Lions Explode Past Bears, Advance to Semifinals

HIGHLIGHTS

MESQUITE, Texas – Dallas College Mountain View's storybook playoff run lives on.

The fifth-seeded Lions sent Dallas College Brookhaven to the loser's bracket in the double-elimination National Junior College Athletic Association Division III South Central District Tournament Thursday at host Dallas College Eastfield, punching their ticket to the semifinals with a 16-4 run-rule 8-inning victory.

The Lions (22-30) will meet Eastfield (42-13) in Friday's 9 a.m. semifinals.

"Coming into this game, like Coach (Josh Merrell) said, 'One pitch at a time. One inning at a time. Just go dominate,'" Mountain View's Asher Bates said after doubling and homering in the runaway win. "Coming into this, being the underdog so to speak, we were really just fighting."

"Big shoutout to our hitting coach (Tim) Andre, he told us yesterday, 'Hey, we've got to keep the pressure on, keep the foot on the neck. Let's just keep going,'" Bates said. "Our hitters have to hit. If our pitchers are dealing, and our defense is playing good, our hitters got to go."

That the Lions did, putting nine runs on the board in the eighth inning to blow it open. It was the second straight postseason win for Mountain View – something that's never been done in the program's history, and interim head coach Josh Merrell has his team racing into the semifinals.

Diego Washington had four hits, and drove in a run, while stealing a base, for the Lions. Bates went 2 for 4 with an RBI and three runs scored. Noah Castillo was 2 for 4 with a double and two RBI. Scooter New doubled, and drove in three runs. Victor Zuniga doubled, and drove in two runs. Cooper Scott was 1 for 4 with an RBI and two stolen bases.

The Lions led 6-4 after the sixth inning, following a run by the Bears (24-28). Mountain View picked up a run in the seventh to make it a three-run cushion before blowing the game open with the nine-run eighth.

Brookhaven's Brett Petillo was 2 for 3 with two walks and a stolen base. Payton Stephenson, Brady Breedlove and Aidan Corey each were 1 for 3 with an RBI. Stephenson and Breedlove each doubled.

The Bears will play Dallas College Cedar Valley (19-35) in an elimination game at 12 p.m. Friday.

Mountain View outhit Brookhaven 13-6.

Lions starter Dylan Jenkins got the win, going five innings, allowing five hits, three runs and five walks, and struck out two. Kaden Cox picked up the save, working the final three innings, while allowing a hit, a run and three walks to go along with five strikeouts.

Bates' home run was his seventh of the year.

"It's been a struggle this season, really to find a groove," he said. "But coming into this, really just being in the good body position to do damage, and I feel like I did that."

Mountain View did damage alright. And this postseason story lives on …