By:Patrick Hall Wednesday, 26 April, 2006

The Beavers’ 2006 season came to a close Monday, losing the first two games of a best-of-three series with Neosho Community College in Chanute.

It was a familiar storyline for Pratt (14-30) in the series. A lack of strong pitching, poor defense and a lack of timely hitting all led to a long season and a short exit in the sub-regional round of the Region VI playoffs.

In game one, Neosho (41-13) took an early lead and never looked back. In the first inning, a one out Jeremy Oehlert single was followed by back to back doubles from Eric Shortell and Steve Winkelmann off of Pratt starter Manuel Ruiz. A sacrifice fly later and the Beavers were down 3-0.

Ruiz looked to begin cruising in the second inning before a two-out error allowed three unearned runs to score and essentially put the Beavers out of the game. The Beaver offense managed to scrape across single runs in the second, seventh and eighth before Neosho capped the game off in the bottom half of the eighth, scoring their 13th run, bringing the 10-run rule into effect.

Game two was a much different game, coming down to the last at-bat. Sophomore Brian White pitched a gem, going the distance allowing six hits and three runs (two earned), walking three and punching out five. It wasn’t enough however as he was outmatched by Neosho’s Jared Potts and Duke Wecker who collectively allowed just two Rory Rierson singles, while striking out 19.

Once again, Neosho struck the initial blow, plating two runs in the first inning. With two outs and runners at first and second, first baseman Nick Wolfe lifted a single to left field to score Shortell and a throwing error to third base allowed Winkelmann to score all the way from first.

Neosho snuck across another run in the sixth when Shortell and Winkelmann found their way on first and second with nobody out. After moving up on a Wolfe sacrifice bunt, Jake Hoover laid down a textbook squeeze bunt down the first base line, scoring Shortell. Winkelmann tried to score from second on the bunt, but White alertly threw to third to thwart the rally.

The Beaver offense finally awoke in the eighth inning. With one out sophomore Andy Schatzley was hit by a pitch and Barrett Davis walked. It appeared that the bases were loaded when Aaron Vath, pinch-hitting for Chad Taylor, was hit on the foot by a 2-2 pitch. However, none of the three umpires saw it and it was called a ball. Vath struck out on the next pitch that appeared to be inside.

Rierson followed with a clutch two-out single to score Schatzley and Davis. After Justin Cunningham was hit by a pitch for a single season Pratt record 15th time, Brandon Hudson struck out for the fourth time in the game to end the rally. The Beavers went away quietly in the ninth as Wecker struck out the side to end Pratt’s season.