I have been meaning to post something for quite a while now, but better late than never....Congrats to the Iowa Western Reivers, first-ever Northern District team to win the JUCO World Series!.
The Iowa Western baseball team headed for Colorado wondering where it fit in the hierarchy of junior college baseball.
The Reivers are coming home a national champion.
Brandon Bass’ two-out RBI single in the eighth inning gave No. 5 Iowa Western a 5-4 victory over San Jacinto (Texas) College at Suplizio Field Saturday, earning the Reivers their first national baseball title. . . .
. . . Last weekend at the NJCAA Division I Junior College World Series in Grand Junction, Colo, fifth-rated Iowa Western and No. 1 San Jacinto, a five-time national champion, were the final two teams standing. With one loss in the event, the Reivers needed to beat unbeaten San Jacinto twice to secure their first national baseball title.
“We’re playing a bunch of Texas kids, which is the hotbed of baseball. It was David vs. Goliath,’’ Iowa Western coach Marc Rardin said. “And I told my guys, ‘We’re not even supposed to be here. We’re the token Northern District team.’’’ . . .
After starting the season 7-8, they won 44 of their final 48. . . .
When you consider the obstacles created by Midlands weather, there’s little difference between winning a juco national baseball title and winning a College World Series title at a Division I school like Nebraska or Iowa. If anything, it’s tougher at a two-year school like IWCC.
Other than Oregon State in 2006 and 2007, the recent CWS champions have come from Sun Belt states like Louisiana, California, Texas and Florida. Likewise, the previous 10 juco champions had come from Texas, Florida, Tennessee, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada and Arizona. . . .
"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."
After battling through the losers bracket for an entire week, rallying from a one-run deficit in the ninth inning was no big deal for No. 1 Iowa Western.
An RBI single by Brett Bass and a bases-loaded balk gave the Reivers (62-6) a come-from-behind 6-5 victory over No. 8 San Jacinto (Texas) and their second national baseball championship.
When Keaton Steele induced a game-ending groundout from Kirby Taylor, IWCC became the first team since 2003 to win the title after losing its first game at the NJCAA World Series. . . .
If Grant Kay ever dreamed of scoring the winning run in a national championship game, he almost certainly didn’t imagine it would come on a balk.
Top-ranked Iowa Western rallied for two runs in the top of the ninth inning to beat No. 8 San Jacinto (Texas) 6-5 Saturday in the NJCAA championship game at Sam Suplizio Field.
The Reivers (62-6) trailed by a run entering the final inning, but pulled even when Brett Bass from Millard West flared an RBI single to shallow left field with two on and one down. With the bases loaded one out later, Gator reliever Skylar Janisse was called for a balk which plated the winning run.
San Jac (41-25) almost tied the game in the bottom half of the inning when Justin Byrd’s line drive came within two feet of clearing the right-field wall. He wound up with a triple, and Iowa Western’s Keaton Steele induced a groundout by Kirby Taylor that ended a back-and-forth game. . . .
"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."
[center]Storm Chasers to Honor the Reigning JUCO Champion, Iowa Western Community College
Reivers’ players to be honored pre-game, IWCC students and faculty to receive discount on tickets[/center]
PAPILLION, Neb. — The Omaha Storm Chasers plan to honor the 2012 Alpine Bank Junior College World Series Champion Iowa Western Community College Reivers on Monday night. The championship is the Reivers’ second JUCO title victory in three years, having previously won it all in 2010. Head Coach Marc Rardin will throw out a first pitch and appear on this evening’s radio broadcast with the Storm Chasers’ broadcast team of Mark Nasser and Brett Pollock.
“These young men have accomplished something that their families, friends and community will remember for a long time,” said President and General Manager of the Omaha Storm Chasers, Martie Cordaro. “We are excited to honor the Reivers for their outstanding achievements.”
The 2012 Reivers’ list of accomplishments is lengthy and includes setting a school record for most wins in a season with a record of 62-6, leading the nation in hitting with a .412 team batting average, sitting atop the polls as the unanimous number one team in the nation for two months and posting win streaks of 17 and 27 games.
Also, in addition to the ceremony, IWCC students and faculty will receive $2.00 off their ticket by showing their IWCC ID card at the Werner Park Ticket Office.
Wow, they are in it again. I am amazed at how competitive Iowa Western sports have been. Not surprised by it though. I always thought there was potential. Between baseball, men's and women's soccer, volleyball, even basketball most years, IWCC is turning into on of the best in the nation for athletics.
skinzfan23 wrote:Wow, they are in it again. I am amazed at how competitive Iowa Western sports have been. Not surprised by it though. I always thought there was potential. Between baseball, men's and women's soccer, volleyball, even basketball most years, IWCC is turning into on of the best in the nation for athletics.
I think you forgot to include their football team. They were national champs 2012 and were ranked #2 at end of 2013.
