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PITTSBURG —
Sunday marked the end of the Steve Bever Era in Pittsburg State baseball.
Pitt State gained an early 1-0 lead but Central Missouri scored five unanswered runs and held on for a 6-4 win at Al Ortolani Field, closing out a four-game sweep of the Gorillas in the final series of the 2012 season.
“Very competitive,” Pitt State head coach Steve Bever said of the final two games of the series. “Again, it’s hard to make any mistakes against Central. George Brandecker pitched great. He made some good pitches and they would just fight them off and fight them off, get a little dinker here, get a little dinker there and get a big hit. There’s just lots of ways that Central can score that makes it tough.
“I thought our guys battled hard today. Everybody played hard. They did everything they could to win this game.”
Pitt State held Central off the scoreboard in the top of the first — helped by catcher Jacoby Martin throwing out Central leadoff hitter Gabe Thibodeau at second base on a stolen base attempt — and started its half of the first with consecutive singles by leadoff man Evan Thomas and second place hitter Ryan Ventura. Ventura reached on a bunt single.
Being more aggressive on Sunday, Pitt State tried a double steal on Central and catcher Chase Graskewicz threw Ventura out at second while Thomas reached third. Thomas would later score on a Brad Foss infield single and Pitt State again led 1-0 after one against Central.
Once again, however, Central took control of the game with three runs in the second and two in the third. In the second, Thibodeau singled in Albert Selanders, Ben Cox scored on a wild pitch and Jon Cotter scored on a 6-3 groundout by shortstop Bret Schwartz. In the third, John Oropeza scored on a Cox sacrifice bunt and Selanders scored on a Graskewicz single, as Central showcased how to manufacture runs as it had all series against Pitt State.
Both teams remained dormant on the runs portion of the scoreboard until Pitt State put together a two-out rally in the seventh.
Martin, a spark on defense and offense Sunday, began the hit parade with a single to left field and No. 9 hitter Luke Bordewick gave Pitt State back-to-back singles against Central starter Chris Fitzpatrick. Central head coach Tommy Myers gave Fitzpatrick the hook and called on reliever Adam Maddox.
Sunday marked the end of the Steve Bever Era in Pittsburg State baseball.
Pitt State gained an early 1-0 lead but Central Missouri scored five unanswered runs and held on for a 6-4 win at Al Ortolani Field, closing out a four-game sweep of the Gorillas in the final series of the 2012 season.
“Very competitive,” Pitt State head coach Steve Bever said of the final two games of the series. “Again, it’s hard to make any mistakes against Central. George Brandecker pitched great. He made some good pitches and they would just fight them off and fight them off, get a little dinker here, get a little dinker there and get a big hit. There’s just lots of ways that Central can score that makes it tough.
“I thought our guys battled hard today. Everybody played hard. They did everything they could to win this game.”
Pitt State held Central off the scoreboard in the top of the first — helped by catcher Jacoby Martin throwing out Central leadoff hitter Gabe Thibodeau at second base on a stolen base attempt — and started its half of the first with consecutive singles by leadoff man Evan Thomas and second place hitter Ryan Ventura. Ventura reached on a bunt single.
Being more aggressive on Sunday, Pitt State tried a double steal on Central and catcher Chase Graskewicz threw Ventura out at second while Thomas reached third. Thomas would later score on a Brad Foss infield single and Pitt State again led 1-0 after one against Central.
Once again, however, Central took control of the game with three runs in the second and two in the third. In the second, Thibodeau singled in Albert Selanders, Ben Cox scored on a wild pitch and Jon Cotter scored on a 6-3 groundout by shortstop Bret Schwartz. In the third, John Oropeza scored on a Cox sacrifice bunt and Selanders scored on a Graskewicz single, as Central showcased how to manufacture runs as it had all series against Pitt State.
Both teams remained dormant on the runs portion of the scoreboard until Pitt State put together a two-out rally in the seventh.
Martin, a spark on defense and offense Sunday, began the hit parade with a single to left field and No. 9 hitter Luke Bordewick gave Pitt State back-to-back singles against Central starter Chris Fitzpatrick. Central head coach Tommy Myers gave Fitzpatrick the hook and called on reliever Adam Maddox.
Thomas rudely introduced himself to Maddox with a rocket shot over the left field wall, a three-run home run which narrowed the Central lead to 5-4.
“It’s nice to see,” Bever said. “It’s nice for our guys to end the series on a game they had a chance to win.”
Central tacked on an insurance run in the ninth, as Thibodeau hustled around third on an attempted double play and scored on a throwing error by the second baseman. Pitt State first baseman Ryan Bilovesky madly scrambled for the ball near him but was too late to recover and throw Thibodeau out at home. In the bottom of the ninth, Central turned a double play, a similar play which Pitt State missed converting on in the top of the inning.
Senior left fielder Chase Barnes, senior infielder Matt Garcia, senior pitcher Caleb Gress and senior catcher-infielder Tom Rzepka suited up in Pitt State uniforms for the final time on Sunday.
“Whether they’ve been contributors on the field or not, they’re always important,” Bever said. “Tom Rzepka hasn’t had many at-bats or anything but he’s one of my favorite players on this team. He is a jewel that I would just do anything for. He’s done everything for me, way beyond what I asked him.
“All the seniors have done a great job. Of course, Chase. Caleb Gress, it’s unfortunate that he has an arm injury this year. We expected him to be one of our top two starters as the year started and he didn’t get very many innings all year. Matt Garcia is having a good year and then he has that oblique injury and he still can’t throw the way that he did before that injury. It’s tough but I tell you, they played hard.”
In his three seasons with Pitt State, Barnes totaled 20 homers and 82 RBI in 119 games and 108 starts. He led the Gorillas with 36 RBI in 2011 and hit .311 with six homers and 27 RBI his senior year. Of his 86 games played during his junior and senior years, Barnes started every one. He was one of three players on the 2012 squad who started all 48 games.
Bever finishes his 22-year run as the patriarch of Pitt State baseball with a 565-529 overall record, good for a .516 winning percentage. He now begins the phased retirement segment of his career — with a Hawaiian vacation in his near future.
The Gorillas last tallied a winning season in 2006 and last made the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Tournament in 2004.
Pitt State finishes its season 20-28 overall and 16-22 in the MIAA. The Gorillas were 13-14 at the friendly confines of Al Ortolani Field and 7-14 in games away from home, sweet home Ortolani.
“I’m certainly proud of this team,” Bever said. “Even though our record was not extremely better, we were much more competitive in the conference and all year. As I said before, I’m happy for the program.”
Central Missouri finishes its regular season 41-7 and 34-4, stationed at the head of the MIAA class. The Mules outscored Pitt State 42-10 in the series, have won 10 straight games and have 14 consecutive seasons with at least 40 wins. Central holds a first-round bye in the conference tournament.
No. 5 Central Missouri baseball 6, Pittsburg State 4
UCM 032 000 001 — 6 15 1
PSU 100 000 300 — 4 13 2
Chris Fitzpatrick, Adam Maddox (7), Travis Unthank (7) and Chase Graskewicz. George Brandecker, Cody Wren (8) and Jacoby Martin. WP: Fitzpatrick (6-0). LP: Brandecker (4-4). SV: Unthank (8). E: John Oropeza; Evan Thomas, Matt Garcia. HR: Thomas. CS: Gabe Thibodeau, Jordan Coons, Brad Wilson; Ryan Ventura, Ryan Reddick. SH: Wilson, Ben Cox, Graskewicz. LOB: CMSU 7, PSU 8.
