May 11, 2007

It didn't look so good after the eighth inning. The Northeastern Junior College baseball team squandered a five-run lead, and the Plainsmen trailed 6-5 going into the ninth inning against Lamar in the Region IX Tournament.

But Coach Bryan Shepherd's crew rallied for a run when Jeff Squier tagged and scored on a shallow fly ball to left by Rhett Welsh. The Plainsmen broke the tie in the top of the 12th inning when Gustavo Velazquez hit a solo homer and Josh Warren knocked in Langston Frison with a single.

NJC took the game, 8-6, when Justin Mattelka retired three Lamar hitters in the bottom of the 12th to pick up the victory on the mound. James Quisenberry started the game for NJC, and he cruised through seven innings. He had a five-run lead in the bottom of the eighth when the wheels came off and Lamar scored six runs. Freshman Danny Brock came on in relief to stop the bleeding, and Mattelka finished the job.

Northeastern took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning when Langston Frison reached first on a dropped third strike and advanced to second on a throwing error by the Lamar catcher. Frison scored on a Squier single, and Squier stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error. Sam Feiner singled to bring in Squier and extend NJC's lead.

The Plainsmen tacked on three runs in the top of the eighth, and the team looked poised to win the game handily. Brock and Welsh both reached base by fielder's choice, and Velazquez singled both runners home following a past ball. Velazquez scored on Frison's two-out double to right-center to make the score 5-0. Frison's blow knocked Lamar ace pitcher Willie Kesler out of the game.

The Plainsmen improved to 28-23 overall.

Squier led the Plainsmen at the plate. The Sterling product was a homer away from the cycle with a single, a double and a triple. The sophomore also scored twice and stole a base.

Warren, Feiner, Velazquez and Frison had two hits apiece to contribute to NJC's offensive attack.

The Plainsmen will take on Trinidad at 2 p.m. on Saturday in the most meaningful game of the season. The game will be broadcast on KPMX radio. A win will put the Plainsmen in the championship game, and their opponent would have to beat them twice to take the tournament.

Shepherd's group beat Trinidad three times in a four-game series to end the regular season. Trinidad beat the Plainsmen twice at home earlier in the season, so the season series is tied at three games apiece.