KFDM COOP Posted June 2, 2007 Report Posted June 2, 2007 Celina shut out by Texas A&M signee11:13 PM CDT on Friday, June 1, 2007By DAVID HINOJOSA / The Dallas Morning News [email protected] TYLER – Facing a top major league pitching prospect, Celina needed to exploit every opportunity it had Friday night. And Celina had a couple of them against defending state champion Texarkana Liberty-Eylau in Game 1 of their best-of-3 Class 3A Region II final. It let each one slip away, however, as Liberty-Eylau took a 2-0 victory behind Will Middlebrooks' four-hitter at Mike Carter Field. Middlebrooks signed with Texas A&M last fall, but he could be playing professional baseball by summer's end. He is listed as Baseball America's No. 36 draft prospect. Middlebrooks had given up one hit and struck out 27 in his previous two games, including a 16-strikeout, no-hit performance against Commerce last week. He wasn't quite as good Friday but finished with eight strikeouts. Still, Celina had prime scoring chances. It left a runner on second in the third inning and a runner on third in the fourth inning. Celina left seven on base overall. Senior lefty Chase Willard, well-rested after not pitching last weekend against Mineola, kept Celina (28-6) in the game and nearly matched Middlebrooks. Willard had seven strikeouts and allowed six hits. "Chase pitched well enough to win, but we just didn't get a hit for him," Celina coach James Evans said. Liberty-Eylau (29-5), meanwhile, did come up with a big hit. Eric Wells singled in Stedmon Dewberry to give Liberty-Eylau a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth. Zach Fowler scored the second run off a wild pitch from Willard. Fowler got on base after being hit by a pitch and reached third after Wells' single and a fielder's choice by Clay Jeffirs. The good news for Celina is that it will have its ace, Jacob Bidelman (12-2), on the mound in Game 2, which starts at 2 p.m. today at Mike Carter Field. Freshman Ryan Merritt, who had 14 strikeouts against Mineola last week, could pitch Game 3 if needed. Fowler, who is 24-2 over the last three seasons, is the likely starter for Liberty-Eylau today.
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