2010 FWS Game 2 (Click for Boxscore)

The Farmers have the most returning starters from last year on the their squad this fall, but are they the first team with the most "talent" to win the Omaha Cup in Rob Childress tenure as coach of the Aggies? Seven of the starters in today's game played and started a game last year for the Aggies, and that experience showed in the 12-3 victory.

Ross Hales trotted to the mound to continue his comeback from shoulder surgery that led to a redshirt season in 2010. Hales did not get the initial lead. He gave up an infield single to Jace Statum and then saw him steal second. As Statum was swiping third, Troy Stein's throw down to third was airmailed into the outfield allowing Statum to score.

Brandon Wood hit a one-out triple to right center with one out in the top of the second. A Kenny Jackson single to left tied the game. A hit and run groundout by Stein moved Jackson to second, and he came home on a single up the middle by Curl for a 2-1 lead.

Jackson started the fourth with an infield single, and Stein followed with a ball deep in the six hole that went for an infield safety as well. Collazo laid down a sacrifice bunt that Freeman dropped while looking at third, and the error loaded the bases. Curl hit a sharp single into left to score Jackson, but Statum's pinpoint throw retired the sliding Stein at home. Both Collazo and Curl moved up on the play, and Arthur scored Collazo when he pulled a grounder to second.

The 4-1 lead looked insurmountable as Hales was dealing and cruising through the Plowboy lineup. He retired five in a row before Bratsen walked, but a Statum double play that retired Bratsen at third ended the threat.

Michael Parrent replaced Freeman to start the fifth and tried to build off his Monday performance in the play-in game. He pitched around a fifth inning walk to retire six of the first seven Farmer batters he faced.

Hales then sat the side down in order in both the fourth and fifth before Bratsen singled to third with one out in the sixth. Statum moved him to second with a single up the middle before Hales hit Stinson to load the bases which brought Derrick Hadley on in relief. He promptly gave up a sacrifice fly to left by House to score Bratsen, but he followed that with a walk to Gonzalez to again load the bases. Estevan Uriegas came in to face Steve Martin and struck him out to end the threat and keep the score at 4-2.

The Farmers got the run back in the top of the very next inning. Arthur doubled to left to start the inning and moved to third on Naquin's infield single to second base. Juengel's 5-4-3 double play scored Arthur and pushed the Farmer lead to 5-1.

Kyle Martin came on to replace Parrent in the eighth and while he gave up a leadoff single to Wood, he retired Jackson on a grounder to short and saw Stein foul out to third. Collazo singled to right driving home Wood. That was when the flood gates opened when a high chopped grounder squirted under Stilson's glove for an error and continued the inning. Arthur, Naquin and Juengel all followed with singles and each came around to score. Smith cleared the bases with a two RBI triple to right center, and Wood brought him home with his second hit of the inning. When Steven Martin replaced Kmart, seven runs had scored as the lead ballooned to 12-2.

Uriegas cruised through a 1-2-3 eighth, but the Plowboys rallied against him in the bottom of the ninth. Gonzo singled up the middle to start the frame, but Esty struck out Martin for the first out. Davis singled to right, and Hinojosa loaded the bases with a single to left. Taylor lifted a fly ball to right center for a Gonzalez-scoring sacrifice fly, but Bratsen was retired on strikes to finish the ballgame and earn Uriegas a save.

Hales picked up the win after working five and a third innings and allowing two runs, one earned on three hits while walking two and striking out four.

2010 FWS Game 1 (click for Box Score)

After combining teams by dividing up the Roughnecks, both the Plowboys and the Farmers were ready to get down to business and battle for the Omaha Cup. Dylan Mendoza would toe the rubber for the Farmers against freshman Ryan Williams for the Plowboys.

The Plowboys jumped on top with a run in the third. Corey Brooks singled to right, and Kirby Taylor sacrificed him to second. After Krey Bratsen drew a walk, Mendoza struck out Jace Statum. A John Stilson single to center scored Brooks, but Bratsen was caught in a run down and went back to second, forcing Stilson to return to first where he was tagged out.

Ty Naquin and Matt Juengel singled to start the bottom of the fourth, but a pickoff attempt hit Naquin and both runners moved up. Adam Smith drove home Naquin with a ground out to short, and Brandon Wood lifted a fly ball to right that scored Juengel for a 2-1 lead.

Andrew Collazo singled with one out in the bottom of the fifth before Charlie Curl reached on a two-base error at third by Spencer Davis. A throwing error by Williams allowed Collazo to score making it 3-1.

After Stilson's third inning single, Mendoza settled into a nice rhythm and retired seven straight batters before finding himself in a jam in the sixth. Statum singled and then moved to second on Stilson's liner into left. House laced a single into right, and Statum was gunned down on a perfect throw from Naquin in right. Mendoza retired Gonzo on a fly out to short to escape the frame untouched.

The suddenly sidearm Kyle Martin came on in relief of Williams in the sixth and used double play grounders to erase Juengel's sixth inning single as well as Alcazar's seventh inning safety. He did run into trouble in the eighth when Naquin lifted a two-out single to left and came all the away around to score on a bang-bang play at the plate that led to a very upset Kevin Gonzalez asking the umpire what he saw on the play. The call stood and the Farmers were up 4-1.

Luke Maloy, who had replaced Medonza in the seventh and used a double play to escape trouble in his first inning and pitched around an error in the eighth, gave up back to back singles to Gonzalez and Martin to start the top of the ninth. Pinch hitter Brian Ellis grounded a ball to first for a fielder's choice but felt like Juengel missed the bag on the inning's first out. Brooks walked to load the bases, and the Farmers went to the bullpen and brought in Parker Ray.

Taylor battled Ray and eventually drew a full count walk to drive home Gonzo, but Ray settled down and got Bratsen to struck out and Statum to ground out to second to earn a save and put the Farmers on top 1-0 in the series.

Mendoza continued his strong fall, allowing just seven hits in 5.2 innings. The one run he allowed was earned, but he struck out eight and only issued one free pass.

Game two and game three will be played each of the next two days starting at 3:00 p.m. no matter if the Farmers win tomorrow or not.

2010 FWS Play in Game (click for Box Score)

The Roughnecks eliminated the Plowboys from the Omaha Cup in a 5-2 victory in the 2010 Fall World Series play in game. Michael Wacha outdueled Ross Stripling to earn the victory.

Wacha went six innings, allowing two runs (one earned) while allowing four hits and a walk while striking out one. Stripling also went six innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits, and he struck out six.

The Roughnecks broke on top in the third inning. Blair Dickey reached on an error on a chopped ball to third, and Davis' throw eluded House and sent Dickey all the way to third. Curl doubled down the left field line to score Dickey. Curl tried to score on a squeeze bunt, but Wacha's pitch was high in the strikezone, and Stilson could not put the bat on the ball. Curl was retired when caught in a rundown.

House started the game-winning rally with a one-out single in the bottom of the fourth. Stripling had cruised through the first three frames, allowing only a Gonzo double in the second while retiring 10 of 11. Gonzalez lined a double down the left field line, and House trotted home. Marlow stroked a double to left center to break the tie and score Gonzo. Following a Taylor foul out to first that moved Marlow to third, Ellis' grounder to short was misplayed by Curl and allowing Marlow to score.

The Roughnecks bounced back in the top of the fourth when Brooks led off with an infield single to short. He moved to second when Taylor's throw skipped past first. Curl brought him home with a hustling double to left to cut the score to 3-2.

Brandon Parrent replaced Wacha in the seventh and dominated the Roughneck lineup with his lefty curveball. He only allowed a windblown bloop single that fell just beyond House's reach in the seventh and a walk to the next batter in Brett Thornell. Parrent earned a three-inning save while striking out one.

While Parrent was dealing, his offense was giving him a cushion in the eighth. Hinojosa was brought in from right to pitch and Uriegas replaced him in the outfield. After a foulout, Taylor tripled over Esty's head in straight away right. Stilson was called on to end the threat, but Ellis tripled to right center and came home on a sacrifice fly to right to close out the scoring.

The Plowboys and Farmers met after the game to draft players off the Roughnecks, and the series will resume tomorrow at 3 p. m. at Olsen.

Friday 10-22

In the last game before the Fall World Series the Farmers rallied for a walk-off victory.

The Roughnecks' Stein drove home Stilson with a two-out single off Ross Hales in the top of the first inning.

Smith tied the game on a two-out single in the bottom of the first off Uriegas that scored Arthur. Wood singled to start the home half of the second and moved up on a passed ball and flyout to right before scoring on an Alcazar single up the middle.

Hales gave up an unearned run when Dickey singled up the middle and went all the way to third on an error by Wood. He came home on an error at third to tie the score at 2.

The Roughnecks took the lead in the seventh but not before Martin and Stein were thrown out at home on infield grounders with the bases loaded. When Curl was hit by a pitch, Hinojosa was forced home. They added another run in the eighth when both Stilson and Stein singled and Hinojosa's squeeze bunt brought home Stilson for a 4-2 lead.

Hadley walked Juengel to start the bottom of the eighth and threw two wild pitches to move him to third. Smith reached on an error at short that brought home Juengel and moved to second on the wild throw. Wood tied the game at four when he brought home Smith with a single up the middle. Steve Martin came on in relief and stranded Wood with three outs.

Naquin doubled off Martin with one out in the bottom of the ninth and moved to third when Juengel grounded out to second, but Stein couldn't corral a Martin pitch, and Naquin scampered home with the winning run.

Wednesday 10-20

The pitchers' duel between Ross Stripling and Brandon Parrent broke down in the fourth inning when the Roughnecks roughed up Parrent and earned a 5-4 victory.

Stripling allowed a single in the first but had to work out of a major jam in the second inning. House led off the inning with a single and moved to second when a Gonzalez bunt was thrown away. House was thrown out at third by Stripling on a sacrifice attempt by Marlow. Taylor singled through the left side to load the bases, but Stripling struck out Ellis and retired the speedy Bratsen on a 3-1 putout. He worked a 1-2-3 inning in the third and gave up a single to Marlow in the fourth but didn't allow a run while striking out four Plowboys.

Parrent retired the first nine of the first ten batters he faced, only allowing Hinojosa a two-out single in the second before it unraveled in the fourth. Steve Martin singled up the middle and stole second before Stein drew a walk. Hinojosa tripled both home on a drive to right center. Brooks singled him home on a ball to right. After an out, he went to third on a Curl double down the left field line. Thornell's grounder to the right hand side scored Brooks and moved Curl to third. Stilson reached on an error by House at first that also allowed Curl to score the fifth run of the inning.

The Plowboys started a rally in the fifth, Bratsen singled up the middle and Statum was walked by Freeman. After a strikeout, House doubled down the right field line to score both runners, and Gonzo doubled him home to cut the lead to 5-3.

Statum singled off Freeman with two out in the sixth, and Davis doubled him home on a deep drive to center.

The Roughnecks had hits in the fifth. Hinojosa tripled, Curl singled in the sixth and eighth, and Stilson singled in the sixth, but twice the Plowboys made outs at home to keep them off the scoreboard.

It looked like the Plowboys would tie the game in the seventh. House greeted Chaskin with a double to right center and Gonzo followed with a walk. Marlow singled to left, but House was gunned down on a relay from Brooks to Stilson to Stein. Taylor lined into a double play to end the threat.

Hinojosa and Uriegas shut down the Plowboys in the eighth and ninth to preserve the victory.

Monday 10-18

Farmers fight and win another scrimmage against the Plowboys. It has been a lot of fun to watch Dylan Mendoza and Michael Wacha square off on many of these Monday scrimmages, and this week was just as good.

Alcazar and Collazo led off the top of the second with back to back singles off Wacha, and the "speedy" Alcazar escaped the pickle on a fielders' choice ground ball by Arthur to score the first (unearned) run.

Mendoza did not allow a hit until Davis singled in the bottom of the third, but he was thrown out trying to steal so no damage was done. He was the only other base runner against Mendoza on a first inning error as he struck out two in four innings.

Wacha gave up back to back singles to Jackson and Alcazar again in the fourth but finished with four strikeouts and no walks in his four innings on the mound.

Kyle Martin did not fare as well against the Farmers as Wacha. Arthur led off the fifth with an infield single, and Naquin crushed a ball over the right field wall for a two-run shot and a 3-0 lead. He struck out two but issued two walks in his two innings.

Malloy replaced Mendoza to start the fifth, and Ellis welcomed him with a single. A Statum grounder to first erased Ellis. The return throw was wild, and Statum advanced to second on the error. Davis singled to right, but Statum held at third instead of testing Naquin's arm on the play. Malloy rebounded to strike out House and retire Gonzo on a grounder to third.

Greg Mendoza replaced Martin and retired Naquin and Juengel before walking Smith. He stole second and scored on a double by Brandon Wood. Jackson brought Wood around with a single of his own and made his own trip around the bases on hits by Alcazar and Collazo to make it 6-0.

The Plowboys finally scratched across a run in the bottom of the eighth off Apple. Gonzo doubled to lead off the inning and moved to third on a flyball to right by Marlow. Taylor lifted a ball down the line in right that was just deep enough to score Gonzo despite a strong throw by Naquin.

Friday 10-15

The Farmers jumped on top of Uriegas Friday in the first inning. Athur beat out a bunt single to start the game, and Naquin followed with a single of his own into right. Juengel moved them up with a sacrifice to third. Smith singled to left scoring Arthur, but Chaskin threw Naquin out at the plate.

Ross Hales started strong for the Farmers, giving up a first inning single to Thornell, but he retired the Roughnecks in order in both the second and the third.

His offense had put him up 4-0 in the top of the third. Naquin and Juengel hit back to back doubles to left. Naquin scored on the second two-sacker, and Juengel scored on an RBI single to left by Smith. Smith was thrown out trying to stretch the hit into a double of his own. Wood walked, and Jackson scored him from first on a double to right center.

Stilson started a rally against Hales when he laced a single down the left field line to open the third. Hales retired Hinojosa on a grounder to third, but Martin followed with a long homerun to left to cut the lead to 4-2.

The Farmers extended their lead in the sixth, seventh and eighth. Collazo scored on a single by Naquin in the sixth. Smith reached on an infield single, stole second and moved to third on a groundout to first. A wild pitch by Hadley allowed him to score the sixth run.

Naquin led off the eighth with a triple to left center off Stilson, and Juengel drove him home with a single past second into right. Stilson retired Smith on a 1-6-3 double play that erased Juengel and then struck out Wood to end the frame. He was working at 97 with his fastball and 80 on his change up during his one-inning stint.

The Roughnecks started to rally in the bottom of the eighth. Martin and Stein drew one-out walks. Following a groundout, Dickey scored Martin with a single to right, and Stein scored on a Curl single up the middle. Stilson singled to short scoring Dickey with the innings third run.

They completed the rally in the bottom of the ninth. Martin reached on a throwing error at third and ended up at second when the ball went down the right field line. As Stein walked, Martin was able to advance to third on a passed ball. Dickey flied out to right center, and Martin was able to tie the game when Naquin was unable to line up a throw home. Curl singled up the middle and scored Stein, setting off a celebration for the Roughnecks.

Wednesday 10-13

Both teams scored in the first inning, with sloppy play leading to runs for both teams. Hinojosa reached on an error and eventually scored on an error on a ground ball to third by Curl.

Statum reached on a one-out error to start the bottom of the first when his ground ball to second was misplayed. Statum was erased on a fielder's choice to first by Marlow. House singled him to third and Gonzalez scored him on a single to left.

Parrent settled down against the Roughnecks until the top of the third. Hinojosa singled on the infield, and Stilson sacrificed him to second. Hinojosa went first to third on a single up the middle by Thornell and the play. Curl beat out a suicide squeeze bunt to the mound that brought home Hinojosa. Thornell scored on a failed pickoff attempt that moved Curl to second. Steve Martin made it 4-1 when he smoked a single to left.

Stripling settled down after the first inning and retired the last eight Plowboy batters he faced before coming out after the fourth inning.

The Plowboys struck back in the bottom of the sixth when Gonzalez singled to right and Taylor walked. After a passed ball moved them up 90 feet, Ellis hit an RBI single to right that scored Gonzo. The throw from Hinojosa to Stein erased the sliding Taylor. Bratsen followed with an RBI single up the middle that scored Ellis and cut the Roughnecks' lead to 4-3.

Chaskin could not keep the Plowboys down in the bottom of the ninth. Statum tried to stretch a double to right into a triple but was thrown out at third. House drew a walk and then came all the way around to score the tying run on a Gonzalez double down the left field line. Taylor ended the game with a single to left that scored Gonzo in the 5-4 final.

Monday 10-11

Pitching was dominant early, but the hitting pounded the ball late on Monday. Dylan Mendoza allowed only one baserunner in the first four innings. Davis led off the third with a single but couldn't come around to score. Mendoza struck out three and didn't allow another ball out of the infield.

Wacha matched Medoza until the bottom of the fourth. Juengel singled with two outs, and Wood drove him home with a single. Wacha struck out three, allowed a first inning single to Juengel and then walked Collazo in the second.

Maloy followed Medoza and struggled against the Plowboys. Marlow singled with one out, and Davis smoked a ball off Juengel's foot at third. Ellis doubled home Marlow on a drive to right and Bratsen cleared the bases with a double down the third baseline. After a Statum single moved Bratsen to third, Taylor brought him home with the inning's fourth run.

The Farmers struck right back against Kyle Martin. Arthur and Naquin each walked against the struggling Marin, and Wood made him pay with a towering homerun to left that tied the game at four.

Following a 1-2-3 inning by Maloy, Martin continued to struggle with his command with walks to Collazo and Fleece. Arthur nearly beat out the sacrifice bunt to third, and Naquin scored Collazo with a grounder to second. Fleece scored when Davis misplayed Juengel's grounder to third for a 6-4 lead.

Ellis reached on an error at second to start the seventh. Apple walked Bratsen and hit Statum to load the bases before Taylor grounded into a 5-4-3 twin killing that plated Ellis. House laced a single to right to score Bratsen, and Gonzo doubled him home. Davis capped the four run frame with an RBI single that brought Gonzalez home.

Davis moved to the mound in the eighth and gave up one-out walks to Alcazar and Collazo as well as giving up a single by Fleece. Arthur chopped a ball to third that forced out Collazo, but the throw to first was wide of the bag. The lack of a double play allowed Alcazar to make it 8-7.

Statum moved from left to the mound, but Fleece's twisting liner escaped the new left fielder for a double. Arthur was intentionally walked, but the strategy backfired when Naquin pulled back the bunt and slapped a tying single up the middle to score Fleece and advancing Arthur to third. The hustling Naquin beat the throw to second. Juengel was intentionally walked to load the bases, and Statum struck out the hot-hitting Wood for the second out but was unable to field a Jackson shot past the mound that scored Arthur with the game-winning run.

Friday 10-8

I finally got to watch a Friday scrimmage, and it was more like an all-star game with three teams combining into two squads. Bratsen reached on an error at short to start the scrimmage, and moved to second on a sac to the mound by Hinojosa. Juengel blasted a two-run shot to left center off Hadley for a lead the visitors would never relinquish. Gonzalez reached on a wild pitch while striking out, moved to second on a Stein sacrifice and scored on a Thornell single.

Wood tripled leading off the bottom of the second, and Jackson drove him home with a sacrifice to left off Esty. Normally a catcher, Stein robbed Jackson with a diving catch on the play.

Leading off the third, Hinojosa tripled off Chaskin, and Juengel drove him home on a grounder to shortstop. The offense continued to roll with Gonzo singling and Stein again advancing him with a sacrifice. Bratsen plated Gonzo with a single for a 5-1 lead.

Ross Hales worked two scoreless innings, allowing a Statum single, but Hales picked him off first. After Stilson flew out to right, Arthur singled and stole second before Smith flew out to short. Hales looked like his old self in his second frame. Working quickly and with confidence and increased velocity, his 1-2-3 inning saw Wood ground out to third, Jackson line out to second and Alcazar strike out looking.

House and Marlow led off the fifth with back to back singles and both moved up on a wild pitch. Stein continued his strong play with a sacrifice fly to right that brought home House.

John Stilson closed out the visiting team with a dominating inning of work. He struck out Marlow swinging, retired Gonzo on a fly ball to left and Stein grounded out to second.

Wednesday 10-6

The level and style of play this fall (so far) has Coach Deggs excited about the 2011 college baseball season, as does the effect that the new bats will have on the game. Deggs' aggressive style is perfect for the upcoming season, and it is this style that is going to take over the game.

Tied at two in the bottom of the seventh inning, Plowboy OF/P Jace Statum doubled down the right field line off Corey Brooks when his grounder struck first base and bounced over the diving Steve Martin's glove. Marlow laid down a sac bunt the third baseline that he turned into a single. House's bunt to the pitch moved the runners up a base before Gonzo was intentionally walked to load the bases. Brooks bounced a ball in the dirt that trickled about 10 feet to left of home plate. After Stein tracked down the errant pitch, he raced towards home just as Statum was coming down the line. Just as he was about to slide, Statum reacted to the outstretched Stein and popped up and into a somersault that avoided the tag and scored the winning run.

That earned the win for Statum. He worked the seventh inning and saw his defense turn in a great play as well. Hinojosa reached on an error at short and moved to second on a single by Stilson. Hinojosa was gunned down when he tried to move to third on a ball in the dirt, but Stilson moved to second on the play. Curl's blast down the third base line was fielded by Davis, and he tagged Stilson right at third base before gunning out the speedy Curl for a 5-3 double play.

The Plowboys scored first, House reached on an error at first and Gonzo advanced him to second on a great bunt down the first base line that Stripling fielded retiring Gonzo. Taylor singled House home for a 1-0 lead. That lead would last until the fourth when Thornell and Stein hit back to back doubles. As Thornell was coming into home, Bratsen's throw missed home and allowed Stein to move to third. Chaskin's squeeze bunt plated Stein for a 2-1 advantage.

House scored the tying run in the sixth. His fielder's choice grounder erased Marlow who had reached on a single off Hinojosa. House then hustled to second on a grounder to short by Gonzalez. Taylor picked up his second RBI of the game with a single up the middle to knot the score at two.

Brandon Parrent worked three scoreless innings against the Roughnecks, allowing doubles to Stilson and Hinojosa. Stripling worked around a two-out triple by Statum in the third and finished his stint with three strikeouts. Just as importantly, neither starter walked a batter.

Davis singled twice for the Plowboys.

Tuesday 10-5

The Plowboys broke out on top of the Farmers in the first inning against Dylan Mendoza. Bratsen and Statum singled before Marlow moved them up with a sacrifice bunt. House's grounder ate up Smith at second scoring Bratsen, and Statum came around to score on a bad throw from right field.

The Farmers struck back right away. Scott Arthur singled off Wacha and stole second. It looked as if he had stole third on ball four to Naquin, but he was called out. Juengel was up next and crushed a fastball over the left field wall to tie the game at two. Smith singled and turned a bobble in left into an extra base. Wood singled to left to break the tie but was called out at first on another bang-bang 7-6-3 putout.

Statum walked to lead off the third against Maloy and stole both second and third before coming around on a wild pitch.

Arthur singled in the bottom of the third off Kyle Martin before stealing second and moving to third on a Naquin sacrifice. Juengel squeezed him home with a great bunt down the first baseline for a 4-3 lead. Smith singled and trotted home on a long homerun by Brandon Wood.

The Farmers increased their lead against Martin in the fourth. Collazo singled with one out and stole second. He came around on an Arthur double off a diving Statum's glove in left. Arthur was thrown out at home on a great pickup by Marlow at third, and Naquin came around to score on a Martin throwing error for an 8-2 lead.

The Plowboys put together a two-out rally against Michael Apple in the top of the fifth. Marlow singled, and both House and Gonzalez walked to load the bases. Taylor's clutch shot to the gap in right center looked to open the door to a huge inning as both Marlow and House scored, but Arthur turned in a web gem when he flipped the ball behind his back to Naquin. The strong armed sophomore's throw to second gunned down Taylor to end the short lived rally.

Sept 29

Wednesday saw the pitchers again dominate, both teams combined for just six hits in another scrimmage that was just over an hour.

Dylan Mendoza and Wacha set the tone in their two innings as each allowed just a single. Maloy and Kyle Martin matched those numbers as well, only giving up a single and each working around a two runner jam in the fourth inning.

It was the Plowboy pitchers that blinked first, Greg Mendoza gave up a double to Jackson and his throw to first on a Alcazar sacrifice was high and allowed Jackson to score.

Alcazar moved to third on a Collazo bunt and he scored on an Arthur sac fly to left. Ray escaped the drama of Tuesday and closed out the Plowboys in the seventh.

Taylor had a good day at the plate and picked up hits against both Mendoza and Maloy.

Sept 28

The offense was better on Tuesday but the pitchers were in control on Wednesday.

Ross Hales limited the Roughnecks to a first inning run. Curl singled and moved to second when Juengel dropped a bunt by Dickey. A double play erased Dickey but Curl advanced to third. He scored on a ball that got away from home plate. Hales worked a 1-2-3 second inning.

Estevan Uriegas gave up a hit in the first and two in the second but the Farmer's were unable to push any runs across. Naquin singled in the first and Smith doubled before a Wood bunt single.

Derrick Hadley replaced Esty and after escaping the third on a tremendous catch in left by Stilson on a drive by Juengel, he gave up a double to Wood and Jackson blasted a pitch to right that hit a passing train for a 2-0 lead.

Chaskin didn't fair much better against the Farmers. Smith led off the sixth with a homerun to left and Wood followed with a double. He moved to third on a fly ball and scored on a balk to make it 4-0.

The Roughnecks tried to rally in the bottom of the seventh against Parker Ray. Stein reached at a short and Curl singled after a Chaskin strikeout. They moved up on a balk and Dickey loaded the bases when he reached on an error at third.

Thornell singled to center, scoring Stein and Curl, but he was thrown out trying to advance to second. Ray struck out Steve Martin to end the bleeding and pick up the save.

Sept 27

The fall's first true North wind, a new set of bats, and Rob Childress' pitching staff were the three factors that added up to six innings played in a smooth hour and five minutes.

The NCAA has changed several rules to speed up games but the biggest factor next year will be BBCOR bats. They play like wood and today I saw just six hits as the pitching staff dominated the action. They also saw the batters hit too many fly balls on a day built for line drives and ground balls.

The Roughnecks had nine outs in the air and the Plowboys made six outs by way of a flyball.

With a team full of newcomers, the lesson today taught them how Olsen plays in Feb. and March before the winds turn around from the South.

The only run scored in the third when Ty Marlow reached on an infield single and stole second. Two outs later, Krey Bratsen bounced a grounder over second base and into center that scored Marlow.

The Roughnecks tried rally in the top of the 4th Charlie Curl singled with one out and went from first to third on a single by Steve Martin. The hustling Martin moved to 2nd on the throw but K. Williams bore down & coaxed a popup from Hinojosa and Troy Stein to end the threat.

Another Curl single in the top of 6th preceded the play of the game. Martin crushed a flyball off Jace Statum to deep left center but the wind kept the ball in the ballpark and Bratsen showed his blazing speed as he chased it down on the warning track for the out.

The only other hit for the Plowboys was a Brian Ellis triple down the first base line in the top of the sixth.

Brandon Parrent and Ross Stripling didn't allow a hit between them in the first four innings.