West moves to substate semifinal
Posted: Saturday, July 12, 2008
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa -- Dan Foreman scored the winning run on a passed ball in the top of the 10th inning here Friday night, ushering Sioux City West into a Class 4A substate semifinal with a 5-4 victory over Council Bluffs Lewis Central in a post-season opener.
West improved its record to 14-22 and will meet city rival East Monday at Lewis and Clark Park (7 p.m.). East defeated Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson 13-3 in five innings Friday.
The East-West winner will meet Sioux City North in a substate final next Wednesday with a state tourney berth on the line.
In the fateful 10th Friday, Foreman led off the frame by reaching on a throwing error by the Lewis Central third baseman and advanced to second on the miscue.
Andrew Urquidi struck out, but Foreman went to third on a fielders choice grounder by C.J. Nolen. Foreman then dashed home with Matt Henning at the plate when catcher Wade Taylor was charged with a passed ball on a pitcher from reliever Trevor Ryba.
"This was a pretty dramatic win for us,'' said West Coach Matt Stevenson. "This is the first time we've won a first-round tournament game in my three seasons here and the kids are pretty excited.
"Because we were the third seed and Lewis Central was fourth we weren't real happy because we had to travel for the game, but our fans were great.
"We probably had more fans at this game than any of our home games this year. It's tribute to them and our guys appreciated the support.''
Throughout the state, West was the only third-seeded team in any of the 4A substates assigned to travel to meet the lower No. 4 seed.
West's winning pitcher was Dexter Gordon, who went nine innings and got relief help from Nick Forneris in the 10th. Gordon, now 5-1, allowed just four hits, struck out 13, walked three and hit a batter.
In the bottom of the 10th, Forneris, struck out Eric Toele, got Ryba to fly out to third, walked Denver Lohnes, but got D.J. Gnader to ground out to end the game and preserve the Wolverine triumph.
The Wolverines struck for four runs in the third inning with Foreman lacing a RBI double before scoring on a wild pitch. Alex Jones then tagged a two-run homer, his third of the year, with Urquidi aboard.
Lewis Central, which finished the season 15-21, got three runs in the third with Lohnes. the Titan starting pitcher who gave up nine West hits, belting an RBI triple.
The Titans tied the game in the fifth when Ryba double and scored on a Lohnes single.
West, now two victories from a state tourney berth, has advanced to the state finals just once, in 1975.
West 5, C.B. Lewis Central 4
Sioux City West 004 000 000 1 -- 5 9 1
Council Bluffs Lewis Central 003 010 000 0 -- 4 4 1
Dex Gordon, Nick Forneris (10) and Chris Harbeck, Andrew Urquidi (10); Denver Lohnes, Trevor Ryba (10) and Wade Taylor. WP -- Gordon (5-1). LP -- Ryba (NA).Sv -- Forneris.
West improved its record to 14-22 and will meet city rival East Monday at Lewis and Clark Park (7 p.m.). East defeated Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson 13-3 in five innings Friday.
The East-West winner will meet Sioux City North in a substate final next Wednesday with a state tourney berth on the line.
In the fateful 10th Friday, Foreman led off the frame by reaching on a throwing error by the Lewis Central third baseman and advanced to second on the miscue.
Andrew Urquidi struck out, but Foreman went to third on a fielders choice grounder by C.J. Nolen. Foreman then dashed home with Matt Henning at the plate when catcher Wade Taylor was charged with a passed ball on a pitcher from reliever Trevor Ryba.
"This was a pretty dramatic win for us,'' said West Coach Matt Stevenson. "This is the first time we've won a first-round tournament game in my three seasons here and the kids are pretty excited.
"Because we were the third seed and Lewis Central was fourth we weren't real happy because we had to travel for the game, but our fans were great.
"We probably had more fans at this game than any of our home games this year. It's tribute to them and our guys appreciated the support.''
Throughout the state, West was the only third-seeded team in any of the 4A substates assigned to travel to meet the lower No. 4 seed.
West's winning pitcher was Dexter Gordon, who went nine innings and got relief help from Nick Forneris in the 10th. Gordon, now 5-1, allowed just four hits, struck out 13, walked three and hit a batter.
In the bottom of the 10th, Forneris, struck out Eric Toele, got Ryba to fly out to third, walked Denver Lohnes, but got D.J. Gnader to ground out to end the game and preserve the Wolverine triumph.
The Wolverines struck for four runs in the third inning with Foreman lacing a RBI double before scoring on a wild pitch. Alex Jones then tagged a two-run homer, his third of the year, with Urquidi aboard.
Lewis Central, which finished the season 15-21, got three runs in the third with Lohnes. the Titan starting pitcher who gave up nine West hits, belting an RBI triple.
The Titans tied the game in the fifth when Ryba double and scored on a Lohnes single.
West, now two victories from a state tourney berth, has advanced to the state finals just once, in 1975.
West 5, C.B. Lewis Central 4
Sioux City West 004 000 000 1 -- 5 9 1
Council Bluffs Lewis Central 003 010 000 0 -- 4 4 1
Dex Gordon, Nick Forneris (10) and Chris Harbeck, Andrew Urquidi (10); Denver Lohnes, Trevor Ryba (10) and Wade Taylor. WP -- Gordon (5-1). LP -- Ryba (NA).Sv -- Forneris.
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