C-M heads to World Series

Spencer Patterson

Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2002 | 9:47 a.m.

It has been a summer to celebrate for Cimarron-Memorial's American Legion baseball team, but pitcher Steve Russell hasn't been around to take part in the festivities.

Russell, a longtime member of the Spartans' rotation, signed with the Atlanta Braves in June, and is now stationed with the team's rookie affiliate in Florida.

So on Monday, Spartans coach Kevin Kohler spoke with Russell and vowed to bring the party to him, making plans to meet his former pitcher in Danville, Va., this weekend.

Then Kohler's players went out and made good on that promise, clinching a berth in the American Legion World Series with a 7-6 win over Mid Pacific (Hawaii) in the Western Regional championship at the Community College of Southern Nevada.

"I talked to Steve earlier in the day and told him we'd be there," Kohler said. "I don't think he can suit up for us, but he'll be there to see us play."

The Spartans (44-9) will be Nevada's fifth World Series representative, joining Valley's 1984 and '86 teams, Green Valley's '93 squad and Bishop Gorman's '98 club. The 2002 event begins Friday in Danville.

"Everybody's watching the Little League World Series, but for older kids the American Legion World Series is a big deal," Kohler said. "We don't know what will happen, but we're going to go have fun. We know we can pitch and hit a little bit, so we'll see."

Cimarron claimed its spot in the Series with a hard-fought victory over its Honolulu opponent, taking a 5-0 lead after the first inning and barely holding on from there.

Mid Pacific (25-3-1) nearly rallied back from a 7-1 deficit with five late runs, and moved the tying run into scoring position in the top of the ninth inning. But with runners on first and second, Spartans reliever Jared Johnson struck out the game's final two batters to nail it down.

"This is a team of battlers," Johnson said. "Whenever someone needs to come through, someone always seems to clutch up."

Johnson's late heroics helped save the victory for Cimarron starter Matt Wagner (10-1), who worked 7 2/3 strong innings. Wagner wiggled his way out of two bases-loaded jams early, yielding 10 hits and striking out seven.

The Spartans jumped on Hawaiian starter Ryan Basco (9-1), taking advantage of three walks and an error to push across five runs in the first. No. 9 hitter Brandon Earl provided the big hit, a two-out single to left field that scored Allan Woodward and Brandon Trodick.

"We've come up short in some big games in the past," Johnson said, referring mainly to the team's 0-3 finish in the 2000 Western Regional. "But here we are, going to Virginia."

Woodward finished with three hits to lead Cimarron's attack, with Jorge Esquivel, Robert Grana and Trodick chipping in two hits apiece.