Soaring

NMCC headed to first-ever final four

sports@standard-democrat.com

NEW MADRID -- After dropping five of their last six regular season games, few expected the New Madrid County Central Eagles to be relevant in their district, much less the Class 2 championship tournament.

Somehow finding a new hero each day, however, the Eagles came into Thursday's quarterfinal matchup with St. Pius X just one win away from advancing to their first final four appearance in school history.

In a fitting tribute to the Eagles, it was the same group of seniors that endured a three win campaign their first year with the program that led the charge to a 3-0 decision over the Lancers and put this year's squad in the record books.

"It's just an amazing group of kids," said NMCC head coach Joseph McClarty, who is in his second year leading the program. "To think about what they went through as freshman and then to be at this point and to make school history like this is just a testament to how hard they work.

"It also says a lot about how much they trust their coaches and how much they truly love one another."

The heroics came from all over the place late in Thursday's game, starting with senior JaShawn McDaniel coming in to start the sixth inning after throwing seven full innings just three days prior.

McDaniel got out of a bases loaded situation with one out with two called third strikes to send his team back up to bat in the top of the seventh in a scoreless game.

"We were talking about it in practice yesterday and coach said if my arm feels good he's going to have me come in and pitch," McDaniel said. "I told him it felt good early in the game so he brought me in."

Momentum continued to swing in the Eagles favor as senior Tim Clayton started the inning by reaching on an error before being replaced at first base by speedy sophomore Jake Reed.

Reed proceeded to steal second before a bad throw on a pickoff move allowed him to advance to third representing the go-ahead run. After an intentional walk to the next batter put runners on the corners, Reed made the bold move to come home on a passed ball by the catcher.

Reed's decision paid off as he beat Lancers catcher, Dan Barton, on a play at the plate to put the Eagles on top 1-0.

"Jake is one of our most aggressive runners," McClarty said. "I've always told him when he gets on third if you can get a passed ball and get a good jump you have the green light. He read it and noticed the catcher didn't know where it went and beat him to the plate."

Not content with the lead, the Eagles loaded the bases with no outs but looked to have squandered an opportunity when two strikeouts followed.

Before missing out on the opportunity, senior Lane Chamberlain, batting from bottom of the lineup, sent a line drive down the left field line that plated two crucial insurance runs that made up the 3-0 final.

"I had came up three times and saw the ball real well," Chamberlain said. "I got a base hit my first time up and I knew he was going to throw me a fastball so I went after it."

With a newfound lead, McDaniel went out for his second inning of work and let up a leadoff double. St. Pius worked their runner over to third with one out before McDaniel closed out the game on a fly ball and a called third strike.

"It feels good to reach the final four," McDaniel said. "We didn't really win many games in the past so it feels good."

As good as McDaniel pitched, starter Austin Godwin deserves equal praise for delivering five innings of shutout ball that put NMCC in a position to win.

"Austin threw very, very well again," McClarty said. "His velocity looked a little bit down from normal, but he still worked his curveball in and hit his spots when he had to."

He added on going to McDaniel in the sixth, "When you have a kid like Jashawn that comes to you and says coach I can give you at least two innings today it's a no-brainer to go with you're No. 1 right there."

On the day, Godwin went five shutout innings where he allowed three hits and a walk while fanning four. In two innings of work, McDaniel surrendered three hits and a walk while also striking out four.

"It was tense," Godwin said, "but Jashawn came in there and picked up my slack."

NMCC collected three hits one the day with Chamberlain going 2 for 3 with two RBIs. Senior Tripp Keene had the teams other hit, a single in the fourth.

With the win the Eagles guarantee themselves at least a fourth place finish at state. They'll open up play in the final four on Wednesday when they head to O'Fallon where they'll play Springfield Catholic in the semifinals at 4 p.m. at T.R. Hughes Ballpark.

"I would have never guessed we'd be in this position," Clayton said of reaching the final four. "After winning three games my freshman year, seven my sophomore and then getting a winning record last year. I knew we could do it, but nobody else seemed to think we could."

NMCC 000 000 3 - 3

St. Pius 000 000 0 - 0

WP -- JaShawn McDaniel. LP -- Drew Drinen. Multiple hitters: (N) Lane Chamberlain 2-3; (S) Taylor Wood 2-3. 2B -- (S) Thomas Welch.