Eagles' pride awakens against New Haven

SPRINGFIELD -- Oran senior Alex Chasteen had a difficult time getting motivated for the Class 1 third-place game against New Haven on Thursday.

Chasteen, the Eagles starting pitcher, admitted that when he woke up Wednesday before his team's Class 1 semifinal game against Stoutland, he loved baseball. But after a 7-4 loss to the Tigers, he sort of hated the game.

The Eagles, a team with a lineup that features seven starting seniors including Chasteen, played the season motivated by the prospect of winning the school's first state title in baseball. And that's what kept the players and coaches motivated over the past two weeks during district, sectional and quarterfinal do-or-die games.

But what kept Oran and its seven seniors motivated Thursday after that dream ended with its loss to Stoutland in the semifinals? And is the third-place game, which the Missouri State High School Activities Association implemented in 1985, worth playing?

"It's definitely a lot harder to get pumped up," Chasteen said. "But you just have to stay focused and know that you want to end the season on a good note. ... We just played to end the season on a good note."

Chasteen, despite not experiencing the same fire that he did before the other state games, still was able to find the right mind frame and pitch his team to a 5-2 victory over the Shamrocks to claim third place.

Chasteen went all seven inning, allowing one earned run on eight hits and two walks while striking out five. He likes the idea of a consolation game because it gives teams the opportunity to end their seasons with a win. It gave him a chance to end his high school career with a victory.

Rick Kindhart, MSHSAA assistant executive director, said teams like playing two games no matter the result on the first day, and a third-place game allows families to set their travel and accommodation plans.

"It was tough to get out of bed this morning," Oran coach Mitch Wood said. "It's tough to get going. But at the same time, the big thing is we've never won a first place and we've never won a fourth place either. That's what you kind of tell them, 'There's no need to start winning those fourth-place trophies.' Somebody had to win here today."

Wood somewhere at game

Wood was suspended from coaching Thursday's consolation game after being thrown out of Wednesday's game for arguing a call. Still, he was dressed in his Oran uniform and was on the field after the game with his team to receive the third-place medals.

He said he saw the game, although he would not specify exactly where he watched it.

"Yeah, I watched most of the game," Wood said, laughing. "Somewhere out there, anyway."

Wood had positive reviews for the job done by long-time assistant Larry Boshell and former player and acting head coach Adam Friga while he served his one-game suspension.

"I saw one play today that made me scratch my head and made me think, 'What in the world?'" Wood said. "They were bunting Sloth, our big No. 9 hitter. He got it down, but not for a basehit."

It turned out that Alex Daniel, who Wood referred to as Sloth, had read the wrong sign with two outs and a runner on.

Seven seniors

Wood spoke to his team after Thursday's game and then kept the seniors for a few extra minutes to speak further with them.

"I said, 'Good four-year run,'" Wood said. "They've done well, so there's nothing to hang their heads about. It's tough right now because you want to win the whole thing, but you didn't win it and that's just part of it. There are two teams that are going to end the year with a win and we're one of them."

Wood doesn't seem too concerned about graduating seven seniors and two of his three top pitchers in Chasteen and Steven Dooley.

"About five years ago we graduated about eight seniors and we came back the next year and we were probably the closest I've ever been to winning a state tournament the next year with one returning starter," Wood said. "There is a lot of pride and tradition in this ballclub. I don't think they're going to lay over and just forget about it and just get beat to death next year."

Kody Campbell, who will play baseball at Southeast Missouri State next year, added that Oran has some young talent.

"They'll be all right," Campbell said. "They'll surprise some people, I think."