Eagles top Valparaiso - Tulsa World (5-26-2007)

[ORUTerry]

Eagles top Valparaiso

Tulsa World Link

by Staff Reports

5/26/2007

ORU will face its first-round opponent, Centenary, for title.

MACOMB, Ill. -- Oral Roberts pitcher Jeremy Hefner tried his best not to get rattled.

Not when catcher Brian Van Kirk's passed ball let Jeff Rickert reach first base. Not when he walked Michael Arensdorff. Not during a moment of confusion when Zach Rodeghro's batted ball struck Arensdorff in the basepath, causing Valparaiso coach Tracy Woodson to come flailing onto the field in a rage over the call.

But then, Hefner noticed the Valparaiso dugout was no longer occupied. He got rattled.

"Me and Van Kirk were having a conversation," Hefner said, "and there's all these yellow jerseys coming at me. I was like, 'What's going on?' "

It was an argument, a push and a shove that sent both teams onto the field in a near brawl during Friday's Mid-Continent Conference Tournament semifinal at Alfred D. Boyer Stadium.

But in the end, it was another strong performance by Hefner, and another Oral Roberts victory, this time 4-2 over the Crusaders, that sent the Golden Eagles (39-15) into Saturday's 11 a.m. championship game, a rematch against first-round opponent Centenary (28-30).

The Gents later eliminated Valpo 6-1 Friday afternoon, but dropped a 20-0 first-round defeat to the Golden Eagles on Thursday.

Friday's win over the Crusaders was ORU's 15th in a row and its 24th in its last 25 games, as well as its 28th win in 29 Mid-Con Tournament contests.

At stake Saturday is the Golden Eagles' run of nine consecutive Mid-Con crowns. One more title would tie Texas for the third-longest streak in NCAA Division I history, behind Oklahoma State (16) and Wichita State (14).

"It means a lot," said ORU senior Chad Rothford. "We've worked so hard. . . . The feeling's just unbelievable, and to be at the same moment we were last year, it's tremendous."

It was Rothford who delivered a clutch RBI single in the sixth inning that tied the game at 2-2. Rothford hit two of ORU's six home runs in a wind-whipped first-round victory, but the wind settled down and there were no long balls this time.

Later in the sixth, Pat Warfle drove in the go-ahead run with a groundout. That brought home from third base Tyler Warmerdam, who fueled the rally with an RBI single up the middle to score Adam Younger.

Warmerdam was in the game because, during the fourth-inning melee, ORU second baseman Jake Kahaulelio was ejected. Soon after, ORU coach Rob Walton was ejected.

When order was restored, Rodeghro was on first base and Rickert was at second with one out.

Hefner got a strikeout for the second out, but then Jason Brunelli tripled in both runners for a 2-0 Valparaiso lead.

That seemed to be enough for Valpo left-hander Nick Mazzone (4-7), who retired the side in the fifth.

But in the sixth, ORU's bats came alive, started by singles from Younger and Brendan Duffy.

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MID-CON SCHEDULE

At Macomb, Ill.

THURSDAY

Game 1: No. 1 Oral Roberts 20, No. 4 Centenary 0

Game 2: No. 3 Valparaiso 13, No. 2 W. Illinois 10

FRIDAY

Game 3: Centenary 9, W. Illinois 3

Game 4: Oral Roberts 4, Valparaiso 2

Game 5: Centenary 6, Valparaiso 1

SATURDAY

Game 6: Championship, 11:30 a.m.

Game 7: if necessary, 3 p.m.

Oral Roberts 4, Valparaiso 2

ORAL ROBERTS VALPARAISO 2

ab r h bi ab r h bi

Duffy,rf 5 1 1 0 Rickert,ss 4 1 1 0

Minissale,cf 4 0 1 0 Arensdorff,rf 3 0 1 0

Kahaulelio,2b 2 0 1 0 Rodeghero,dh 3 1 1 0

Warmerdm,3b 2 2 1 1 Manthei,1b 4 0 1 0

Rothford,1b 4 0 2 1 Brunelli,lf 4 0 1 2

Van Kirk,c 3 0 1 1 Piazza,c 4 0 0 0

Warfle,lf 4 0 1 1 Rzepka,cf 3 0 0 0

Pearson,dh 4 0 0 0 Wallace,3b 3 0 1 0

McQug,3b/2b 4 0 1 0 Giusti,2b 3 0 0 0

Younger,ss 4 1 3 0

Totals 36 4 12 4 Totals 31 2 6 2

Oral Roberts 000 003 010 -- 4

VAlparaiso 000 200 000 -- 2

DP: Oral Roberts 2, Valparaiso 1. LOB: Oral Roberts 7; Valparaiso 4. 2B: Van Kirk (12), Younger (9). 3B: Brunelli (1). SH: Minissale (9).

Oral Roberts IP H R ER BB SO

Hefner W,9-1 9 6 2 2 2 9

Valparaiso

Mazzone L,4-7 5 1/3 7 3 3 1 1

Gibbs 3 2/3 5 1 1 0 2

PB: Van Kirk (. T: 2:28. A: n/a.

[Bogus Smith]

Oral Roberts IP H R ER BB SO

Hefner W,9-1 9 6 2 2 2   9

Valparaiso

Mazzone L,4-7  5 1/3 7 3 3 1 1

Gibbs             3 2/3 5 1 1 0 2

PB: Van Kirk (8 ). T: 2:28. A: n/a.

How tough is it to count a couple of hundred people in the stands - much less a couple of hundred ticket stubs?  I have to figure that WIU (or whoever is underwriting this Tournament) is taking a big hit from a financial perspective.  If the Mid-Con gave the Tournament away just to have it in a place that ORU wasn't familiar with, then I hope ORU gets to host the Tournament for the same bid next year.

[ORUTerry]

The Macomb Journal does not have an article on its web site about the Mid-Con Baseball Tournament... I searched for Mid-Continent, baseball tournament, etc. The most recent story is about Hyman winning coach of the year. The conference should be ashamed of the product WIU and the city of Macomb has put out. It is a travesty and someone should be held accountable.

[Bogus Smith]

I have to believe that until there are some competitive teams (possibly the Dakotas) that battle for championships like ORU has in most of the sports the Mid-Con/Summit offers, that there will continue to be a bias by the Athletic Directors/Presidents to maintain level playing fields in all championships.  The only way that this level playing field can be maintained is through venues, since rules are rules and talent is talent.

My guess is that the Summit will continue to award their championships to neutral sites that can guarantee an amount of money sufficient to keeping the Conference Office staff employed (along with the member schools' dues).  I don't know how much the League makes on the Basketball Tournament, but I have to believe that the member schools will continue to place that Championship where the money is; otherwise, all other championships will be doled out wherever it makes sense to allow all member schools to participate competitively. 

What we're seeing in Macomb is the results of attempting to create parity instead of rewarding an effective comprehensive athletic program(s).  That's not to say that ORU should host all Championships (we can't afford to), but if we're the lead dog in the hunt, we should have a say until someone can help pick up the pace.  A lot of times the League will reward the Championship to the prior year's champion site; however, as we see in baseball, that isn't always the case.  Nonetheless, we should never dilute the Championships by locating them where the facilities (no locker rooms, no lights) and community support (Macomb Journal) is substandard.  That rewards mediocracy instead of excellence.

...end of rambling!