MAC makes two grand comebacks to sweep Three Rivers

By MATT KING/Daily Journal Sports Writer

PARK HILLS - The Mineral Area College baseball team had a flair for the dramatic during a home double-header against rival Three Rivers on Saturday that could prove to be a positive turning point in its season.

The Cardinals erased a six-run deficit in game one to take the lead on Ryan Becker's fifth-inning grand slam, then relied on brilliant relief pitching by freshman Drew Horrell to hold on for an 11-10 victory.

After launching a two-run shot in game one, lead-off man Ryan Dickerman matched Becker's heroics in game two with his second blast of the day, a go-ahead grand slam in the sixth to propel MAC past the Raiders 8-4.

MAC (9-14) evened its record at 2-2 in Region XVI play, thanks to two come-from-behind wins over the club that ended its season on a sour note one year ago with a no-hitter in the region tournament. The Cardinals will continue region play this afternoon in Kansas City against Maple Woods.

Three Rivers (12-7) enjoyed a fast start to game one, scoring five runs in the first inning against MAC starter Jeff Scott. RBI hits by Shawn Lee and Ben Clendenen made it 2-0 before Andrew Cella crushed a three-run homer to right-center.

After the Raiders added a run in the top of the third, Joaby Sikes delivered a two-run single in the home half to bring the Cardinals to within 6-2. MAC tied the game with a big four-run rally in the fourth against right-handed hurler Steven Spencer.

Michael Hall drove in two runs with a clutch two-out single to left after runners alertly advanced to second and third on a missed infield fly, then scored when Dickerman connected on the first of his two long bombs on the afternoon. Three Rivers regained the lead on a RBI single in the fifth by Cella, who then scored on an error to make it 8-6.

MAC sent 10 batters to the plate in the bottom of the fifth, and scored five times to move in front to stay. Lucas Hulsey drove in Marty Clements with a single to make it a one-run game. After Scott Hubbard was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Becker deposited a 2-0 curve ball over the wall in right-center.

The Raiders nearly fought back to even the score again in the sixth. Carlos Gomez slapped a two-run single to left, capping a perfect 3-for-3 performance at the plate to make it 11-10.

Horrell inherited two baserunners when he took the mound, but escaped danger with two huge strikeouts before tossing a scoreless seventh to earn the save. Shayn Mabury picked up the win for the Cardinals after allowing two runs on four hits over two innings.

Dickerman was 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored while Becker finished 2-for-3 with four RBI and two runs scored for MAC. Hulsey and Hall were also 2-for-3.

Lee went 3-for-5 with two runs scored for the Raiders while Cella was 2-for-3 with four RBI. Spencer allowed 11 hits and three walks while striking out three in the loss.

The Cardinals appeared to be in jeopardy of wasting a solid start on the mound from freshman Blake Jones in game two, but overcame a 3-2 deficit with six runs during the sixth.

Jones surrendered 11 hits and recorded just one strikeout over six innings, but worked out of trouble and earned the win by inducing several ground balls in tight situations. The MAC defense committed no errors behind him.

Mineral Area opened the scoring on a RBI single by Clements in the first, but Three Rivers answered with a sacrifice fly by Brennon Willard in the second to tie the game. Willard added a RBI single on his next plate appearance in the fourth to give the Raiders a 2-1 lead.

MAC drew even on a RBI single up the middle by catcher Aaron Miller in the bottom of the fourth, but Three Rivers surged ahead once again in the sixth. Jones gave up a RBI single to Evan Phillips and eventually loaded the bases, but induced a long fly out to end the frame.

Hubbard sparked the Cardinals go-ahead rally in the sixth with a lead-off single. A hit batsman and the third of four Three Rivers errors loaded the bases for Dickerman, who launched a 3-1 fast ball from reliever B.J. Underkofler over the fence in right to give MAC a 6-3 lead. Dickerman finished the game 2-for-4, along with Hubbard and Kenny Pikula.

Following another miscue by the Raiders, Clements scored on a wild pitch and Pikula ripped a RBI single to left to make it 8-3.

Clendenen homered against Jones to begin the seventh, but Jeremy Warren came out of the bullpen to silence the Raiders from there. Cella was the top hitter in the game for Three Rivers, going 3-for-4 with three runs scored.

Three Rivers 501 022 0 - 10 13 1

Mineral Area 002 450 x - 11 11 2

TRCC:

Hitting - Lee 3, Gomez 3, Cella 2, Woodbury 2, Wood, Clendenen, Hartman. 2b - Gomez. HR - Cella.

Pitching - Spencer (L) 4 1/3i 11r 11h 3k 3bb 1hp. Deken 1 2/3i 0r 0h 1k 0bb.

MAC:

Hitting - Dickerman 2, Hulsey 2, Becker 2, Hall 2, Hubbard, Clements, Sikes. 2b - Dickerman. HR - Dickerman (1), Becker (1).

Pitcher - Scott 3i 6r 6h 2k 3bb, Mabury (W) 2i 2r 4h 0k 1bb, Graviett 1/3i 2r 2h 0k 2bb, Horrell (SV) 1 2/3i 0r 1h 3k 0bb.

Three Rivers 010 101 1 - 4 11 4

Mineral Area 100 106 x - 8 10 0

TRCC:

Hitting - Cella 3, Phillips 2, Woodbury, Lee, Clendenen, Gomez, Lacey, Willard. 2b - Cella. HR - Clendenen.

Pitching - Mathis (L) 5i 4r 7h 0k 2bb 1hp, Underkofler 1i 4r 1er 3h 1k 0bb.

MAC:

Hitting - Dickerman 2, Pikula 2, Hubbard 2, Clements, Stahl, Miller, Hall. HR - Dickerman (2).

Pitching - Jones (W) 6i 4r 11h 1k 2bb 3hp, Warren 1i 0r 0h 1k 1bb.