MCC, Walters State features K-Kings
By By Tony Krausz / assistant sports editor
May 26, 2003
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. The final game of the second day at the 46th annual Alpine Bank Junior College World Series was a match up of strikeout kings.
Meridian Community College's Todd Doolittle and Walters State (Tenn.) Community College's Brad Rose entered the national title tournament ranked in the top five of strike out leaders.
The two sophomores have a combined total of 189 strikeouts between them this season. Doolittle is fourth on the 10-team list with 97, and Rose is fifth with 92.
Seminole (Fla.) Community College's David Timm tops the strikeout list with 116. San Jacinto (Texas) College-North's Clint Goocher has 111, and Seminole's Zac McCamie came into the tourney with 105.
POWER OF ONE
Eagles' clean-up hitter Josh Morgan came into the World Series tied for sixth place on the 10-team home run leader list.
The Thomasville, Ala., native slugged 16 homers for MCC batting between catcher/designated hitter Aaron George, who has 12 home runs, and third baseman Van Pope, who has 14 home runs.
Indian Hills (Iowa) Community College's James Peterson tops the tournament's home run list with 23. Morgan's power at the plate is even more impressive when his round-trip hit number is put next to the Eagles pitching staff's number for home runs allowed.
MCC has given up just 18 home runs this season.
"I had no idea," Morgan said of being just two home runs behind the total number his team gave up this year.
DOUBLE TAKE
Fans in the Queen City are very familiar with the accomplishments of freshman Aaron George.
The St. Aloysius product is batting at a .326 clip, with 12 homers, 13 doubles and 44 RBIs, while splitting time between the designated hitter's spot, catcher and first base.
But Eagle fans may have to take a second look at the 2003 Alpine Bank World Series program when they see George's name.
The San Jacinto (Texas) College-North Gators second baseman has the same name as MCC's all-purpose slugger.
The Gators George has appeared in 16 games and is hitting .350 in 20 at bats, with no homers and three RBIs.
DAY 2 GAMES
Neosho County (Kan.) Community College became the first team to bow out of the national title tournament on Sunday.
The Panthers (42-15, 0-2 JUCO) fell 12-2 in seven innings to the Indian Hills (Iowa) Community College Falcons (38-24, 1-1 JUCO).
Eric DeJong picked up the complete game win for Indian Hills, allowing two runs, both unearned, on five hits with nine strikeouts.
The Falcons will play the winner of the Community College of Southern Nevada/Conners State (Okla.) Community College game at 11 a.m. (10 a.m. MDT) Monday.
DAY 1 LATE GAME
Grayson County (TEXAS) Community College notched a 12-2 victory in six innings against Conners State.
The Vikings advanced to play Seminole (Fla.) Community College at 3 p.m. (2 p.m. MDT) Monday in the winner's bracket.
