, buddy@rustonleader.com
07-21-2010
Louisiana’s District 5 baseball team is returning to Easley, S.C.For the fifth year in a row and seventh time since 2002, the 17-18-year-old power has earned a berth in the Big League World Series.
It took two wins to do it at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park Tuesday night, but the Eddie Parkman-managed squad is returning to Easley for a national competition that will start on July 28 and continue through Aug. 4.
The Louisiana team captured the regional title with a 9-7 victory over Texas East after the latter club had forced a final showdown with a 5-1 victory.
“I didn’t say too much to them after we lost the first game,” Parkman said of his team following the 5-1 loss. “All I asked of them was if they wanted to either stay home next week or go to Easley.”
His players answered the question by bouncing back from a 4-1 deficit through two innings to tie the game at 4-4 in the fifth inning and then staying ahead for good when outfielder-pitcher Sam Alvis crushed a solo home run to lead off the sixth inning.
Three more runs in the seventh inning was enough to hold off a three-run comeback by The Woodlands, Texas-based visitors.
“That’s a very good baseball team we played tonight,” Parkman said of a Texas East program that has been in existence for only two years. “They fought hard and gave us everything we had. It took a lot, but our players were just focused on winning the championship and moving on to Easley.”
Alvis, who also had a single in the final game, also proved valuable on the mound.
With the bases loaded, his team ahead 9-7 and the pitch count at 3-2, the Louisiana Tech University signee got outfielder Moses Molina to fly out for the final out of the game.
Seconds later, Alvis and his teammates were celebrating near the mound.
“It never gets old going back to Easley,” Parkman said.
“I’m proud of these players. After the first game today, they knew what they had to do and they went out and got the job done.”
Fans of the District 5 team are happy, too.
“It’s great for the local area that the team is going back to the World Series,” said Earnest Simpson of Minden.
“They had their backs against the wall, but kept battling like the champions they are.
“They deserved to win the regionals again.”
Now, for Parkman and his players, it’s time to pack up and head to South Carolina again.
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