Eagles face toughest stretch of games this season

This archived article was written by: Riley Spears

After a four-game losing skid, the College of Eastern Utah Golden Eagles traveled to the 18th team in the nation, Community College of Southern Nevada. CEU came into this series with three conference wins and sitting in fifth place behind the College of Southern Idaho by six games.
In the first game CEU had a hard time getting anything started with the bats and only got five combined hits in the game. Bryson Griffin was the only CEU batter with more than one hit going two for two from the plate. Josh Barber, Justin Williams and Matt Park were the other CEU batters to get a hit.
Pitching for the Eagles, which has been a sore spot for them all year, struggled again. Fernando Martinez started for CEU but was out after only recording one out and giving up two runs on one hit and two walks. Scott Kappas came in after Martinez and finished the inning after giving up three runs on one hit and three walks with one strike out. In the second inning, the Eagles brought in Ryan Matson after Kappas loaded the basses. The first batter Matson faced hit a three-run triple into the right center gap.
The came ended with a 10-0 score in the fourth.
The second game that day was much like the first with CEU getting dominated by the CCSN pitching. The Eagles managed one hit in the game by Park who went 1-2. As a team, the Eagles went 1-18 compared to 10-25 for CCSN.
Pitching for CEU was much better this game with Kyle Graham starting. Graham pitched a solid five innings only giving up six hits and four runs with two K’s. In the sixth inning, the game had a huge burst of scoring for CCSN. Graham gave up two runs to start off the inning. Coach Scott Madsen brought in Garrett Rose to try and stop this game before it got completely out of hand. But the hitting for CCSN continued that inning with Rose giving up four runs on two hits and two walks. Dominic Lyman came in the game to replace Rose, but not even he could stop the scoring by CCSN. Lyman gave up the last two runs to give CCSN the 10-run win finishing 10-0.
The next day EU started their most consistent pitcher Riley Gordon. Gordon needed to slow down the scoring of CCSN and he did that. Gordon went six and 2/3 innings giving up only four runs on 10 hits and a walk.
The hitting for CEU was still a struggle but with the pitching of Gordon, it gave them a chance to still get the win. In the fifth inning, the Eagles got a huge hit by Mason Hollingsworth who hit a two-run double to left center to cut the lead in half. To end the inning EU, scored on a sacrifice fly by Josh Sturges.
Going into the seventh the score was tied 3-3. CCSN had two outs with runners on second and third when a single gave CCSN the game 3-4.
In the last game, CEU sent out Mike Newbury on the hill. He had a good outing for the Eagles, giving up only two runs on seven hits in four 1/3 innings. Newbury had a great first three innings giving up no runs but gave up one apiece in the fourth and fifth. In the fifth Garrett Steele was put on the mound. Steele didn’t have a bad day either giving up only two runs and one hit in one and 2/3 innings.
The bats were again silenced in the game with only two CEU hitters getting hits, Kaid Gordon and Barber. The game ended in a 4-0 loss for CEU.
After getting swept in their last two series, the CEU men needed to get a win and stop the nine-game losing streak. They had a chance to get some wins against the College of Southern Idaho at home.
In the first game, EU started Graham. He had a tough outing giving up eight runs, five of which were earned. Graham gave up eight hits in four and 1/3 innings and had three strike outs. In the fifth inning Lyman was put on the hill, Lyman threw two and 2/3 innings giving up two runs on two hits.
The bats were the same story that they had been the past week with them not putting the ball in play and failing to get runners on base. Only three players got hits for CEU; Brant Thomas, Barber and Trever Thomson. Barber got the only RBI for EU bringing in Thomas. But the one run was not enough for EU as they fell to CSI 10-1.
In the second game the Eagles put Gordon back on the mound. He had done well the past two games and did what the Eagles needed him to do, stop the scoring. Gordon had a great outing going seven innings and only giving up one unearned run on five hits along with eight strike outs and no walks.
The batters for CEU got a little warmer in the game getting eight hits and three runs. With the main contributors Thompson, Bryson Griffin and Chad Himmer all getting two hits. Sturges brought in two runs along with Griffin’s one. CEU finally broke out of the losing streak getting the win 3-1.
“We have been working hard in practice and hopefully it will start to pay off,” Torres said.
With the losing streak over, the Eagles had one more game to try and even the series at two games a piece but CSI had other ideas.
Newbury was back on the mound and had an overall good game giving up three runs, one on three hits in five and 1/3 innings also adding three K’s. In the sixth, Madsen sent out Steele to try and finish the game and keep it close. But CSI strung three runs before Steele got an out. After Steele gave up the three runs, CEU sent out Martinez. Martinez finished the game and didn’t give up a run in one and 2/3 innings
CEU didn’t manage to put any points on the board until the seventh inning where they put up two. Torres brought in Thompson on a single and Sturges singled to bring in Himmer. Sturges was the only hitter to get two hits in the game, but Thompson, Himmer and Torres all got one.
The two runs in the seventh inning were not enough to beat CSI who won 2-6. Errors were a big part in the CEU loss this game with two unearned runs because of five errors during the game.
“The past few weeks we have struggled offensively. The pitching has kept us in ball games, but we have not been able to put runs up,” said Coach Madsen.
The next weekend CEU welcomed Western Nevada Community College. WNCC came into the game ranked third in the conference with a 13-7 record. CEU needed to get some wins this series to put some space between themselves and Colorado Northwestern Community College.
In the first game CEU sent out Graham. He pitched a good game for the Eagles, giving up five runs, two of which were earned on six hits. Graham also added seven strike outs.
Batting was again the problem, with only five hits and scoring three runs. Thompson, Moore, Torres, Hollingsworth and Barber all got hits for CEU. But three runs in the seventh were not enough to overcome the lead that WNCC amassed throughout the game and CEU fell 3-5.
The second game of the series was a lot like the first. CEU jumped out to an early lead, scoring a run in the second inning with Himmer coming home. Martinez did a good job on the mound until the fourth inning when he gave up two runs. Martinez ended up going four and 2/3 innings and giving up two runs on four hits.
Lyman came in after Martinez to finish the inning and gave up one run in 1/3 inning. Steele then came into the game but gave up two earned runs and two unearned runs. Rose came in and finished the game for CEU giving up two runs.
CEU again got five hits in the game and scored two runs. The two runs were not enough to beat the WNCC squad and the Eagles lost 10-2.
The third game also felt familiar with CEU not being able to put runs on the board. EU scored one run on seven hits and left six on base. Colby Read was the only CEU batter with more than one hit in the game.
Newbury started for the Eagles and went four innings giving up five runs on eight hits and one strike out. Kappas was on the mound in the fifth and gave up one run in three innings of work. CEU fell to WNCC 1-6.
“You know things are not going good for you when you have two outs and the first baseman’s mitt breaks for the third out, and the other team scores three more runs that inning,” said Thompson.
In the final game of the series, CEU sent out Gordon on the hill, Gordon gave up four runs and six hits in his seven innings of work, another solid performance for their most consistent pitcher.
The bats again were silenced by the WNCC pitching with CEU getting four hits and scoring no runs. Pete Mirabile was the only CEU batter with more than one hit going two for three with two singles. CEU fell to WNCC 4-0.
“We are improving each week and are looking forward to the second half of the season. Trever Thompson has really started hitting as of late. Riley Gordon has been giving us quality starts each week,” said Madsen.
The Eagles are home this weekend playing cellar-dweller CNCC Friday, April 4 at 1 p.m. and Saturday, April 5 at noon.
Both games are double headers and played on the college field at 1000 east and 1100 north.