Clinard Homer Leads 11-1 Win Over Greenville
by John Hunt
posted March 30, 2008
The Bradley Bears are the champions of the 2008 Pounder Classic baseball tournament.
The Bears won six straight games with an average winning margin of 11-2, including a 12-4 romp over arch-rival Cleveland in one semifinal game before recording an 11-1 win over the Greenville (S.C.) Red Raiders in the championship game.
Greenville had won their pool and defeated Hixson in the other semifinal game by a 5-1 final. Both of Bradley’s Sunday wins came at Central’s Cobble Field under overcast, blustery conditions.
The visiting Red Raiders should have known it was going to be a long afternoon when their chartered bus got stuck in the adjacent practice field before they ever hit the field.
The situation only got worse as the afternoon progressed.
Bradley coach Travis Adams had an idea that his guys could hit and score runs, but one thing he learned during the four-day tournament was that he has some kids on his roster who can pitch as well.
The latest is junior Tyler Cross, who hurled a complete game against Greenville. He was perfect for the first three innings, but he lost his shutout and his no-hit bid in the fourth when leadoff hitter Mathew Roberts ripped a towering homer past the flagpole in right.
He allowed six hits and no walks while striking out three in six innings. His only tight spot was a bases-loaded situation in the sixth, but he escaped with a flyout to center.
Unfortunately for the Red Raiders, Bradley had already scored seven runs, so the solo homer didn’t do much more than prevent the shutout.
Bradley scored two in the first, four in the second and one in the third before closing the deal with four more in the sixth.
Zach Roberts, Taylor Bryant and Lance Geren all had run-scoring singles in that final frame, but it was a bases-loaded walk to senior shortstop Jon Clinard that ended the game when Bradley’s lead stretched to 10 runs.
Bradley’s Adams didn’t have a whole lot to say, but the smile on his face made it obvious that he liked what he saw from his young Bear team.
“Offensively, we kept hitting the ball and scoring runs, but I thought Tyler (Cross) did a good job on the mound. That was his first varsity outing this year and he handled it well.
"It’s nice to know we have some kids who can compete. I wasn’t real sure how we would react in the championship game right after we beat Cleveland, but we didn’t seem to have much of a letdown.
“Sometimes it’s hard to do a whole lot when you get a big lead. There were a couple of places in the middle innings where we left runners on base and a hit would have been nice, but overall I’m pleased. Tournaments like this are a test both mentally and physically, but that’s just part of the game,” Adams added.
Every Bradley starter had at least one hit. Roberts had the most with three while Clinard finished the day with two hits and five RBI, which included a three-run homer in the second. Another RBI came his way with a bases-loaded walk in the third before the game-winner in the sixth.
“Jon does a great job at the top of the order. He gets hits and RBIs when we need them, but he’s the kind of player every coach would like to have,” Adams praised his senior, who has already committed to Austin Peay.
Bryant and Geren were the other Bradley players with two hits.
Greenville finished with six hits. Jake Koenig was the only Red Raider with more than one and he had two, including a double off the fence in left-center in the sixth. Greenville loaded the bases in that inning, but Cross got catcher Luke Feisal to fly to center to end the threat.
Greenville finished the tournament with a 4-2 record. The Red Raiders are now 9-7 overall.
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