By:Patrick Hall Friday, 21 April, 2006

The Beaver Baseball team will look to make history this weekend as they travel to Chanute, Kansas, to take on Neosho County in the NJCAA Region VI best of three sub-regional.

Pratt (14-30, 11-21) is trying to become the first eighth seed from either side of the Jayhawk Conference to beat a first seed in the three year history of the cross-bracket sub-regional system. The winner of the series will advance with the other seven winners across the state to Wichita for a double elimination Regional tournament to see who goes to Grand Junction, Colorado, for the NJCAA World Series.

The best of three series will begin on Saturday at noon with game two to follow. If necessary, game three will begin at 1:00 Sunday.

While wins have been hard to come by at times this season for the Beavers, making history is something they are no stranger to. The 2006 season has seen several school records fall.

Freshman Manuel Ruiz, the likely game one starter for the Beavers, pitched the first no-hitter for the Beavers since 1990 and only the 42nd no-hitter ever thrown in the KJCCC.

Sophomore Rory Rierson from McPherson, Kansas, will look to extend his school record 16 game hitting streak against the Panthers. Rierson broke the school record of 15 held by Steve Neal (1998) and Brad Gibson (1996) in game two against Seward County on Sunday. Rierson has hit .468 during the streak to raise his average over 100 points to its current .350.

Sophomore Brian White, who set the single season school record in saves with seven last year, record saves in both of his relief appearances this season to become the first Beaver to record nine saves in a career. White, who has made the transition to the rotation this year, will be counted on heavily this series on the mound.

Leading the way offensively for the Beavers along with Rierson will be sophomore catcher Gabe McCullin (.400 average; 4 home runs), freshman infielder Alex Denning (.374 average; 28 RBI) and sophomore shortstop Brandon Hudson (.324 average; 32 runs scored).

Neosho Community College earned the number one seed in the Jayhawk East on the heels of a 27-9 conference record with an overall mark of 39-13. The Panther offense will be led by third baseman Steve Winkelmann, who hit for a .490 average with 13 home runs and 73 runs batted in this season. The pitching staff will be led by Durk Wecker,, who was 7-0 in nine starts with a 4.26 ERA.

Notes: Freshmen Nathan Perez and Bryan Swenson are now tied for the third most games pitched in a season in Beaver history after they both made one appearance this weekend. Sophomore second baseman Justin Cunningham (14) and Denning (13), both from Valley Center, are within striking distance of the Pratt single season hit by pitch record of 15 held by two former Beavers.