Published: May 08, 2008 12:01 am            

Rain washes out first day of tourney

Mother Nature was the winner Wednesday at the Class 6A state baseball tournament.

Rains caused postponement of Enid’s first-round game with Yukon at Claremore’s Legion Field.

The No. 5-ranked Plainsmen (27-10) and No. 4-ranked Millers will try again at 4 p.m. today. KCRC Radio (1390 AM) will broadcast the game.

“We can’t do anything about the weather,’’ said Enid coach Scott Baugh. “We have to pick everything up tomorrow and go on from there.’’

No. 1-ranked Owasso (31-3) will face No. 14 Midwest City (21-13) in the other first-round game in Bracket B at 1:30 p.m.

The losers play an elimination game at 6:30 p.m. today. The winners meet in the winners bracket finals at 4 p.m. Friday.

John Dillingham (6-1, 2.52 ERA) will be Enid’s starting pitcher. Baugh expects Yukon to pitch fireballer Chad James. Millers coach Kevin Miller said he was undecided about his starter.

Baugh said he wouldn’t hesitate to use starting pitchers Tobin Mateychick (6-3, 2.47 ERA) or Seth Sturgeon (7-1, 1.48 ERA) in relief, if needed.

The games originally scheduled for Friday have been set back to Saturday.

The championship game, which was scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday at Tulsa’s Driller Park, has been set back to Monday at a time and site to be announced.

“I don’t think this hurts us at all,’’ said Baugh. “I don’t know if it helps. You just deal with it.’’

Having the championship game on Monday could help Enid’s pitching rotation.

“You have to get there first,’’ Baugh said. “Our first concern is Yukon. We have to go out and win that ballgame and then worry about the rest of them after that.’’

Bracket A games at Bixby include No. 2 Edmond Santa Fe (30-6) against No. 6 Jenks (27-9) at 1:30 p.m. and No. 12 Moore (21-14) against No. 3 Broken Arrow (22-9) at 4 p.m.

The Plainsmen worked out at the indoor facility at David Allen Memorial Ballpark Wednesday.

The Plainsmen are trying to win a first-round game at state for the first time since 1991, when they defeated Lawton Eisenhower 7-1.

EHS has dropped five straight first round games — Owasso, 5-1, 2006; Owasso, 11-1, 2005; Norman, 4-1, 1995; Edmond Memorial, 3-2, 1993; and Putnam City, 12-11, 1992.

Baugh said this year’s team should be relaxed and confident. Dillingham and Rountree are starting in their third state tournament.

The Plainsmen are trying to repeat a 4-3 win over the Millers at the Gladys Winters Tournament last month. Mateychick threw a one-hitter.

Rountree leads the EHS attack with a .427 average, followed by Dillingham (.393) and Zach Gonzalez (.382).

The Plainsmen are making their third state appearance in the last four years.

“It never gets old,’’ Baugh said. “It’s always exciting to practice the second week of May.’’