Cowboys Oust Seminole State to Advance in Region II Play
JENKS – Second-seeded Connors Cowboys used clutch hitting, and pitching to oust top seed Seminole State 4-3 in the NJCAA Region II Baseball Tournament at Hinch Field on Saturday afternoon.
The Cowboys (39-19) plays Eastern State, who remains unbeaten in the tournament, at 7 p.m. The Mountaineers defeated the Cowboys 7-4 on Friday in the second round. Eastern enters the tournament with a 35-20 record.
Tyler Muse and Matt Oberste supplied the hitting muscle for the Cowboys with Clint Spratlin and Dustin Knight holding the Trojans’ bats at bay.
“You get guys on base and drive them in, that was the big difference today over last night,” said Connors interim head coach Bobby Foreman. “I am really proud of the way we responded today. We got after it.”
The two clubs each scored two runs in their half of the first inning with Oberste blasting a two-run homer, his 17th of the season. Oberste scored Cam’Ron Summers, who singled to right field.
Both clubs scored single runs in the sixth for a 3-3 deadlock with Tyler Muse, who went 3-for-5 at the plate with 2 RBIs, hitting his first home run of the season. Muse’s blast was a solo shot over the 370-marker in right field.
Connors took the lead for good in the seventh when Muse singled into right field scoring Oberste, who had walked to open the inning. Oberste moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Tyler Wheeler, followed by walks to Brodie Ross, and Wes Newman to load the bases. Christopher Tavares then flied out to right field for the second out.
Muse followed with a sharp single to right field that scored Oberste with the winning run.
Connors pounded out 10 bases hits with, Summers, Jacob Barton collecting two hits each and Muse leading the way with three.
Clint Spratlin got the win for the Cowboys (6-1) going six innings, scattering four hits, striking out four and walking one. Dustin Knight pitched three innings of relief, did not give up a hit, while striking out two and no walks for his sixth save of the season.
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