Weekend wins keep Tigers waiting for tourney
By: Jonathan Batuello
Issue date: 5/6/08 Section: Sports
With a sweep of University of Chicago over the weekend, the No. 28 men's baseball team did exactly what it needed to do to stay in the running for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, but all the Tigers can do now is sit and wait.
They'll have to rely on their list of accomplishments over this past season, a list that includes setting a school record for wins in a season with 35, placing third in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament and beating top teams such as No. 14 Piedmont College.
The team's fate rests in the hands of the selection committee until Sunday, when it will hear whether its season continues or not. The odds are considered 50-50.
"All we can do at this point … is have everything fall the way we need it to with the other teams," said senior pitcher Aaron Meyers. "Winning those games [against Chicago] was all we could really do to help our situation."
The Tigers are hoping to receive one of 14 at-large bids into the tournament. The bids are based on regional records, which is why the victories over regional opponent Chicago were so important. Heading into Saturday's games in Chicago, the team knew what was at stake: one loss would have ended any chance of an at-large bid.
"Everyone stepped up," said sophomore designated hitter Mike Stout. "The pitching was solid through and we took care of business. Hopefully the two wins pushed us over the edge into the tournament."
In game one, the Tigers fell behind 2-1 heading into the fifth inning before senior outfielder Matt Kleine hit a sacrifice fly to score a run. Stout followed that with a three-run home run to take the lead for good. Eventually the Tigers won 7-2.
In the second game, the team fell behind 3-0 heading into the second inning before Kleine hit a single to score a run and Stout once again delivered a home-run, this time a two-run shot, to tie the game. The game remained tied until senior shortstop Eric Reese hit his first home run of the season to score two runs and give the Tigers the lead en route to a 7-4 victory. For Stout, the two home runs were his eighth and ninth of the season.
"I just try to stay relaxed and hit the ball where it's pitched," Stout said. "I know I have the power to do certain things, but ... I just knew there were guys in scoring position and I needed to connect and do what I needed to do."
For Meyers, seeing Reese "hit that bomb" will be one of the highlights of his season should the team not get an NCAA berth. For the team, it will be a season placed in the record books.
"It was a great season," Meyers said. "This year the mentality around the team was just different. That drive to go out and win that kind of wasn't present in the years past was there. I mean, looking at this season I'm happy with how we prepared ourselves and really went out there."
Now the team is hopeful that it isn't over. Walker has planned to continue practicing with hopes that the team will see its name in the tournament bracket come Sunday. That's all the Tigers can do - hope, sit and wait.
They'll have to rely on their list of accomplishments over this past season, a list that includes setting a school record for wins in a season with 35, placing third in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament and beating top teams such as No. 14 Piedmont College.
The team's fate rests in the hands of the selection committee until Sunday, when it will hear whether its season continues or not. The odds are considered 50-50.
"All we can do at this point … is have everything fall the way we need it to with the other teams," said senior pitcher Aaron Meyers. "Winning those games [against Chicago] was all we could really do to help our situation."
The Tigers are hoping to receive one of 14 at-large bids into the tournament. The bids are based on regional records, which is why the victories over regional opponent Chicago were so important. Heading into Saturday's games in Chicago, the team knew what was at stake: one loss would have ended any chance of an at-large bid.
"Everyone stepped up," said sophomore designated hitter Mike Stout. "The pitching was solid through and we took care of business. Hopefully the two wins pushed us over the edge into the tournament."
In game one, the Tigers fell behind 2-1 heading into the fifth inning before senior outfielder Matt Kleine hit a sacrifice fly to score a run. Stout followed that with a three-run home run to take the lead for good. Eventually the Tigers won 7-2.
In the second game, the team fell behind 3-0 heading into the second inning before Kleine hit a single to score a run and Stout once again delivered a home-run, this time a two-run shot, to tie the game. The game remained tied until senior shortstop Eric Reese hit his first home run of the season to score two runs and give the Tigers the lead en route to a 7-4 victory. For Stout, the two home runs were his eighth and ninth of the season.
"I just try to stay relaxed and hit the ball where it's pitched," Stout said. "I know I have the power to do certain things, but ... I just knew there were guys in scoring position and I needed to connect and do what I needed to do."
For Meyers, seeing Reese "hit that bomb" will be one of the highlights of his season should the team not get an NCAA berth. For the team, it will be a season placed in the record books.
"It was a great season," Meyers said. "This year the mentality around the team was just different. That drive to go out and win that kind of wasn't present in the years past was there. I mean, looking at this season I'm happy with how we prepared ourselves and really went out there."
Now the team is hopeful that it isn't over. Walker has planned to continue practicing with hopes that the team will see its name in the tournament bracket come Sunday. That's all the Tigers can do - hope, sit and wait.
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