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Ball teams do well in first round

By Keith Burner - | May 17, 2000

Baseball
The Tonganoxie baseball team beat Basehor-Linwood Monday night in the opening round of the regional baseball tournament, 3-1, keeping them alive for at least one more game.

Coach Chris Herron said the low-scoring game was a battle of which team could play the best defense.

And the Chieftains won that battle. Their stifling defense was a brick wall, giving the Bobcats no second chances. Tonganoxie committed no errors in the game.

“Defensively, we played them pretty tough,” Herron said. “This was our first error-free game of the season.”

It couldn’t have come at a better time, because while the defense was on fire, there were very few hits in the game. When there are few hits, that usually means the pitcher had a good game.

And Tonganoxie pitcher Brandon Harsh did have a good game, taking out Bobcat after Bobcat on the way to a nine strike-out performance. He only gave up one run and one walk in the six and two-thirds innings he was in the game.

Herron said Harsh had done an outstanding job at the mound all season.

“He’s been a great kid for us this year,” he said. “He’s a tough competitor and he never wants to come out of the game.”

Next up for the Chieftains in round two of regional play is Lansing, who they play at 4:30 p.m. today in Piper.

Softball
The Tonganoxie softball team won its first game of the regional tournament Monday night in Eudora against Jefferson County West, 9-6

The game was the first of three that the team must win to qualify for the state tournament May 27 in Manhattan.

“We won,” Coach Mark Mall said. “So we get to live for another day.”

This time of year is do-or-die time for softball and baseball teams, which face elimination with every post-season game.

The team played its second game Tuesday afternoon against Basehor-Linwood, and, if it won, was scheduled to play in the regional championship game Tuesday night. That final game determined whether the team would progress to the state tournament, which begins May 27 in Manhattan.

For results of Tuesday’s games, see The Mirror’s Web site: www.tonganoxiemirror.com.

Coach Mall said the two biggest keys to the team’s victory were solid defense and smoking bats. The Chieftains allowed only two errors and got on base 14 times.

“We played really well,” Mall said. “Eight of nine plays had a hit.”

Of those eight players, four had two hits. Sarah Subelka went 2-4 at the plate, with three RBIs, as did Heather beach. Jenny Crain and Deaven Workman also went 2-4.

Mall said that pitcher Sammy Schiltz had an off night at the mound, but got the job done anyway.

“She was feeling a little under the weather and struggled a bit,” Mall said. “But she pitched well when her team needed her.”