Trojans clinch division title with one-run win

By By Tony Krausz / assistant sports editor
April 14, 2004
Northeast Lauderdale made sure its win to clinch the Division 5-4A regular-season title on Tuesday night was memorable.
The Trojans watched a 6-3 lead over the West Jones Mustangs drop to a one-run advantage in the top of the seventh inning, and Mustangs shortstop Brett Lawson received a second chance at the plate as his foul ball was dropped with two outs and the bases loaded.
Northeast Lauderdale pitcher Corey Chance didn't let West Jones take advantage of Lawson getting an extra pitch, as he struck out the shortstop to seal a 6-5 victory for the Trojans.
Chance picked up the win, throwing a complete game and striking out 11 West Jones' batters. Northeast Lauderdale combined for eight hits in the win to bring its record up to 18-7 overall and 9-2 in Division 5-4A.
The victory to earn a postseason berth and home-field advantage in the opening round helped put to rest a trying weekend for the Trojans.
Northeast Lauderdale gave up a total of 49 runs over its last three games, losing to Meridian High School 11-0 on Friday and both games of a doubleheader 14-0 and 24-1 to Madison Central on Saturday.
The Trojans began to distance themselves from the late-season rough patch in the second inning tallying three runs off four hits.
Northeast Lauderdale third baseman Jeremy Barnacastle and center fielder Nathan Peden led off the bottom of the second with singles, and designated hitter Mark Snyder drove them in with a double for a 2-0 lead.
Trojans first baseman Zane Cradic brought Snyder home with a two-out single to take a 3-0 advantage.
After sending the Mustangs down in order in the top of the third, the Trojans added another run to their lead in the bottom of the inning.
Northeast Lauderdale designated hitter Mark Snyder loaded the bases by getting hit by a pitch, and second baseman Chris Oubre drove in a run by grounding out to second base for a 4-0 lead.
West Jones tallied its first run of the game in the fourth inning off an RBI single by relief pitcher Trey Sutton, but Northeast Lauderdale got the run back in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single from Cradic for a 5-1 lead.
Oubre added another run to the Trojans lead in the fifth inning, driving in Nathan Peden, who led off the bottom of the fifth with a double, with a single to right field for a 6-1 lead.
West Jones cut its deficit to 6-3 in the top of the sixth with an RBI single from Sutton and an RBI double from Brett Lawson.
The Mustangs added more pressure on the Trojans' lead in the seventh inning, as Jacob Korchner and John Randle Moore hit back-to-back singles with one out, and Wesley Johnson drew a walk to load the bases.
Britt Barefoot was hit by a pitch to bring home one run, and Rey Rey Pickering drove in another run with a groundout to second to cut West Jones' deficit to one.
Northeast Lauderdale intentionally walked Sutton, and Brunson hung onto a tipped third strike by Lawson to get the final out of the game.
The Trojans conclude the regular season on the road against Northeast Jones on Friday.