By Lisa Torrez
Staff Writer
After a three-year absence, The Northeast Texas Community College Eagles will be returning this spring to the baseball Regional Tournament beginning Thursday, May 9 at Navarro College. The Eagles ended conference play in third place behind Navarro in the first-place spot and Tyler Junior College taking second. Despite the fact they had to deal with some injuries, Head Coach Andy Morgan said his team ¡°stayed in the hunt¡± throughout the season battling with the TJC Apaches right up to the end of spring play for a chance at second place.
The Eagles went 2-3 against the Navarro Bulldogs on the year, splitting a double-header in the last two games of regular conference play last weekend. Morgan said his guys understand what it takes to win against the first-place team. ¡°We know we can match up against them. We have beaten them, and we can beat them,¡± he said. ¡°So, we feel really good about going into the regional tournament and our chances.¡±
The four-team, double-elimination Regional Tournaments will be played at Navarro College in Corsicana (north) and Blinn College in College Station (south). The top teams from the north and the south will then meet in the Super Regional tournament with the winner of the best of three games moving on to the National Junior College Athletic Association World Series May 25 ¨C June 1 in Grand Junction, Colorado.
Eagles pitcher Clark Scallon said the players are all working together as they prepare for the upcoming tournament. ¡°I¡¯m excited, and I like our team,¡± he said. ¡°We have a good team. We have a good group. Everyone does their part and helps us win.¡±
The Eagles are third seed in the north and will play San Jacinto College (finished second) at Navarro on Thursday, May 9 at 10 a.m. If they win, they will play on Friday, May 10 at 2 p.m. If they lose, they play on Friday, May 10 at 10 a.m. All games will be livestreamed on tsbnsports.com.