Cal Lutheran Stays Alive, Socks It to McMurry, 6-4

Cal Lutheran has found a good luck charm--yellow socks.

After dropping an 8-6 decision to Southwestern in the first game of the day Friday in the NCAA Division III West Regional baseball tournament, the Kingsmen wanted to try something different in their elimination game at night.

Someone from the school went to an athletic supply outlet and bought the entire stock of yellow socks. With every inch of the bold yellow socks showing, Cal Lutheran posted a 6-4 victory over McMurry, the host team.

The superstitious Kingsmen may not even wash the yellow socks before taking on Southwestern today.

“We’re not changing,” said Coach Marty Slimak, whose Kingsmen were seeded fourth in the tournament. “It’s baseball. That’s the fun part about this game.”

The Kingsmen (26-13), who outhit the Indians, 13-7, scored all six runs in the first five innings and stayed alive in the double-elimination tournament at Walt Driggers Field.

“It feels good to have another day to play,” said senior first baseman Anthony Olden, who hit a two-run homer in the first inning and an RBI single in the fifth. “It’s special for the seniors because we’ve got our backs against the wall. We were up from the beginning, because we knew we had our backs against the wall.”

Brant Childers (2-0), the second of three pitchers against McMurry ( 32-15), allowed two runs on four hits in six innings in relief of starter John French.

Southwestern (36-10), which is 2-0 in the tournament, was ranked ninth in the latest NCAA Division III poll but was seeded third in the regional.

Cal Lutheran will have to win the 11 a.m. (CDT) game, and defeat the Pirates in a second game in order to qualify for its second appearance in the NCAA Division III World Series in the last three seasons.

“Now we have to play every game like it’s the last game of our career,” Slimak said. “I didn’t have to tell these guys. They were disappointed they lost, but nobody got down.

“We know we’re two evenly matched teams. It will be basically who’s got enough pitching and gets the key hits again.”

Clint Brett had three hits for Cal Lutheran and Brian Malchow and Donny Churchman each had two against Southwestern.

Tom Canale (3-4) pitched 5 2/3 innings against Southwestern, allowing four runs on six hits while striking out nine and walking one.

Top-seeded Chapman (29-13), which swept two games from Cal Lutheran two weeks ago, was eliminated by McMurry, 7-4.