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A HISTORIC VICTORY
By Jason Peake
Daily Mail Sports Editor
CLINTON -- Moments after recording a historic victory, the Nevada Tigers did very little celebrating. There was no jumping up and down, no hugging, no screaming.
Players and coaches alike said it was simple -- there's still work to do.
Nevada knocked off El Dorado Springs 14-4 on Monday evening in a first round contest of the Class 3, District 13 Baseball Tournament at Wagner Park.
With the win, Nevada earned its 16th win of the season -- a new school record.
Perhaps just as important, the Tigers kept the season alive, advancing to the tourney semifinals, where they'll play tonight at 7 p.m. against Holden.
After the win, seniors Bubba Banes and Cory Kerbs said the school record was not the main goal of the season -- or even the goal on Monday night.
"At the start of the season we didn't even know what the record was," Banes said. "None of us thought about it today, either."
Kerbs echoed those same sentiments.
"After we won nine of 10 earlier this season somebody mentioned to us that we were close," Kerbs said. "But tonight, the record wasn't even on my mind. We just wanted to win and keep playing."
At the same time, Kerbs and Banes both acknowledged the historical significance of the victory, too.
"It's definitely nice to have something like that," Kerbs said. "It's something we'll always remember."
Added Banes: "It feels really good that this team will be remembered for something. We made history."
Nevada Coach Marty Atnip said he didn't want his players worrying about the school record, especially with the season on the line.
"All we wanted to do was play loose and relaxed today," Atnip said. "And I knew if we did that, and did the fundamental things right, we'd give ourselves a chance to win. And if we got the school record, too, then great."
The second-seeded Tigers pulled away early and then finished strong against the seventh-seeded Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs took a 1-0 lead in the first against Banes when Garrett Mays scored from third on a wild pitch. But Nevada touched Mays for four runs in the bottom half. Lane Ketterman's fly ball dropped, and then Easton Mitchell and Cole Sanderson both drew walks. Next, the Bulldogs couldn't catch Alex Payne's fly ball in left and the error tied the game at one. Next, Kerbs and Banes both drew RBI walks, making it 3-1. Payne later scored from third on a passed ball for a 4-1 lead.
For the Bulldogs, James DuBois' RBI sac bunt in the second made it 4-2.
The Tigers responded back in the bottom half. Ketterman singled, and after an out, Sanderson walked. Payne hit a sac fly for a 5-2 lead and then Kerbs reached on a dropped third strike, scoring pinch runner Morgan Long. Kerbs later scored on a wild pitch with Banes at the plate for a 7-2 cushion.
The score held up until the fifth.
The Bulldogs pushed two runs across the plate, taking advantage of four-straight walks, making it 7-4.
But the Tigers answered back and ended the game in the bottom of the fifth. Grant Wolfe doubled and later scored on a wild pitch. Bradey Denney, Ketterman and Mitchell all walked, with Denney scoring on a passed ball for a 9-4 lead. Sanderson then hit a two-run double to left-center for an 11-4 lead. Payne then hit an RBI double to the fence in left. Kerbs walked and Banes grounded out, but Wolfe was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Next, Payne scored on a wild pitch. And with Norton at the plate, Kerbs scored on yet another wild pitch, giving the Tigers the run-rule victory, 14-4.
Banes got the win on the mound, but he admitted he was not at his best.
"It was rough," the southpaw said. "I couldn't find my rhythm. But the guys behind me helped me out."
Banes allowed just two hits and struck out eight, but struggled with his command, walking seven. Wolfe finished the fifth, walking two and striking out one.
El Dorado's Mays and Kyle McCullick also struggled with their command on the hill. Mays walked six batters in two innings, while McCullick handed out four free passes. Wild pitches, passed balls and a few errors also made it an ugly game.
"This time of year, it doesn't matter how it looks," Atnip said. "To survive and advance is all that matters. We'll take an ugly win."
Payne and Sanderson drove in two runs apiece for Nevada.
The record
The NHS 1995 team coached by Chris Adams and the 2001 team coached by Tyson Beshore both recorded 15 wins in a season. That record is no more.
"It was a goal we wanted to accomplish," Coach Atnip said. "We would have liked to get it earlier. We're excited about it. But we're not satisfied with 16 wins. We'd like to get a few more this week."
A sophomore, Payne said the team is proud to own the school record for wins in a season. He added there's still work to do.
"Now that we have it, we can move on and just play baseball," Payne said. "We want to go to state."
Added Banes: "We're not stopping yet."
Again, Nevada (16-8) is back at Clinton tonight at 7 p.m. in a semifinal. A win would put the Tigers in Thursday's title game.
Note: Warsaw beat Pleasant Hill 5-0 in the first semifinal and Holden topped Knob Noster 10-0 in the late game.
Class 3 District 13 tourney
Monday, May 14
Waraw 5, Pleasant Hill 0
Nevada 14, El Dorado Springs 4
Holden 10, Knob Noster 0
Today's games
(1) Clinton vs. Warsaw, 5 p.m.
Nevada vs. Holden, 7 p.m.
Thursday's title game, 6