Gordon wins first Series game in a rout

By Ken K. GreenIt may have been Gordon’s first game ever in the JUCO World Series but they looked as if they had been there before as the tenth seed Highlanders run-ruled ninth seed Shelton State 13-3 in six innings Sunday night in Grand Rapids, Colorado. Gordon, now 37-24, will play again Tuesday night at 9:30 p.m. local time against either second seed Jefferson (Mo.) or third seed Polk State (Fla.). The Highlanders took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Devin Bonin led off with a double, advanced to third base on a fly ball to right field and scored on an error. Aaron Mizell and Bobby Woodall hit back-to-back solo homers to start the third inning for Gordon chasing the Shelton starting pitcher. Drew Adams greeted the reliever with a double, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on Jody Stone’s sacrifice fly to center as the Highlanders increased their advantage to 4-0. The Buccaneers tried to make a game of it scoring three runs in the fourth on two hits and an error to pull to with one but Gordon got those runs back in the fifth as Chance Bridges led the inning off with a walk and went to third on a double by Adams. Both runners scored on a triple by Stone who was driven home on a sac fly by Christian Davila to make it 7-3 Gordon. The Highlanders ended the game in the bottom of the sixth scoring six times. Mizell led the inning off with a double, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on a wild pitch. Woodall struck out but reached first on a wild pitch. Bridges walked and Stone got an infield hit to load the bases. Davila walked to score Woodall. Massey walked to score Bridges. Stone scored on a passed ball. Brian Jacobs singled driving home Davila. Woodall singled to score Massey for the walk off win. Mizell was a single shy of hitting for the cycle to lead the Highlanders 11 hit attack. Seven of Gordon’s hits went for extra bases. The Highlanders showed great patience at the plate drawing nine base on balls. Bridges and Massey walked three times each. Except for the one rough inning, Gordon starting pitcher Jeb Dills threw a gem. He earned the complete game win in six innings allowing three runs on six hits and two walks while striking out three. A win Wednesday will pit Gordon against either fifth seed Neosho County (Kan.) or eighth seed San Jacinto-North (Tex.) Thursday at 9:30 p.m. A loss would drop the Highlanders to the elimination bracket for a five o’clock game Thursday against Polk State, Jefferson or Shelton State.