Majors win regional qualifier

June 22--ENID, Okla. -- Garron Nixon, who took a medical redshirt in his freshman year at Northern Oklahoma College Enid, is making up for lost time with the Enid Majors.

Nixon's two-RBI double in the fifth broke open a pitching duel as the Majors beat the Oklahoma City Athletics 4-1 to win the Connie Mack South Plains Regional Quaifier Sunday.

The Majors (20-9) had beaten the D-Bats Chapman 8-4 Sunday morning to reach the championship game.

"It feels good,'' Nixon said, "but we still have a lot of games to win. We want to be the team that wins the last game of the season, and hopefully that will be at Farmington, New Mexico (site of Connie Mack World Series).''

Enid was already in the South Plains Regional set for July 22-27 at David Allen Memorial because of being the host team. Still, the victory was special.

"It didn't matter to us that we were already in,'' said Enid coach Chris Jensen. "We still wanted to win and get better every day and I think we accomplished that. Our pitching and defense were very solid.''

The Majors allowed only eight runs in going 5-1 in the tournament.

They have won nine of their last 11 games.

"We have really good chemistry as a team,'' Nixon said. "We have a heck of a pitching staff. We don't have a bunch of guys who can bring it 90 miles per hour, but we sure have a lot of guys who can throw strikes. I like how the team has come together in the last few weeks.''

Majors starter Matt Mills lived up to that statement. He scattered eight hits, but did not walk a batter. Jeff Swigart, who scored the Athletics' run in the sixth on an RBI single by Trey Henley, was the only Oklahoma City runner to get past second base. The Athletics left five runners on.

"I've pitched better games, but I'll take this one,'' Mills said. "I was a little sore, but they just needed me today. I just threw strikes and let the defense play behind me. It's a W ... it feels pretty good, but we still have a lot of games to win.''

Nixon's heroics came after the play of the game by Athletics shortstop Nick Smith of Kingfisher.

Smith dived for a grounder by Brady Kokojan with runners on first and second. Xaiver Sundman tried to score from second on the play but Smith, who led Kingfisher to the Class 3A state football championship, threw him out at the plate while still on his knees.

"Those people who came out today got to see something special,'' Jensen said. "That was an unbelievable play. I sent Xaiver. I didn't think he could throw on his knees to the plate.''

Smith had tried out for the Majors "for the experience,'' Jensen said. He had already committed to play for the Athletics.

"We beat a quality opponent,'' Jensen said.

But the Majors recovered quickly.

Christian Voitik singled in Brad Kinsey, who had reached on an error. Nixon followed with a frozen rope down the left field corner for a double to score Kokojan and Voitik with what would be the winning runs.

"I was seeing the ball good today,'' Nixon said. "I was seeing it come out of his hand and seeing the spin and everything. I got a good barrel on it and got it out of there.''

Enid had left seven runners on base in the first four innings, including the bases loaded in the second.

"I was definitely looking to break something open.'' Nixon said. "When I swung, it was all or nothing.''

Nixon welcomed a chance to play six games in five days.

"I'm feeling good now,'' he said. "I'm getting my timing and rhythm back. You get that by playing every day and seeing pitches. I'm getting back into the fundamentals of hitting the ball.''

Nixon, the old-school player, liked swinging a wood bat in the tournament.

"It turns baseball into more of a defensive game,'' he said. "We were scoreless through almost five innings. It makes it more meaningful and more fun.''

Nixon will return to NOC Enid this spring for his redshirt freshman year.

Enid added an insurance run in the sixth when Cole Floyd singled and scored after a sacrifice, an error and a wild pitch.

Kegan Reneau of Cashion was 3-for-3 for the Athletics. Swigart and Rowdy Reihs were both 2-for-3.

MAJORS 8, D-BAT CHAPMAN 4

The Enid Majors took advantage of six errors to beat D-Bat Chapman 8-4 in the semifinals.

The Majors scored five runs in the first, two in the second and one in the sixth. Sundman was 2-for-2 with a single and a double and scored twice. Kokojan was 2-for-3 with a single and a double and scored twice. He had an RBI double in the second.

Kros Bay's RBI single was the big blow in the first.

Cooper Skulzucek was the winning pitcher. He allowed only five hits over five and two-thirds innings, walking five and striking out one.

"They helped us out with the errors, but we took advantage of our opportunities,'' Jensen said.

Enid will be off today before visiting Ponca City for a doubleheader Tuesday.

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