Mustangs Finish Second

The Medford Mustangs fell short again in their second game of the American Legion World Series against Midland, Michigan, losing to the only team that had defeated them in the regional and national tournaments, this time by an 11-4 score.

Midland, Mich. (54-7), who was undefeated at the world series, scored eight runs through four innings, and cruised to an 11-4 victory Tuesday for the American Legion World Series championship at Newman Outdoor Field in Fargo, North Dakota.

"We're disappointed, but the kids need to realize, No. 1, how hard it is to get here in the first place, just to the World Series," Mustangs manager Sandee Kensinger said. "My hat's off to Michigan; they came out and swung the bats. They are a good hitting ballclub. They are very disciplined and well-coached."

Medford (48-12) had allowed just eight earned runs in its previous nine postseason games, including the regional tournament.

The Mustangs had compiled a 0.96 postseason ERA entering Tuesday's championship game. Medford would have had to defeat Midland twice to earn a national title, since Midland had previously beat the Mustangs, 4-2 in the opening round of the tournament last Friday.

"It's definitely a great feeling to be here, runner-up you know," said Medford ace pitcher Jordan Lewis, who finished his career with a 45-4 record. "We got as far as we can, I felt we had a great season. There are hundreds of teams that wish they could be where we are now so you just have to be happy with it."

Midland scored three runs in the top of the first inning and never looked back. Kyle O'Boyle, Cole Martin and Eric Peterson each had RBI singles for Midland in the first inning, off Medford starter Neil Emerson. All three of those RBI hits came with two outs.

Lewis pitched three innings in relief on short rest, allowing three runs, two of which were earned, on three hits. The left hander had his scoreless innings streak snapped at 44 1/3 innings.

Kensinger said he didn't start Lewis because he was going on just two days rest. If there would have been a second title game, Kensinger said Lewis would have started that game.

"He felt coming back on short rest might not be the best thing for his future and that's his arm," Kensinger said. "He's a four-year guy. He's done so much for us. To jeopardize that, it's not that important."

Medford cut the Midland lead to 8-3, scoring three runs in the sixth inning, but could never rally enough to get close.

(Photo courtesy the Medford Mail Tribune.)

Medford claimed the Northwest title with a 14-0 win over Lakeside of Bellevue, WA, Monday night, August 10, after defeating Cheyenne, WY, 3-0 Sunday.

(Updated!)

The Medford Mustangs American Legion AAA team claimed the Northwest Regional championship on Monday night in front of its home crowd at Harry & David Field. The win earned the team a trip to the American Legion World Series in Fargo, North Dakota.

The southern Oregon team was in the NW Regional championship as the host team, and proceeded to cruise to five wins in a row, in an overpowering overall performance that saw the Mustangs (45-10) score 30 runs, and allowed only two, with just one earned.

The championship is the fourth regional crown in Mustangs history, and their first in seven years. Medford now advances to the eight team, double elimination format World Series in Fargo, N.D., which was also the site of the Mustangs' first trip to the national tourney in 1992. Medford previously played for the National Title in 1997, when they finished as runner-up.

After receiving words of encouragement from Oregon State baseball coach Pat Casey at the pre-tournament banquet, Medford opened their run with a 15 strikeout performance by Lewis, in a 6-1 win over Lewis & Clark from Lewiston, ID, Thursday.

Neil Emerson allowed four hits, and fanned 11 against only one walks, while Lewis Sebrell scored both of Medford’s runs in a 2-0 win over Charter Cove of Covina, CA, Friday.

Medford starter Matt Maurer allowed just two hits in seven plus innings to defeat Billings, MT 5-1 in the Mustangs’ third game.

"Solid defense, solid pitching (a combined ERA of 0.21 with 57 strikeouts, three complete game shutouts and only 17 hits allowed in 43 innings), and solid hitting like this gives us a great shot at it (the world series)," said Mustangs manager Sandee Kensinger.

Games Available Live On Web

Tablerock sports, the Sports Voice of Southern Oregon, will carry all the Mustangs’ games live from Fargo, over the air in the Rogue Valley on KCMX Newstalk 880-AM, and streaming on the web at http://secure.stretchinternet.com/demo/games.php?user=tablerock&o=cal_stamp. (Link also available at www.tablerocksportsnetwrok.com, Southern Oregon’s source for High School football, basketball, and baseball.

Pete Belcastro (voice of Ashland Grizzlies) and Joe Brett (the voice of the South Medford Panthers) will join Jay “Byrd” Reese of Tablerock Sports to call the games, starting at 2:30 PM Pacific Time Friday, with the first pitch at 3, when the Mustangs open against Midland Michigan, the Great Lakes Regional champions.

Saturday’s game was originally scheduled to be at either 7:30 AM PDT (if Medford loses their opening game Friday), or 2:30 PM PDT with a win on the opening day.

First Game Loss Sends Mustangs to Win or Go Home Bracket

Medford fell to Michigan in its opening game, 4-2, sending the Mustangs into the loser's bracket.

Fargo was hit with severe thunderstorms with lightning, and flash flooding Friday night, just after Medford's game, and forcing postponement of the 4th and final game of Day-1 of the World Series between North Carolina and Missouri to an 8 AM (Dakota time) game time Saturday.

As a result, game 2 of the American Legion World Series for the Medford Mustangs has been RESCHEDULED from an 8 AM (PDT) start Saturday to approximately a 10:00 AM (PDT) start.

Medford faced Berlin, Connecticut in an elimation game for both teams with the loser going home.

The Mustangs sent their #1 ace pitcher, Jordan Lewis (11-1) to the mound today in the 'all or nothing game.' Lewis is the all-time best pitcher in the history of the Mustang program, and the lefthander from Phoenix HS, and Western Nevada College has not given up a run in 34 consectutive inings of work.

Mustangs Stay Ailve with Hidden Ball Trick, 5-0 Win

Medford third baseman Griffin Boyd called the play “shut it down,” and it worked to perfection Saturday at Newman Outdoor Field.

Boyd executed the hidden ball trick at third base in the first inning. The sleight of hand and the left arm of Jordan Lewis sparked the Mustangs to a 5-0 victory against Berlin, Conn., in loser-out play at the American Legion World Series.

“We don’t want to give them any momentum so I felt like that kind of took it away,” said Griffin, who went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

Lewis tossed a six-hit shutout, improving his record to 12-1 this season and 45-4 for his career. Lewis hasn’t allowed a run in his last 42 innings.

Sunday evening, at apprx. 6PM PDT (the schedule has been delayed by rain in the midwest), Medford faced another win-or-go-home game, against the winner of an earlier game between Texarkana, Texas, vs. Festus, Missouri.

Medford Reaches Final Four

The Medford Mustangs are one of the four best American Legion teams left standing alive in the nation, out of over 5,000 teams, and is one win away from playing for the World Series National Championship in Fargo, North Dakota.

The Mustangs recorded their second straight World Series shutout victory as they eliminated Festus, Missouri by a 9-0 score, behind the 11 strikeout, complete game pitching performance from Matt Maurer (6-2) . Medford has allowed only six runs in the last seven games they have played.

Medford met Texarkana, Texas Monday night at 11 AM (PDT) Medford time. North Carolina and Michigan were the other two surviving teams.

Come-back Win Puts Mustangs In Title Series

Garrett Tygerson drove an RBI single to right field to drive in Zach Earle, and propel Medford to a 7-6 comeback win in the semi-finals Monday at the American Legion World Series at Newman Outdoor Field.

The Mustangs scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat Texarkana, Texas, and avoid elimination for the third consecutive game.

We get to stay for another day," Medford coach Sandee Kensinger said. "We're on a mission. We have a tough road, but our kids are believing, and they are pretty loose."

Medford again faced Midland, Michigan, the only team to defeat the Mustangs in the playoffs. Midland eliminated North Carolina to advance to the championship.

The pregame show will be at 10:30 AM (PDT) on Table Rock SportsTuesday morning, with the first pitch scheduled for 11 AM. Medford must win twice to claim the title, having lost to Michigan 4-2 in their first game in Fargo.

A Mustangs win would have forced a championship deciding Title game at 5 PM PDT.

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