This is the Gators’ eighth trip to the national tournament in the last ten years including 18 trips overall with five National Championships and 11 appearances in the national championship game.

The NJCAA Region XIV Tournament was held in Mount Pleasant, TX at Eagle Stadium on the campus of Northeast Texas Community College with the winner receiving an automatic bid in the 10 day double elimination national tournament. San Jac will face Temple College in the tournament’s first game at 9:00 a.m. Saturday, May 27th.

San Jac entered the tournament as the second seed from the South Zone and defeated two number one seeds on the way to the tournament championship. The Gators defeat Texarkana College, 2-0, in the opener behind a complete game shutout by sophomore Chris Kelley and a two RBI triple by Kyle Henson to account for the games total run production. They then beat Navarro College, 13-9, to advance to the winner’s bracket game. Navarro College was the number one seed from the East Zone, ranked #9 in the latest national junior college poll, and was the heavy favorite to win the tournament but San Jac racked up 15 hits including four doubles, a triple, and homeruns by Eric Fry and JP Padron. Eric Fry’s three run homer helped San Jac to a five run fifth inning to give the Gators the lead for good with an 8-3 advantage. Matt Coburn relieved starter Jonathon Runnels in the third for the win before exiting for Brandon Hicks in the ninth.

San Jac then defeated South Zone number one seed Alvin Community College, 17-8, in a match up between the tournaments only undefeated teams. Fry again came up with the big hit belting a grand slam homer in the top of the fifth for a 5-4 lead. The Gators never looked back adding 12 more runs to rout the Dolphins and continue on to the championship game. Jordan Rogers (4 innings) and David McClain (3 innings) had solid relief appearances for starter Lucas Luetge in the victory. Alvin recovered in the loser’s bracket eliminating Blinn College for the right to face San Jac for the Region XIV title. However, the Gator defeated Alvin, 9-6, as sophomore Jorge Lara pitched a complete game scattering seven hits to lead the Gators back to Grand Junction after missing the JUCO World Series last season.

The San Jac offense hit at a .372 clip for the tournament and averaged over 10 runs a game. Jared Gayhart (.625), Kenneth Negron (.529), and Brandon Hicks (.500) led the San Jac hitters. Eric Fry led the team with eight RBIs and Kyle Henson was just behind with seven RBIs. Fry and Nick Godre each had two homeruns for the Gators.

All of the games can be followed by live stats or by radio broadcast at www.jucogj.org or www.tsrnsports.com.