Fundamentals, pitching keys to West’s hope in substate against East
By Steven Allspach, Journal sports writer | Posted: Monday, July 14, 2008
West High baseball coach Matt Stevenson wasn't even born when the Wolverines qualified for the school's first and only state tournament in 1975.
Tonight at Lewis and Clark Park, the 27-year-old Stevenson sends his team into a Class 4A substate semifinal against crosstown rival East (7 o'clock). The winner advances to a substate title game next Wednesday against North.
North, the substate top seed, whipped Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln 10-0 in its opener Friday to earn the semifinal bye into the finals.
West, 15-22, knocked off Council Bluffs Lewis Central in Council Bluffs Friday, 5-4, scoring the deciding run on a passed ball in the top of the 10th inning.
Stevenson is far from putting the cart before the horse, however.
"We've taken the same approach we had two days prior to the Lewis Central game,'' said the West coach, in his third year at the helm. "Fundamentals and pitching win these games at this stage.''
Coach Jared Ocker's East Black Raiders (25-9) have dealt the Wolverines four of their losses -- 8-6, 10-8, 9-7 and 13-1 in five innings.
Senior Alex Jones will start on the mound for West and junior Brandon Collins (5-1) will get the start for East.
Jones, making his eighth start, is 3-3, working 33 innings. Collins has struck out 30 batters in 28 innings.
Dex Gordon went nine innings to earn the win against Lewis Central and will play in left field tonight with Blake Oulette going to right. And, either Brice Bauerly or Alec McManamy will open in left for East.
Collins has beaten the Wolverines twice, while Jones has a loss and no decision facing the Raiders.
"I'm more than a little nervous about this game,'' said Ocker, in his second year at the East helm. "In my two years, seven of the eight games we've had have been very close and could have gone either way.
"Facing a team five times makes you more than a little apprehensive.''
West, in its only state tourney appearance in a two-class affair, lost 1-0 to Davenport Central in the Class 2A finals in Marshalltown.
East is in the running for the school's fourth state berth.
The Black Raiders lost to Ottumwa in 4A title games in 1996-97 and lost a first-round contest in 2003.
Tonight at Lewis and Clark Park, the 27-year-old Stevenson sends his team into a Class 4A substate semifinal against crosstown rival East (7 o'clock). The winner advances to a substate title game next Wednesday against North.
North, the substate top seed, whipped Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln 10-0 in its opener Friday to earn the semifinal bye into the finals.
West, 15-22, knocked off Council Bluffs Lewis Central in Council Bluffs Friday, 5-4, scoring the deciding run on a passed ball in the top of the 10th inning.
Stevenson is far from putting the cart before the horse, however.
"We've taken the same approach we had two days prior to the Lewis Central game,'' said the West coach, in his third year at the helm. "Fundamentals and pitching win these games at this stage.''
Coach Jared Ocker's East Black Raiders (25-9) have dealt the Wolverines four of their losses -- 8-6, 10-8, 9-7 and 13-1 in five innings.
Senior Alex Jones will start on the mound for West and junior Brandon Collins (5-1) will get the start for East.
Jones, making his eighth start, is 3-3, working 33 innings. Collins has struck out 30 batters in 28 innings.
Dex Gordon went nine innings to earn the win against Lewis Central and will play in left field tonight with Blake Oulette going to right. And, either Brice Bauerly or Alec McManamy will open in left for East.
Collins has beaten the Wolverines twice, while Jones has a loss and no decision facing the Raiders.
"I'm more than a little nervous about this game,'' said Ocker, in his second year at the East helm. "In my two years, seven of the eight games we've had have been very close and could have gone either way.
"Facing a team five times makes you more than a little apprehensive.''
West, in its only state tourney appearance in a two-class affair, lost 1-0 to Davenport Central in the Class 2A finals in Marshalltown.
East is in the running for the school's fourth state berth.
The Black Raiders lost to Ottumwa in 4A title games in 1996-97 and lost a first-round contest in 2003.
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