For the fifth consecutive year, the Temple College Leopards - the defending Region V champions - passed their first test.
Nick Anders hit a go-ahead two-run double in the bottom of the eighth inning, Corey Frerichs and Brandon Kimbrel pitched a combined six-hitter with 11 strikeouts and TC overcame its three errors for a 7-5 victory over Odessa College in Saturday’s opener at Lubbock Christian’s Hays Field.
Playing their first game in two weeks, the Leopards (39-15) moved on to duel with No. 1-ranked New Mexico Junior College (48-6-1) at 5 p.m. today.
“The first game’s always the most important, and then tomorrow’s game becomes the most important,” said TC coach Craig McMurtry, whose 2006 team won four regional games in four days in Abilene to advance to Grand Junction, Colo. “To win today and use only two pitchers, that was big.”
Now Temple - which took second place in the Northern Texas Junior College Athletic Conference - will battle Western Junior College Athletic Conference champion New Mexico.
The Thunderbirds beat the Leopards twice in the regional’s title round two years ago en route to winning the national crown, but NMJC was ranked No. 1 last year and was eliminated with two quick losses.
On Saturday, Trevor Harden’s three-hitter sent NMJC to a 3-0 win over Hill, the NTJCAC’s No. 4 seed.
“New Mexico is very good and it’ll be a tough game,” McMurtry said. “If (sophomore right-hander and Belton product) Matt Dunn can pitch six or seven innings and keep us in the game, we’ve got a chance.”
Sophomore right-hander Frerichs (8-3) certainly gave TC a chance Saturday.
He pitched eight innings and allowed six hits and five runs, but only two were earned. He had 10 strikeouts - pushing his season total to 92 - and five walks.
“Corey did a good job,” McMurtry said. “He settled down and threw his slider really well.”
Odessa (35-20) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second, getting a single and two walks before Trent Grondin singled to left field to drive in a pair of runners. Frerichs got a double play to escape further damage.
TC cut its deficit to 2-1 in the third. Dane Yelovich was hit by a pitch and, two outs later, came home when Drew Cross’ hard-hit grounder got past the third baseman for an error.
The Leopards’ defense broke down in the fifth, making three errors - by first baseman Cross, Frerichs and center fielder Yelovich - to help the Wranglers go up 4-1.
“We didn’t play very well defensively,” McMurtry said. “We kicked the ball around some and they stayed in the game. Our time off may have contributed to that.”
Temple had a strong response in the sixth, scoring three times to produce a 4-4 tie. Belton graduate Blake Holt doubled down the left-field line to drive in Anders and Trey Hogan, and Tyler Jett’s single to left brought in Holt for the equalizer.
The Leopards manufactured a run to seize a 5-4 lead. Yelovich drew a leadoff walk, stole second, went to third on a wild pickoff, and scored when Anders reached on an error.
But TC left the bases loaded, and Chase Larsson’s single after a two-out passed ball pushed in an Odessa run for a 5-5 tie in the eighth.
In the bottom of the inning, Matt Loughrey doubled with one out but was thrown out at home plate trying to score on Yelovich’s single to center. Yelovich took second on the throw and stole third, and after Lance Brown walked Anders ripped a double inside third base to bring in both runners for a 7-5 Leopard advantage.
Standout freshman reliever Brandon Kimbrel entered to begin the ninth and started with a walk and a wild pitch, but he retired the next three batters to save TC’s victory.
North Central Texas (41-13), the NTJCAC’s No. 3 seed, rocked WJCAC No. 2 seed Midland (37-20) for a 13-2 win in Saturday’s third game. NTJCAC champion Grayson County (41-11), ranked No. 10, played late against Clarendon (36-19).
