Casey, Eagles still going
GLENDALE — The following are updates on local athletes at the collegiate level.
Danny Casey (Glendale Community College, 2009) Concordia baseball senior: The run of Danny Casey and the Concordia Eagles toward a hopeful NAIA World Series championships is still alive after an 8-4 win over fourth-seeded LSU Shreveport on Wednesday afternoon in Lewiston, Ida. put them in the title game.
With the victory, the Eagles moved into tonight’s championship game at 7. They awaited the winner of Wednesday’s late game between Lubbock Christian and Lee University. Should Lubbock lose, however, with it being its first tournament loss, it would face Lee again on Thursday before moving into Friday’s championship game, thus Concordia could have a bye. If Lubbock emerged victorious late Wednesday night, it would face Concordia today at 7 p.m.
Casey went one for three in the game, as the No. 9 Eagles (47-15) made the most out of six Pilots’ errors in the elimination game. Concordia went 4-1 to reach the title game, losing only to top-seeded Embry-Riddle.
The La Crescenta product has gone five for 15 in five games for Concordia during the tournament, hitting .333 with six runs scored.
Jesse Meaux (Glendale High, 2007) UC Santa Barbara baseball senior: After returning for his senior season at Santa Barbara, Meaux fell upon some troublesome times down the stretch, as he was hampered by a nagging shoulder injury.
His last appearance for the Gauchos came on April 29, as he took the loss in a 5-3 defeat to UC Riverside in Big West Conference play.
Meaux tossed six innings, allowed seven hits, three earned runs, two walks and struck out four.
Santa Barbara finished its season 26-26 and 10-14 in conference play. Meaux made 10 appearances, all starts. He posted a 3.70 earned-run average over 65 2/3 innings pitched, striking out 34 batters and walking 14.
Meaux was drafted in June of 2010 by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 44th round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. He elected to return for his senior season at UCSB and will now await the 2011 draft, which begins on Monday.
Dustin Emmons (Crescenta Valley High, 2007) UC Riverside baseball senior: Emmons, who was also drafted last year but elected to return for his senior season, concluded an up-and-down campaign on Sunday.
Emmons got the start in Riverside’s final game of the season and was touched up in 3 2/3 innings, allowing six hits, three runs and a walk. Riverside notched an 11-4 win in the game, however.
The Highlanders finished up at 29-23 with an 11-13 mark in the Big West Conference.
Emmons made nine starts and 18 total appearances, emerging with a 7-3 win, but a 6.00 ERA.
Over 57 innings of work, he allowed 38 earned runs, struck out 34 to 16 walks and notched one save.
Emmons was taken in the 40th round by the Florida Marlins in last year’s Major League Baseball First-Year Players Draft. He was also drafted out of high school by the Pittsburgh Pirates.