Angelina College pitcher Jacob Mead may have expected just a little work in Monday’s game, but he couldn’t have known his work day would start as early as it did.
With starting pitcher Sean Bergeron – the staff workhorse all season – on the mound, the ‘Runners anticipated Bergeron’s usual seven or eight innings. Instead, Bergeron left after 2 1/3 innings with a sore arm, causing head coach Jeff Livin to summon Mead from the bullpen much earlier.
Mead then pitched one of his best game of the year, taking the game into the ninth inning of the ‘Runners 12-9 win over Blinn College in Sunday’s opening round of the Region XIV Conference Championship tournament in Beaumont.
Mead finished with 5 2/3 innings pitched, scattering seven hits and allowing three runs while striking out four Bucs. Dalton Roblin pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to help the ‘Runners into Monday’s winners’ bracket.
AC got three homers on the day, with Dillon Nesbit going deep with an opposite-field shot in the first, Trent Brown adding a solo blast in the second and Sam Gotlieb ripping a threerun bomb in the sixth. The ‘Runners also benefited from four unearned runs in the third inning. AC finished the day with 12 runs on 12 hits.
The Roadrunners (32-19) will play the winner of the Galveston/Navarro winner at 5 p.m. on Monday in Beaumont.
The e-mail address for AC’s Sports Information Director is gstallard@angelina.edu