Fitts gives Spring Arbor fits with two-hitter

 5-28-07

LEWISTON, Idaho –Sophomore right-hander Matt Fitts (left) tossed a two-hitter and Beau Mills hit his 35^th home run of the season to help defending champion Lewis-Clark State College defeat Spring Arbor 7-0 in the 51^st annual Avista NAIA World Series on Monday at LCSC’s Harris Field. 

Fitts (10-1) took a no-hitter into the eighth inning before Jeffrey Teabeau singled on an 0-2 count to lead off the bottom of the eighth inning. Fitts also allowed a ninth-inning single to Bradley Baker, but then retired the side to record the Warriors’ 10^th shutout this season, but the first by just one pitcher. The other nine were a combination effort by the LCSC staff. 

Fitts was simply masterful in the game. He struck out 12 and induced nine ground outs. He also walked two and threw 111 pitches. 

Mills also moved to closer to tying the NAIA single-season home run mark of 36 with his solo blast in the fifth inning. Mills needs just one home run to tie Mike Maggers of Mary-Hardin Baylor for the record. Maggers hit 36 during the 1992 season. 

The victory helped the Warriors (55-5) move closer to claiming their 15^th series title under coach Ed Cheff. LCSC is just one of two undefeated teams left from the original 10-team field. The Warriors will square off against the other tourney unbeaten, Bellevue University, at 7 p.m. Tuesday night. Tuesday’s winner will be guaranteed no worse than a third-place finish in the tournament. 

Spring Arbor, the No. 2 seed in the tournament, never got a runner past first base in the game. The Cougars (46-4) also were shutout for the first time this season. 

LCSC didn’t waste much time in taking the lead as both Kyle Greene and Kyle Melton hit solo home runs in the second inning. Greene’s was his seventh of the season while Melton’s was his first and went to the deepest area of the ballpark in center field. 

LCSC made it 5-0 in the fourth when two walks sandwiched around Jessie Mier’s double loaded the bases with no outs. Paul Martin was then hit by a pitch to bring in a run, while Melton reached on a fielder’s choice to bring in another. Jesse Roehl’s sacrifice fly brought in the third run. 

In the fifth inning, Mills took a full-count offering over the right field fence for his second home run of the tournament. 

LCSC’s final run came in the seventh when Melton doubled and scored on a single by Zach Evangelho. Melton was the only Warrior with multiple hits as he went 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored.  Mills and Greene both went 1-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. 

Jesse Bachman (12-1) took the loss for Spring Arbor. He pitched eight innings and allowed five hits, three walks and six runs. He also struck out four, but hit three batters. 

Spring Arbor returns to action in a loser-out contest on Tuesday against Lindenwood at 3 p.m., while Azusa Pacific meets Houston Baptist in the first loser-out game at 11 a.m. Tuesday’s pairings in loser-out play had to be adjusted because Lindenwood has already played Azusa Pacific and Houston Baptist in the tournament. Tournament rules say the bracket will be adjusted if necessary so that teams won’t have to play each other twice unless necessary.