Published: May 12, 2008 12:13 am            

EHS hopes to continue Cinderella story

Enid, coming off one Cinderella finish, will be hoping for two more today when the Plainsmen (29-11) face No. 1-ranked Owasso (33-3) in the championship round of the B bracket of the Class 6A baseball tournament at Claremore’s Legion Field.

The Plainsmen must beat the Rams twice to advance to Tuesday’s state championship game at a place and time to be announced.

Moore and Jenks are playing in the A bracket finals at Bixby. Moore must beat the Trojans twice to advance. If Jenks wins, the finals will be at an eastern site.

Enid is riding a wave of confidence after scoring four runs in the seventh to eliminate Yukon 5-2 in the losers bracket finals Saturday.

“We’re playing the best baseball we can play right now,’’ said Enid coach Scott Baugh. “The kids are very resilient right now. I couldn’t feel any better than what we’re doing right now. Our confidence can’t be any better than it is right now.’’

Owasso, the defending state champion, has wins over Midwest City, 2-0, and Yukon, 4-0, so far in the tournament. The Rams lost twice to Broken Arrow this season and once to Tulsa Bishop Kelley.

The Plainsmen beat Broken Arrow 2-0 in the opening game of the season.

“They really believe somehow that it’s going to get done,’’ Baugh said. “We just have to keep fighting and scratching and clawing, which is what we have done all year. Nothing has been easy for us all year. That’s the way we have gotten it done.’’

John Dillingham (7-1), the emotional leader of the team, will take the mound for the Plainsmen. Dillingham is 1-1 in the playoffs with two saves.

If the Plainsmen win the first game, Tobin Mateychick (7-3) would go in the second championship game immediately following.

“We just have to take it a pitch at a time, an inning at a time and a game at a time,’’ Baugh said. “We have to win every small segment of the game.’’

Owasso beat Enid in the first round of both the 2006 (5-1) and 2005 (11-1) state tournaments. The Rams are coached by ex-Phillips University star Larry Turner.

“Owasso is the premier 6A baseball program in Oklahoma,’’ Baugh said. “To win the state championship in 6A in Oklahoma, you have to go through Owasso.

“They have the tradition. Coach Turner does an outstanding job with them. They aren’t going to lay over and die for us. They are a ballclub that makes few mistakes. You just have to flat beat them because they won’t give you anything.’’

Baugh said the key will be for Enid’s pitchers to throw strikes and play solid defense.

“I’m expecting a low-scoring game,’’ Baugh said. “In the end, we have to find a way to get it done. That’s going to be the key to it.’’

Due to a two-day rain delay, the Plainsmen enjoyed a day off Sunday. That allowed Dillingham and Mateychick, who pitched Friday, to have an extra day of rest.

“It’s going to help us,’’ Baugh said, “but it’s going to help them, too. It’s going to give (Rams ace Bryan) Flynn (8-1) another day’s rest, too. He’s going to have as much rest as John and Tobin.’’

The Plainsmen have had some unlikely heroes in the tournament.

Yukon, holding on to a 2-1 lead with two outs and runners on second and third, chose to walk Dillingham in the seventh and pitch to senior second baseman Alex Wilson.

Wilson lined a three-RBI double to give the Plainsmen the lead. Seth Sturgeon held off Yukon in the seventh to finish off a solid complete game effort on the mound.

“Alex won’t get a bigger hit than that,’’ Baugh said. “What he did tonight (Saturday) was just outstanding clutch, storybook stuff.

“I don’t think any of these kids will ever forget that game as long as they live. It was a great game to be a part of. Fortunately, we were able to come out on top.’’

Wilson is hitting .364 in the state tournament with four RBI. Nick Rountree is hitting .714 with four RBI. Dillingham is hitting .400 with two RBI.

Seth Floyd is 2-for-4 for a .500 average while Mateychick is 2-for-5 for a .400 average. Dylan Nave is hitting .300 with an RBI.

KCRC radio (1390 AM) will broadcast the games.