
Hoping to pull off a second upset, CEU then faced Souther Nevada for the championship game, but came up on the sort end 6-1. The Eagles head home to clean out their lockers and Southern Nevada will play a seven game series against Western Nevada to earn a trip to Arizona for the district tournament.
In game one it was the same issue that they had struggled with all season, lack of production from their offense. SLCC didn’t have that problem and went up by four before the second. The usually solid Jayson Madson was chased from the game early and Fernando Martinez came on to try and slow SLCC down. CEU put up three in the fifth and pulled within two. SLCC added two in the sixth and one more in the eight to finish them off.
The next day the two teams went at it again. SLCC had played Southern Nevada and lost in the night cap the day before and expected to send CEU packing, but CEU had other thoughts. Neither team could score in the first three innings. Jake Bankoski pitched some solid ball for five innings.
The Eagles broke out of their offensive slump with four in the fourth. SLCC put up three of their own. They added on in the fifth to tie it up and Seth Spainhower took over. He allowed them one in the sixth before his team gave him back the lead with two in the seventh. Cole Evans came in for the save and sent SLCC home for the season.
Evans went back to the mound to start the game against number one seed Southern Nevada. He allowed two runs to get his team in an early hole. CEU closed the gap in the third with one run and the game stayed close until the fifth. SNCC did not beat the Eagles with a big inning, but picked away, adding a run here and two there. Again lack of offenses let the Eagles down in a game that would have been within reach with a few well placed hits. In the end the stronger team prevailed and it was the Eagles who finished up their season with a loss.