Eagles soaring again in 3A

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, May 15, 2008 by Austin Meek

By Austin Meek

THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

LEONARDVILLE - The Silver Lake baseball team found itself in unfamiliar territory heading into Wednesday's Class 3A regional.

The Eagles, regular state tournament participants, were seeded third behind Rock Creek and Rossville.

Playing the part of the underdog required a few mental adjustments, coach Alan Cunningham said.

"When you come into the tournament and you're a lower seed, you're going to be visitors," Cunningham said. "You've got to able to withstand last bats and withstand being down."

The Eagles might have been the underdog on paper, but they still looked like the team to beat Wednesday. Silver Lake (18-5) rolled past Rock Creek 12-5 in the regional championship game behind a sparkling relief performance from Tyler Roberts and home runs from Tobi Cowdin and Jordan Haverkamp.

Cameron Renfro also launched a bases-loaded triple that scored three runs and iced the game in the top of the seventh inning.

"I don't think we hit it great," Cunningham said, "but I think we hit it timely."

Rock Creek wasted little time getting to Silver Lake starter Brady Abrahams, sending eight men to the plate in the first inning. Luis Gonzalez and Dustin Miner led off the inning with back-to-back singles, and Matt Gee homered to give the Mustangs an early 3-0 lead.

"That was kind of a shot to the heart," Cowdin said. "But we're playing with a lot of confidence. We knew we could come back from that."

Silver Lake came back to tie the game in the second inning behind a towering solo blast from Cowdin and a two-run, two-out single from Renfro, who finished with five RBIs.

The Mustangs added two runs in the fourth inning on an RBI single from pitcher Kegan Rawhouser and a bases-loaded walk to Rusty Renner.

Roberts slammed the door after that, however, striking out 10 and keeping Rock Creek off the scoreboard for the final 32/3 innnings.

"Tyler hasn't pitched for two weeks," Cunningham said of Roberts, who struck out the side in the sixth and seventh innings. "We wanted to give his shoulder some time off. He found (his rhythm) pretty quick. He's a good pitcher."

In all, it was the type of dominating performance more fitting for a front-runner than an underdog.

"We came in with a lot of confidence," Cowdin said. "We've got a pretty deep pitching staff, so I felt as if we were OK pitching- wise. I knew our bats would come around."

Rock Creek 10,Riley County 5

Rock Creek plated seven runs in the final two innings, rallying from 5-3 deficit to advance to the title game. Matt Gee launched a three-run home run in fifth inning, and Rusty Renner doubled to drive in two runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Blake Hageman homered for Riley County.

Silver Lake 9, Rossville 6

Tobi Cowdin pitched a complete game and helped his own cause with a three-run home run in the fifth inning to lead Silver Lake into the regional championship game.

After falling behind 5-2, the Eagles scored four runs in the fifth inning and three in the seventh to take control. Tyler Roberts' three-run homer was the big blow in the seventh inning.

Championship

SILVER LAKE 12, ROCK CREEK 5

Silver Lake__030__120__4__-__12__12__0

Rock Creek__300__200__0__-__5__5__2

Abrahams, Roberts (4) and Bowers; Rawhouser, Gee (6), Renner (7) and Miner. 2B - SL, Abrahams. 3B - SL, Renfro. HR - SL, Cowdin, Haverkamp; RC, Gee.

Records: Silver Lake 18-5, Rock Creek 18-5

Semifinals

ROCK CREEK 10, RILEY COUNTY 5

Riley County__001__220__0__-__5__ 6__0

Rock Creek__201__043__X__-__10__9__0

C. Kenney, Cromwell (5) and Hageman; Gonzalez, Gee (3) and Miner. 2B - Riley, Eastes; Rock Creek, Renner. HR - Riley, Hageman; Rock Creek, Gee.

SILVER LAKE 9, ROSSVILLE 6

Silver Lake__002__040__3__-__9__7__0

Rossville__110__300__1__-__6__10__1

Cowdin and Bowers; Graves, Brown (3), Buhler (5) and Hammer. 2B - SL, Bowers, Abrahams; RH, Cavazos. HR - SL, Cowdin, Roberts.