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Explorers eliminated at ASA tourney
08/07/2007

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Playing their eighth game in less than 72 hours, the No. 13 Midland Explorers ran out of steam Saturday at the ASA Men’s Major Fastpitch tournament.

Against No. 8 Circle Tap, the Explorers were ahead 2-1 in the third inning but went on to lose 10-2 after a seven-run sixth inning — eliminating the Explorers from the tourney.

The tournament began Thursday with Midland’s dramatic 4-3 win against No. 19 Dolan & Murphy. Explorers’ catcher Craig Crawford hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh to help Midland advance to the Round of 16.

But the momentum didn’t continue later that night against the No. 3 Orillia Quaker Riversharks. The Explorers managed only three hits — two from Crawford — in losing 3-0 and falling into the losers’ bracket.

With the Explorers needing to win nine straight games to clinch the title, Midland began elimination play Friday by beating the No. 22 Ashland Mets 4-0. After taking the loss against Orillia, Grant Patterson bounced back to earn the win by striking out nine and allowing just three hits. Crawford hit his second home run of the tournament to help the Explorers advance.

Immediately following the game, Midland roughed up No. 23 Plangger’s with a 6-2 victory. The Explorers’ Steve Roberts had two hits and three RBIs to lead the team.

After an afternoon break, Midland came back to win 3-2 over the Bloomington Stix. Patterson earned his second win of the tournament on his way to first-team All-America honors.

The marathon day ended with a dramatic victory — Midland’s fourth of the day — against the No. 16 Quad City Sox. Down 2-0 from the first inning on, Midland came back in its final at-bat. With runners on second and third and one-out, Reid Benson scored on a wild pitch to cut the lead in half, and Todd Schultz advanced to third. Crawford then walked and stole second to put the winning run in scoring position. That set the table for Steve Horning’s game-winning two-run single.

“Friday was just a marathon day,” manager Clint Beane said.

After getting very little sleep, the Explorers returned Saturday to continue their run through the losers’ bracket. Patterson pitched a complete-game shutout and struck out 10 in a 3-0 win over Florida Fastpitch. Kyle Beane hit a two-run homer to lead Midland.

Midland then lost to Circle Tap to finish the tourney at 6-2.

“We hit that losers’ bracket a little early,” Clint Beane said. “We still would have had to win three more games (had we beat Circle Tap).”

In addition to Patterson’s first-team honors, Crawford was named second-team All-America.

Midland will conclude its season at the ISC World Tournament in Kitchener, Ont., beginning Friday

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