The Enid Majors’ run to the American Legion World Series was stopped one step short at the Mid-South Regional championship Tuesday, thanks mostly to Texarkana, Texas, do-it-all star player John Stilson.

Stilson, a 19th round selection by the Minnesota Twins in June’s Major League Baseball Amateur Draft, went 4-for-5 from the plate and gave up three runs in 72/3 innings as a starting pitcher in the Indians’ 9-3 victory at David Allen Memorial Ballpark.

Enid defeated Hatties-burg, Miss., 8-3 in a rain-delayed elimination game Tuesday to earn a berth in the championship. Stilson, the tournament’s most valuable player, pitched 132/3 innings in the five-day regional, allowing only five runs. He was 9-for-22 with nine RBI and three home runs, which actually dropped his batting average to .571 this season.

Stilson, who has signed to play at Texas A&M;, said he has not discussed contract terms with the Twins and will play in this week’s World Series in Fargo, N.D.

“It’s a big relief (to win),” said Stilson. “This is the first time Texarkana has won a regional, and to say that we were the first to do it is a big honor.”

He out-dueled Enid starting pitcher Tobin Mateychick, who, in his final game at David Allen Memorial Ballpark, threw a complete game in taking the loss.

Enid, which was one of two teams in the regional not to win its state tournament, finished its season 44-14. They defeated the state champions, the Oklahoma Outlaws, in a run-rule Sunday.

“We were still in the top 16 out of about 5,000 teams in American Legion baseball,” said Majors head coach Bill Mayberry. “We get to hang another red banner (the regional runner-up banner) at David Allen.”

Randall Fant, who pitched 11/3 inning of relief, was originally scheduled to start Tuesday’s final game. But Texarkana’s coaches made a last-minute switch. Stilson was told 15 minutes before first pitch that he would get the start.

Stilson walked the first two hitters he faced in the first, but he was bailed out by a double play on a hard-hit ground ball to third by Nick Rountree. It was the first of three double plays turned by the Indians’ defense.

Texarkana made Enid pay in the bottom of the first, when Garrett Aslin smacked a two-out, two-run single past the outstretched glove of first baseman Zach Gonzalez. The Indians plated three more runs in the second when a ground ball got below Gonzalez’s glove with two outs.

More than 3,500 pounds of drying solvent were poured on the infield dirt after a rainstorm Monday suspended play. Mayberry said the ball normally would have bounced high into Gonzalez’s glove, but the soft dirt caused it to scoot low.

Enid pushed a run home in the third to pull the game within 5-1. Kelly Padilla led off with a double and came home to score on a Dylan Nave single. But a double play once again halted the inning when shortstop Caleb Dudley snagged an Eddie Cervantes line drive and threw out Nave at first.

After Texarkana stretched the lead back to 6-1, the Majors got a big scoring chance in the fourth. Mateychick led off with a double and scored on a double by Seth Floyd. Logan Nault followed with the third double of the inning, plating Floyd. Stilson walked Padilla to load the bases with two outs, but Zach Sell struck out to end the inning.

Texarkana put the game out of reach on Jon Phillips’ two-out, two-run single in the fifth to extend the Indians’ lead to 8-3. All but two of Texarkana’s runs scored with two outs.

The Majors made their last major threat in the eighth, when a single by Gonzalez and consecutive walks by Stilson loaded the bases with two outs. But Fant struck out Padilla on a high, inside fastball with a full count to end the inning.

Fant walked Jordan Magee to lead off the ninth, but he retired the top three hitters in Enid’s lineup to end the game. Rountree, who has been a three-year starter for the Majors, struck out swinging on the last pitch.

“The key today was their pitching,” said Mayberry. “Today, we actually hit the ball well. … But the shortstop made a couple great plays on hard-hit balls.”

Mateychick, headed for Wichita State University, scattered 11 hits and struck out nine. Padilla concluded his American Legion career with a pair of doubles. Nave went 1-for-3 Tuesday and finished the tournament 15-for-26.

MAJORS 8, HATTIESBURG 3

Enid resumed its suspended elimination game against Hattiesburg with the score tied 3-3 with no outs in the top of the eighth and runners on first and second.

Relief pitcher Blake Herrin loaded the bases by walking Nault. Padilla drew a walk to give Enid a 4-3 lead.

Pinch-hitter Jordan Magee smacked a two-run single to center field, and Nave followed with an RBI single to plate Padilla. Cervantes drove home Nave on a double.

Cervantes started Tuesday in relief of Monday’s starter, Seth Sturgeon. Cervantes allowed two hits in two innings of work. Sturgeon took the victory.



MAJORS 8, HATTIESBURG (MISS.) 3



Majors Hattiesburg

ab r h bi ab r h bi

Nave lf 5 2 3 1 Strngr 2b-ss 4 1 2 0

Crvnts 3b-p 3 0 2 2 Whthead lf 5 0 2 1

Rountree c 5 1 2 0 BMrgn ss-p 5 0 1 0

Mtyck rf-3b 5 1 2 2 MMgee 3b 4 1 3 2

Gonzlz 1b 4 1 0 0 Holley c 4 0 0 0

Floyd ss 3 1 0 0 Mathis rf 4 0 1 0

Nault cf 3 1 0 0 Lee 1b 4 1 1 0

Padilla 2b 3 1 0 1 TMrgn cf 4 0 1 0

Sell dh 2 0 1 0 Trtrich dh 2 0 0 0

JMgee rf 2 0 1 2 Herrin p-lf 0 0 0 0

Baldwin pr 0 0 0 0

Totals 35 8 11 8 Totals 36 3 11 3



Majors 100 000 070 -8

Hattiesburg 100 001 100 -3



Game suspended in top of the eighth inning Monday and resumed Tuesday with score tied 3-3 and Enid runners at first and second with no outs.

E-B. Morgan, Carruth, M. Magee. DP-Majors 1, Hattiesburg 2. LOB-Majors 10,Hattiesburg 9. 2B-Rountree, Cervantes. HR-Mateychick, M. Magee. S-Floyd. SB-Mateychick.



IP H R ER BB SO

Hattiesburg

Bernard 6 1/3 6 1 1 4 4

Carruth, L 2/3 2 4 3 0 0

Herrin 2/3 3 3 0 3 0

Morgan 1 0 0 0 1 1

Majors

Sturgeon, W 7 9 3 3 2 3

Cervantes 2 2 0 0 1 2



WP-Bernard (2). HBP-Sell by Bernard.



TEXARKANA (TEXAS) 9, MAJORS 3



Majors Texarkana

ab r h bi ab r h bi

Nave lf 4 0 1 1 Phillips 3b 5 1 1 2

Cervnts 3b 3 0 0 0 Collins 2b 4 1 0 0

Rountree c 5 0 0 0 Stilson p-rf 5 2 4 2

Matyck p 4 1 1 0 Dudley ss 4 1 1 1

Gonzlz 1b 3 0 1 0 Aslin c 3 0 1 2

Floyd ss 3 1 1 1 Carr 1b 3 2 1 0

Nault cf 3 0 1 1 Bigham cf 4 0 1 0

Padilla 2b 3 1 2 0 Mayo lf 2 1 1 1

Sell rf 3 0 0 0 Fant rf-p 2 1 1 0

Magee ph 0 0 0 0 Ashby rf-lf 4 0 0 0

Totals 31 3 7 3 Totals 36 9 11 8



Majors 001 200 000 -3

Texarkana 231 021 00x -9



E-Gonzalez, Cervantes. DP-Majors 1, Texarkana 3. LOB-Majors 8, Texarkana 7. 2B-Padilla (2), Mateychick, Floyd, Nault, Carr, Mayo, Fant, Stilson. SB-Stilson.



IP H R ER BB SO

Majors

Mateychick, L 8 11 9 4 3 9

Texarkana

Stilson W 7 2/3 7 3 3 7 6

Fant 1 1/3 0 0 0 1 2



WP-Mateychick (2). PB-Rountree. HBP-Carr by Mateychick.