PN-G ready for another playoff round
By RYAN S. CLARK
May 19, 2010
Posted: May 19, 2010, 10:13 PM CDT
Traveling 1,000-plus miles while trying to outrun bad weather during the second round of the playoffs is sure to be a story that Port Neches-Groves baseball coach Jay Stone and his team are sure to remember.
Another story they remember is what happened last year when PN-G lost to Magnolia in the second round of the playoffs. Magnolia ended PN-G's season with a 1-0 win in 13 innings at New Caney in a one-game series. If PN-G had won the series, it would have faced Mid-County rival Nederland in the next round.
Losing to Magnolia did more than just rob local fans of baseball's version of Mid-County Madness. It gave PN-G's seven returning players an idea of how wild the playoffs could be.
They will get the chance to apply that lesson tonight at 7 p.m. when PN-G hosts Magnolia.
"What happened last year is in the past but we'd like to have another shot at them," Stone said. "We are just looking forward to competing with them and going from there."
Stone said last year's exciting yet disappointing game helped prepare his team for this season and the playoffs.
That was certainly the case when it came to PN-G's second round playoff series with Magnolia where Game 2 spanned four days and went into extra innings before PN-G won the game 3-2.
Stone said last year's Magnolia series paid off because his team knew what to win a one-run playoff game.
"There were several times (on Monday) where San Marcos would have easily pushed a run across the plate," Stone said. "But the defense made some great plays and our kids were not afraid to step it up and go beyond the norm."
After Magnolia defeated PN-G last season, it was swept by Nederland in a best-of-three series.
This year, Magnolia finished second in District 18-4A and recorded playoff wins over Del Valle and Little Cypress-Mauriceville in a one-game series.
PN-G (22-9) finished second in District 20-4A and opened the playoffs by winning a best-of-three against Galena Park. Then it swept San Marcos in a best-of-three series that finished Monday.PN-G is the area's only Class 4A team remaining in the playoffs.
"We're not going to complain about the way last week went because we came out with a win and we'll travel anywhere for a win," Stone said. "Playing at home is going to be nice and I expect a large crowd. Those types of game at home are going to be a lot more fun than traveling and playing them on the road."
